The J.S. Williams was originally built as the three masted canal schooner Phoenix in 1884 at Henderson, New York by L.Reed. The vessel was commissioned by Reed, Miner and company.
The three masted schooner Phoenix spent many years on Lake Michigan hauling lumber and other freight. In 1895 she was dismantled in Manitowoc and converted into a tow barge and renamed the J.S. Williams (in honor of a local Manitowoc resident). The J.S. Williams was originally purchased by the Pankratz Lumber Company who loaned the vessel to the Laurie Stone Company in Sturgeon Bay. In September of 1899 the barge was sold to the Leathem and Smith Stone Company who left it set for two years at their wharf. After making repairs to the barge it sank at their nearby dock. In 1910, after twenty five years as a tow barge, she had outlived her usefulness, was raised and towed to McCracken's Cove and resunk at the Graef and Nebel Stone Company's dock.
The remains of the barge J.S. Williams lies in McCracken's Cove which is located on the north shore of Sturgeon Bay just north of the down town area of Sturgeon Bay. Besides the J.S. Williams there is also located nearby the wrecks of the Cleveland, Dan Hayes and also an unknown vessel. Little of the wreck of the J.S. Williams remains. What does remain appears to be ribs and planking that has been flattened by ice.