Josephus, a 1406 gross ton seagoing barge, had been built in 1876 at Newcastle, Maine, probably as a schooner. She had also been named Josephine Luckenbach during her long career. The U.S. Navy purchased her in October 1917 and placed her in commission as USS Josephus early in the following month. Through World War I and beyond, she was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service and employed as a coal barge along the U.S. east coast. Josephus was stricken from the Navy list in June 1919 and was sold to commercial owners in September of that year.