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USRC Massachusetts was one of the original ten cutters[lower-alpha 1] built and used by the United States Revenue Cutter Service.[lower-alpha 2][3] While not the first USRS cutter to be launched, it was the first to enter active service.[3]
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Massachusetts was built at Newburyport, MA by shipwright William Searle.[4] She was designed as a schooner.[5] She was rigged with fore-and-aft sails on two masts.
On July 15, 1791 Massachusetts was launched.[3] John Foster Williams was its first master.[3] Her crew consisted of four officers, four enlisted men and two cabin boys.[6] She was 60 feet (18 m) long by 17 feet 8 inches (5.38 m) wide and had a shallow draft of only 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 m).[7] Williams ordered an increase in her size without getting approval by the service.[6] This increased her cost over what was originally budgeted. But the government accepted the Massachusetts as changed by Williams.[6]
She had the shortest service life of any of the original ten cutters.[6] The first Massachusetts turned out to be too expensive to operate and was too slow.[8] On 9 October 1792 she was sold.[3] In 1793 she was replaced by a smaller lighter sloop, the Massachusetts II.[6]
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