The Black Star Line was the name used by American sailing packets owned by the New York firm of Williams and Guion from 1848 to 1866. The line owned 18 ships on the Liverpool-Queenstown-New York route. The line was shut down in 1863 because of the success of newer, faster liners and the danger of

transatlantic Transatlantic, Trans-Atlantic or TransAtlantic may refer to: Film * Transatlantic Pictures, a film production company from 1948 to 1950 * Transatlantic Enterprises, an American production company in the late 1970s * ''Transatlantic'' (1931 film) ...

travel during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

History

Williams and Guion was formed by John Stanton Williams and Stephen Barker Guion (1820–1885) in 1848. Guion moved to Liverpool in 1852 and acted as the line's agent. Williams remained in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. In 1853 Guion's older brother,

William Howe Guion William Howe Guion I (1817–1884) headed the Williams and Guion Black Star Line. Biography He was the son of John Guion and Maria Howe of Westchester County, New York. William had a younger brother Stephen Barker Guion which was one of the " W ...

joined the

office. In 1866, Stephen Guion became a British citizen. There he established the

Guion Line The Liverpool and Great Western Steamship Company, known commonly as the Guion Line, was a British passenger service that operated the Liverpool-Queenstown-New York route from 1866 to 1894. While incorporated in Great Britain, 52% of the company ...

of British steamships. Williams and Guion owned 52% of the steamship line and acted as the New York agent for the company. In 1876, John Williams died and the firm was restructured in 1883. In January 1884, William Guion resigned from the firm and his 36-year-old nephew, William Howe Guion, Jr. was made partner and the company was now called Guion and Company. The firm had to be liquidated in 1886 when both Stephen Guion and William Guion, Jr. died within weeks of each other. The

was then reorganized as a public stock corporation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams and Guion Black Star Line Defunct shipping companies of the United States