Construction Shortly before his assassination, U.S. President
Abraham Lincoln authorized the construction of
Essex, but her construction was delayed for several years. On 10 February 1873 a Congressional act was approved. This act gave authority to the Secretary of the Navy to construct eight war vessels. The act stated that the four vessels should be built by the lowest responsible bidders for the contract in public competition. Donald McKay won the contract to build two of the four vessels, these were and USS
Essex. She
displaced of water.
Essex sailed on the Pacific Station from November 1881 to December 1882 and thence on the Asiatic Station for two years during which she took on board Captain S. H. Morrison and crew members of the shipwrecked
Ranier. Following repairs she returned to the Asiatic Station under command of
Commander T.F. Jewell in June 1886 and in October anchored at
Ponape,
Caroline Islands, to afford protection to American missionaries during a native uprising. She returned to
New York via the
Suez Canal and was placed out of commission in May 1889. Regarded as one of the finest ships of the fleet,
Essex was designated next as a training ship. A three-month cruise with cadets at the
Naval Academy at
Annapolis in 1893 was followed by two lengthy tours to train naval apprentices (January 1894–April 1898, and September 1898 to December 1903.)
Great Lakes service From 1904 to 1916 the
Navy Department loaned
Essex to the
Ohio Naval Militia.
Lieutenant Anthony E. Nicklett of the
Toledo Naval Militia decided to transfer
Essex to the Toledo reserves. She was accepted, and plans were made to transfer her to the Toledo reserves. During her service on the
Great Lakes Essex mostly used her sails because her engines were badly deteriorated. The navy sold her for $400 () to A.J. Klatzky who was the president of the Klatzky Iron and Metal Company. At the time she was sold
Essex was the oldest steamer on the Navy's list. ==Gallery==