1851 — Oct 24, NY steamer Henry Clay sinks, Lake Erie storm, off Long Pt., Ontario–16-19

–16-19 Blanchard estimated death toll.*

— 29 Boston Post. “Latest Telegraph News.” 10-28-1851, p. 2, col. 3.
— 29 Goshen Democrat, Goshen, IN. 11-12-1851, p. 2, col. 5.
— 28 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 235.
— 28 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 682.
–16-19 Alchem Incorporated. Lake Erie Shipwreck Map “C” and Index.
–16-19 Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter C.
–16-19 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 55.
— 17 New York Daily-Times. “Dreadful Marine Disaster…Henry Clay… Oct 29, 1851, p. 1.
— 16 Mansfield (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, pp. 661-662.
— 16 Village Pioneer, Journal of the Sheffield Village Historical Society. V7, N4, Dec 2012.

* Blanchard estimated death toll. The most detailed reporting on fatalities we have seen is that found in the New York Daily-Times of Oct 29, 1851. That report identifies fourteen deaths plus “several” deckhands. If “several” converts to “three” there would be seventeen deaths. However, we do not know that – perhaps it meant two or four. We have not seen any reports which lead us to believe that the reports of 28 or 29 deaths were well-founded. Thus we accept and use the Swayze and Alchem estimates of 16-19 fatalities.

Narrative Information

Alchem Incorporated: “Henry Clay: Passenger and freight steamer capsized and sank in a gale on 10/25/1851 west of the tip of Long Point, Ontario. From sixteen to nineteen people lost their lives in this incident. The Clay’s cargo of baled wool washed ashore for months afterwards.

Lytle and Holdcamper: “Henry Clay. 221 [tons]…foundered 10 23 1851…Long Point, Ont. 28 [lives lost].” (Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, 235.)

Mansfield: “1851. The most disastrous event of the season of 1851 was the total wreck of the propeller Henry Clay, which rolled over near Long Point, Lake Erie, with a loss of sixteen lives. The Henry Clay left Detroit, October 24, for Buffalo, and on the night of the following day, in a severe gale off Long Point, a part of the deck load shifted and was thrown upon the engine, breaking it and making the vessel unmanageable. The high waves tore the deck from the hull and it floated off with ten of the crew, all of whom were lost except one deck hand, picked up by a passing schooner. The hull was beached near Long Point. The Henry Clay was commanded by Capt. George Callard. She was loaded with flour and wool. Of the crew of 17 only one was saved.”
(Mansfield (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, pp. 661-662.)

Swayze: “Type at loss : propeller, wood, package freighter
Build info : 1849, Ruggles & Shupe, Milan, OH
Specs : 134x23x11, 316 t.
Date of loss : 1851, Oct 25 or 27
Place of loss : 1/2 mi E of tip of Long Point
Lake : Erie
Type of loss : storm
Loss of life : 16 to 19 [1 survivor]*
Carrying : baled wool, passengers
Detail : Shifting of her cargo in a gale caused her to heel over and later break up and sink in a heavy gale. The passing brig JOHN MARTIN, picked up her single survivor. Her cargo reportedly washed ashore for months. Owned by G.W. Holt of Buffalo and others. Master: Capt. George Callard (d).
*one newspaper source says 30 were lost, 29 crew and a woman passenger.
She was reportedly one of the earliest single-engine/twin screw vessels.” (Swayze. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter C.)

Newspaper

Oct 27: “New York Telegraph Office, Monday, Oct. 27, 9 P.M. ….

“Disaster on Lake Erie. – The propeller Henry Clay, previously reported as ease of Long Point, on the Canadian side of Lake Erie, on Thursday night last, had on board thirty souls including one female, passengers and crew. Whilst the vessel was laying side up in the trough of the sea all lashed themselves to the rigging. Shortly after the deck parted when the hull turned bottom side up, carrying down all except ten, who succeeded in disengaging themselves from the wreck. They subsequently got hold of the pilot house deck but before morning all but three had been washed off. David Keefe, with the first mate and wheelman, then succeeded in getting hold of a pole and a piece of carpet. The pole was then placed in the stove pipe hole and the carpet made use of for a sail, with which they made some progress until 8 o’clock, when the brig John Martin bore down and threw rope, which Keefe succeeded in grasping. He was dragged through the water about a quarter of a mile, holding on to the rope. Meantime, by his hands, he finally succeeded in getting on board the brig, but saw nothing of his two companions on the raft after he left it. The propeller was commanded by Capt. Callard, who was formerly an officer in the Texas navy, and was also the inventor of a signal lantern for distinguishing vessels at sea.” (Boston Post. “Latest Telegraph News.” 10-28-1851, p. 2, col. 3.)

Oct 29: “From the Buffalo Republic.

“The propeller Henry Clay, Capt. George Callard, left Cleveland on the night of Wednesday the 22d inst., with a cargo of flour and wool for Ogdensburg [NY]. On the morning of the 23d she put into Malden for wood, and proceeded on her trip with a strong wind blowing and a heavy sea on. Towards evening the gale increased and the propeller made but little headway. About twelve o’clock at night on Thursday the 23d, while off Long Point, Canada, David Keefe, second wheelsman, was at the wheel. It was the first mate’s watch, but Captain Callard, who had been up all night, was on deck, many of the hands having turned in for rest. The gib was up, and the helm hard down, when of a sudden the propeller broached to and rolled over on one side in the trough of the sea. David Keefe was thrown, by the suddenness of the lurch, on to the other wheelsman against the side of the wheelhouse. The first thing he felt, after the sudden broaching, was the sensation of the vessel going over on the side, and he heard the Captain’s voice, calling loudly on the men to get the anchor out and the vessel’s head to the wind. He left the wheelhouse to assist in casting over the anchor, and found that no persons could stand upon deck, in consequence of its slanting position. It was found impossible to cast over her anchor, and in making the attempt a hand was washed overboard off of the forward deck. In going over he caught hold of a fender rope, and held on until the mate and Keefe, having thrown him a line, dragged him on to deck through the port hole. The vessel lay rolling in the trough of the sea for about twenty minutes, all efforts to right her proving unavailing.

“There was one female passenger on board, who got on at Cleveland, but we could not ascertain her name. Capt. Callard, finding all efforts to right the vessel fruitless, lashed the female and himself to the jib stay, which runs to the foot of the upper deck, and gave orders to the crew to lash themselves where they could to the rigging. They did so, and Keefe, the survivor, made himself fast to a piece of rope hanging down at the side. In about ten minutes after they were lashed, the deck and cabins all came out and were washed over. Immediately the noise of the parting deck was heard, all hands endeavored to free themselves from their fastenings, and two of the firemen lowed the boat and jumped in, but were not again seen. They were doubtless immediately swamped by the waves. Keefe released himself and ran forward. He saw Capt. Callard, himself still fastened to the rigging, endeavoring to release the female, but at that moment deck, cabins and everything loose went overboard, and Keefe jumped in among a quantity of floating flour-barrels and pieces of the wreck. Immediately she parted, the hull keeled right over towards the shore, bottom up, dragging down to a watery grave all who were fastened to the rigging.

“After jumping overboard, Keefe came in contact with a portion of the pilot house deck, about twenty feet long, to which he clung by his hands and arms, with his legs and body in the water. He found ten others holding on in the same manner, among whom were the first mate, and first and second engineers. No person spoke but the first engineer, and he counted the heads and said there were ten on the wreck. It was about 2 o’clock when the deck parted, and in about fifteen minutes the second engineer dropped his head as if in a doze, and soon losing his hold, rolled off into the water. The first engineer went off in the same manner in ten minutes afterwards. Not a word was spoken, and the poor fellows who were washed off seemed to fall into a doze, and the survivors could see them distinctly as they rolled off into the sea.

“When daylight came, three only were left clinging to the deck – David Keefe, the first mate and first wheelsman. They were much exhausted, but managed to get on to the wreck to which they clung, and to hang on to a piece of railing, and an iron spike which they found floating by them, and with which they formed a kind of mast by sticking it into the stove pipe hole in the deck. Without this they could not have remained on the wreck, and round it the three survivors clung. After they had somewhat rallied, the mate found a piece of floating carpet, which he secured, and with which they made a temporary sail, fastening it to two nails in the top of the pole, and holding the other end in their hands.

“About 8 o’clock, a vessel came in sight, about ten miles off. She did not see the wreck, however, until she got close by, when she ran close in and cast out two ropes to the men. Keefe caught the rope that fell near him having previously seen his two companions make a grab at the other and missed. He clung to the rope with his hands and was immediately dragged from the raft. In this condition, clinging only by his hands to the rope, and after all the exertions he had previously undergone, he was absolutely towed a quarter of a mile through the water, before he could be got safely on deck. When rescued his strength was just failing him.

“At this time the wind was blowing a gale and the sea ran very high, rendering it impossible for the brig, which was old, to pull back or attempt to rescue the two men left on the wreck. Keefe did not, therefore, see his companions again, although he believes he could distinguish the raft with the sail still up. They were in good spirits and in possession of their faculties when he left the wreck, and there is a good chance, we believe, of their escape. The wind was blowing towards the shore, and they could make about a mile an hour. They were about four miles from land, between the point and the cut….

“Captain Callard is an old citizen of Buffalo…respected and beloved, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn his unhappy fate….

“The following are the names of those lost as far as ascertained:

George Callard, Captain, of Buffalo; [body found Nov 7 above Long Point lashed to stay]
Orestes Root, clerk, of Black River;
Edward Phillips, first engineer, of Cleveland;
Henry C. Baldwin, second engineer, of Black River;
R.E. Dowd, first mate, of Euclid;
John Ripley, wheelsman, from Canada;
Peter Green, deckhand, residence unknown.

“In addition to these, there were on board the ill-fated vessel, the second mate, two firemen, a wheelsman, several deck-hands, a cook, a waiter, and a lady, whose names we could not learn.” (New York Daily-Times. “Dreadful Marine Disaster…Henry Clay… Oct 29, 1851, 1.)

November 5: “Two Propellers Lost – The Detroit Papers contain accounts of the loss on lake Erie on the Propellers Henry Clay and Atlas. The Henry Clay left Detroit on the 23rd inst. For Buffalo, and in the severe gale of the day following went ashore on Long Point, which makes out into Lake Erie from the Canada shore, about ninety miles from Buffalo. Particulars of the shipwreck are as follows:

“During the night a part of the deck load of the Clay shifted, owing to the pitching of the vessel, and was thrown upon the engine, breaking it and rend4ring it useless, upon which the vessel became unmanageable, and was left to the mercy of the waves, which soon broke over her, causing her deck to be broken off from the hull, which floated off from the wreck, carrying with it ten of the crew and officers, all of whom were lost except one deck hand, who was taken off the floating deck by a schooner.

“The Propeller was commanded by Capt. Geo. Callard, who was last seen endeavoring to lash a female to the jib-stay, and was doubtless lost very soon after. The name of the Clerk of the vessel was O. Root – the names of the remaining officers and crew being unknown.

“The Clay was loaded with 2,650 bbls of flour, from Bridge & Lewis, 5000 lbs. wool, from Parsons & Croul, of Detroit, and insured $5,000 in Detroit Fire and Marine Ins. Co., for $3,000 in Merchants’ Mutual Ins. CO., Milwaukee, $2,000 in Nashville Ins. Co., and 500 bbls. Of Flour insured in Boston.

“With reference to the loss, the Detroit Advertiser says:

It is believed that a considerable portion of the property upon the Propeller may be saved from total loss, as the hull has beached in a favorable position near Long Point, and should she not be immediately broken up, doubtless much will be taken out. The Detroit Fire and Marine Insurance Company have dispatched competent men to take charge of the wreck and cargo, and all will be saved that can be reached. The lamentable loss of valuable lives is by far the most deplorable feature of the disaster.

“The vessel was owned by Chamberlain & Crawford, of Cleveland, and By Capt. Root….” (Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Disastrous Shipwrecks.” 11-5-1851, p. 1.)

Nov 19: “Two bodies and several trunks, have been recovered from the wreck of the steamer Henry Clay, lost on Lake Erie, a short time since.” (Wisconsin Free Democrat, Milwaukee. “From The Wreck.” 11-19-1851, p. 2, col. 6.)

Sources

Alchem Incorporated. Lake Erie Shipwreck Map “C” and Index. Accessed 1-30-2009 at: http://www.alcheminc.com/asht.html

Boston Post. “Latest Telegraph News.” 10-28-1851, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 11-17-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-oct-28-1851-p-2/

Delphi Weekly Journal, IN. 11-13-1851, p. 6, col. 5. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/delphi-weekly-journal-nov-13-1851-p-6/

Goshen Democrat, Goshen, IN. 11-12-1851, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/goshen-democrat-nov-12-1851-p-2/

Lytle, William M., compiler, from Official Merchant Marine Documents of the United States and Other Sources; Holdcamper, Forrest H. (Editor, and Introduction by). Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. “The Lytle List.” Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America (Publication No. 6), 1952. Accessed 8-16-2020 at:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015018039084&view=1up&seq=8&size=125

Madison Daily Banner, Madison, IN. “News by Telegraph.” 11-13-1851, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-daily-banner-nov-13-1851-p-2/

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. And Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. http://www.linkstothepast.com/marine/chapt36.html — Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

New York Daily-Times. “Dreadful Marine Disaster – Total Wreck of the Propeller Henry Clay, and Loss of All on Board but one Man.” Oct 29, 1851, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=2779362

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter C. Accessed 9/6/2009 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/swayze/shipwreck/c.htm

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Village Pioneer, Journal of the Sheffield Village [MA] Historical Society. “Captain Aaron Root.” Vol. 7, No. 4, Dec 2012. Accessed 11-17-2020 at: https://virteomdevcdn.blob.core.windows.net/site-sheffieldvillage-2-com/uploaded_media/sheffieldvillage_com/village-pioneer/The-Village-Pioneer-v7-n4-Dec-2012__1561408330.pdf

Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Disastrous Shipwrecks.” 11-5-1851, p. 1. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/weekly-wisconsin-nov-05-1851-p-1/

Wisconsin Free Democrat, Milwaukee. “From The Wreck.” 11-19-1851, p. 2, col. 6. Accessed 11-18-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/wisconsin-free-democrat-nov-19-1851-p-2/