The U.S. ship J. Z., 676 tons, was built at New York in 1848, and registered at New York on 4 February 1850. She belonged to the New York firm of A[ugustus] Zerega & Co, which operated an immigrant "line" (the Z Line) between Antwerp and New York from 1847 to 1851, and another immigrant line (the Red Z Line) between Liverpool and New York from 1848 until at least the late 1850's. The firm owned a number of vessels with names formed from initials - the A. Z., E. Z., L. Z., as well as the J. Z. - of family members. In 1848, G. S. Porter, master, the J. Z. was advertised as sailing in the Black Star Line between New York and Liverpool, and in 1851, Augustus Zerega, master, in the Hurlbut Line between New York and Antwerp.

The J. Z. had a short career: On 3 July 1853, Spencer, master, she sailed from New York for Liverpool, with a cargo chiefly consisting of turpentine, corn, and cotton. On 7 July, the cargo caught fire, and destroyed the vessel, the captain and crew of 20 being removed by the Norwegian schooner STAVANGER, and transported to Liverpool aboard the ship EBENEZER, which arrived at the latter port on 25 July 1853.

Sources: Forrest R. Holdcamper, comp., List of American-flag Merchant Vessels that received Certificates of Enrollment or Registry at the Port of New York, 1789-1867 (Record Groups 41 and 36), National Archives Publication 68-10, Special Lists 22 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, 1968), p. 358; Carl C. Cutler, (Annapolis: United States Naval Institute, c1961), pp. 386, 388, 397; New York Times, 8 August 1853, p. 3a].