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The Thetis was owned by millionaire Charles H. Fuller of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It was built in 1901 by George Lawley and Son in Neponset, Massachusetts. This luxury yacht was quite the marvel of its day. Weighing 98 tons, it was 128 feet long, nearly 16 and a half feet wide, and a draft of 6 and a half feet, the vessel’s depth below the waterline, and had a top speed of 12 knots. “Fuller, who made his riches in precious gems, was also an avid sportsman and hunter,” said Stephen Farrell, curator of special collections at the Brown Library. “In the early 1900s, he often traveled to Washington by boat to hunt in Beaufort and Hyde counties. He was also good friends with the Moss family. He always enjoyed his stays in Washington, which became his favorite port.”

In June of 1917, the Thetis was purchased by the U.S. Navy and commissioned as the USS Thetis, SP-391, and turned into a patrol boat during WW I. It was armed with two three-pound cannons and two machine guns. It was outfitted with an Almy boiler, and one 525hp vertical triple expansion steam engine. It was used to patrol the northeast coast between Chatham, Massachusetts, and London, Connecticut, in search of German U-boats and mines. In March of 1920, the USS Thetis was decommissioned and sold to Herman Lee Meades of New York City.

Farrell learned of the Thetis and owner Charles Fuller’s ties to Washington after a substantial donation to the library from a member of the Haven Moss family, Betty Bonner. “She brought in a literal trove of historical documents and photos about the Moss family,” said Farrell. “We were overjoyed when she brought in all of this archival material and entrusted the library to preserve all of this family history. While going through and digitizing the documents and photographs, we came across the photo of the boat. With the help of Ray Midgett, we were able to clean up the photo and could clearly see the name Thetis on the boat. From there, we were able to track down its history and ties to the Washington area. The photo is a great depiction of the Washington waterfront as it appeared in the early 1900s, long before Stewart Parkway.”

Farrell pointed out that Washington remained a thriving and bustling port at the beginning of the 20th century, as it remained a destination point for those outside of the area to come and do their work or live. “I can only imagine what people in Washington must have felt when they saw the Thetis come in and dock along the Washington waterfront,” said Farrell. “Washington was still building up following all of the destruction caused by the Civil War. It would have been a magnificent vessel for them to see.”

Farrell added the story of the Thetis is an interesting dichotomy when it comes to Washington’s history. “It is a glimpse into our past, yet mirroring our present,” said Farrell. “You can change the names and the design of the vessels, but the story remains the same.”

Farrell encourages anyone with old photos, historical documents, or stories to contact him directly at the Brown Library so he can, in his words, “bring additional light to the history of Washington.”