The wooden three masted barkentine Joseph G. Masten was built in 1867 by Thomas Quayle & John Martin at their shipyard located at Stones Levee at West Third Street in Cleveland, Ohio for Captain Frank Perew. In 1874 the vessel was valued at $32,000 and rated A2. The official registry number was 13750.

May 1870: Ashore on Lake Huron at Spectacle Reef, Michigan.

September 1871: Collided with and sunk Maid Of The Mist at St. Clair, Michigan.

May 1877: Rigging changed from bark to schooner at Buffalo, New York.

September 1878: While load with coal bound for Chicago, dismasted at Amsterdam, Lake Michigan.

April 1880: Ashore near Oscoda, Michigan.

September 1884: Broke away from the tow Keystone at Keystone, Lake Michigan.

June 1885: Ashore with heavy damage at South Fox Island, Lake Michigan.

1886: Rebuilt.

April 1889: Involved in the coal and ore trade between Ashland and Cleveland.

October 1893: Ashore at the Racine Harbor piers.

March 1894: Involved in the lumber trade between Duluth and Bay City, Michigan.

Last Document Of Enrollment Surrendered: Cleveland: 12/24/1897: "Loss Of Vessel".
December 4, 1897: The steamer Keystone and consort bark Joseph G. Masten, bound from Cleveland, Ohio for Milwaukee and Racine, went aground on a sand bar six miles north of Two Rivers and 600 feet from shore. Thought the Keystone was got off, the Maston became a total wreck. Surfmen from the lifesaving station ran lines between the wrecking tug Wrightand the Masten and manned her pumps, but all efforts failed to release her. All hands were then transferred to the Keystone and the cabin furniture was taken off and put on one of the tugs.
The boat was abandoned by its owners to the the insurance company and it is doubtful if any of her cargo was saved.

"The Maston has settled out of sight and at last reports there was five feet of water over her bones." Door County Advocate 12/18/1897