1859 — Oct 18, Troy (Propeller) founders, Lake Huron storm, ~Point Aux Barques, MI– 23

— 23 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 265.
— 23 Cleveland Morning Leader, OH. “Wreck of the Troy.” 10-24-1859; transcribed by McNeil.
— 23 Cleveland Morning Leader, OH “The Lost.” 10-27-1859; transcribed by W. R. McNeil.
— 23 Grand Haven News, MI. “Foundering of the Propeller Troy…” 10-26-1859, p. 3, col. 5.
— 23 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 236.
— 23 Mansfield, John Brandts. History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, p. 683.
— 23 McNeil. “Troy (Propeller), sunk 18 Oct 1859.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes.
— 23 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 684.

Narrative Information

Berman: “Troy…340 [tons]. 1849 [built]. Oct 26, 1859. Foundered. Point Dubuque, Lake Huron. 23 lives lost.” (Berman 1972, p. 265.)

Great Lakes Historical Society: “The mate, engineer and wheelsman arrived here today at 2 p. on the steamer Ruby. They state that she foundered in a tremendous sea on Tuesday night when ten miles off Point aux Barque.” (Great Lakes Historical Society. Inland Seas (Vol. 11, 1955).

Lytle and Holdcamper: “Troy…340 [tons]…[built 1849]…foundered…10 26 1859 …Point Dubuque, Lake Huron…23 [Lives Lost].” (Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. 1952, p. 236.)

Mansfield: “1859….October: Propeller Troy foundered off Point aux Barques, 23 lives lost…” (Mansfield, John Brandts. History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, p. 683.)

McNeil/Maritime History of the Great Lakes: “Detroit Enrollment No. 125 of 1854

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TROY
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Propeller
Tonnage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340.4
Masts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …One
Decks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . One
Stern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …Round
Figure-head…………. no entry
Length ………..163 feet
Breadth………… 21 feet and one and a half
Depth…………… 10 feet & two inches
Date of enrollment at Detroit….Oct. 25, 1854
Name of ship-builder:…Former enrollment at port of Buffalo, dated March 7, 1853 No. 24
Place of build………. Cleveland Ohio
Date of build………..1849
Present Master……John B. Warren
Subscribing Owners:- Benjamin Haxton of Grand Haven and Dwight Cutler and Henry Marti ? all of Grand Haven.” (Transcribed by William R. McNeil for the Maritime History of the Great Lakes, “Troy (Propeller), sunk 18 Oct 1859” (webpage).

Newspapers

Oct 23: “From the Detroit Free Press, Oct. 23d. Foundering of the Propeller Troy on Lake Huron. Twenty-tree lives lost! – The First Mate, Wheelsman, and second Engineer driven across the Lake in a yawl! – Their statement of the occurrence.

“The telegraph has already brought the brief announcement of the loss of the propeller Troy on Lake Huron, and the almost miraculous escape of three of the crew, the only survivors of the fearful catastrophe. There were twenty-six persons in all aboard the vessel at the time she foundered, all of whom, so far as is now known, with the exception of the first mate, wheelsman, and second engineer, were lost. These three were saved by taking to a yawl that was considered unseaworthy, and in which they were driven, by the force of the gale, across the lake, landing near Goderich, in Canada. They were brought down to Port Huron on the steamer Kaloolah, on Thursday, and on Friday came on to this city by the steamer Ruby. From them we gather some details of the affair.

“The Troy foundered at 8 o’clock on Tuesday morning [Oct 18], about ten miles south of Point aux Barques. The wind was blowing a terrific gale at the time, making a complete breach over the vessel, extinguishing her fires and very soon filling her. The Captain was very cool and firm, and when he saw that the vessel must go down, made deliberate and ample preparations for the safety of all on board. Hid his orders been strictly obeyed the result would have been far different. – The company on board consisted of twenty-six persons, of whom eight were passengers. So far as known their names were as follows:

Passengers.

Mr. Raice, of Racine, his wife and three children
A lady, name unknown, the sister of the Captain’s wife.
The steerage passengers, names unknown; making eight passengers.

Crew.

Captain _____Byron.
First Mate – Marcus Lane, of Chicago.
Second Mate – ‘Jim” belonging in Buffalo, but shipped at Chicago.
First Wheelsman – George F. Plumley, of Detroit.
Second Wheelsman – Name unknown.
First Engineer – Joseph Kelly, of Chicago.
Second Engineer – J. C. Barber, of Chicago.
Cook – ‘Tom” of Racine.
Chambermaid – Elizabeth Leonard, of Chicago
Besides the above there were six negro deck-hands, two firemen and one porter; making eighteen in all of the crew.

“When the vessel began to fill, the Captain secured the life-boat, and placed the passengers, together with the chambermaid and first engineer, in it.

“A quarter-boat, in good condition, was assigned to the balance of the crew, the Captain intending to find a passage in the life-boat. There was still a yawl which was unappropriated, but which was considered unseaworthy.

“In the consternation incident to the moment the quarter-boat was launched contrary to orders, into which a number of the crew sprang, over-loading it, and swamping it. The life boat was then launched, and the party apportioned to it taken aboard, when, the propeller giving indications of immediately sinking, a rush was made that overloaded the boat, and she had nearly swamped when the Captain drove a portion of the crew back. In the rush, however, the oars were lost, and the boat was left at the mercy of the waves. When last seen she was laying broadside to the sea, and probably could not carry her load a great while.

“The yawl was the last boat left, into which George F. Plumley, the wheelsman, and J. C. Barber, the second engineer, seated themselves. They with the mate, Marcus Lane, were all who were left on board. Seeing no means of rendering assistance to those in the water, and the propeller settling very fast, the mate got into the yawl just as the hull sunk, and the party were floated off. They had secured one oar, with which them managed to steer their leaky craft. They found it impossible to make the American shore and accordingly headed across the lake. Two of them steered while the third kept busily at work bailing. The boat leaked so badly that it required constant work to keep her free, and besides the sea was rolling very high and they shipped a good deal of water. In this way they ran across the lake, landing safely at Bayfield, three miles below Goderich, about 7 o’clock in the evening, having been nearly eleven hours in the yawl.

“The Troy was owned by A. H. Covert, of Chicago. She had on 12,000 bushels of wheat in bulk, and was bound from Racine, Wis., to Port Colborne, C.W. She left Mackinaw on Monday, and after passing Presque Isle, encountered strong head winds until about 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning, when it suddenly veered about and blew a perfect hurricane from the north-west. The vessel rode the gale well until half-past five o’clock, when her gangways were burst in by the force of the sea. They were soon again replaced and strongly secured, but the sea increasing in violence, they were again stove in, and a clear breach made across the vessel, badly racking her upper works.

“The water poured into her hatches in torrents, and although the pumps were got to work at once, it was impossible to keep her clear. At a quarter before seven the water had gained on her so much s to extinguish the fires in her boilers. This soon stopped her engines, and the unfortunate vessel was left at the mercy of the wind and waves.

“The Captain exhibited the greatest self-possession, as did the first mate and some of the other officers, but the crew became unmanageable with fright, and refused to obey orders. The passengers were terror-stricken as they saw an awful death slowly approaching, and although the officers attempted to pacify them, and assured them that all would yet be well, they only exhibited the more consternation. It is not probable that any of them were saved. The mate states that when he last saw the life-boat it was rolling about on the waves, perfectly at their mercy, its occupants having no means whatever to guide it. It probably foundered with all who were in it….

“The names of the lost can only be ascertained at Racine, if at all, as ll the books and papers of the propeller were lost.

“Mr. Raice, of Racine, and his family, were removed to the East. Their effects had been sent forward on another propeller, and are probably now at Buffalo awaiting a claimant. The family were all placed in the life-boat, which is all that is known of them….

“The mate, who is an old sailor on the lakes, states that he never experienced a more terrific gale….” (Grand Haven News, MI. “Foundering of the Propeller Troy on Lake Huron.” 10-26-1859, p. 3, col. 5.)

Oct 24: “Terrible Gale on Lake Huron – Loss of the Propeller ‘Troy’.

“The telegraph day before yesterday brought word of the loss of the propeller Troy, of Chicago, on Lake Huron. Yesterday the first mate, Marcus Lake, the 2d Engineer, J.C. Barton, and one of the wheelsmen, George F. Plimley, arrived in this city by the steamer Ruby. From Mr. Plimley and the Port Huron press, we gather the following particulars. The Troy was bound from Chicago for Port Colborne with a cargo of wheat, and foundered on Tuesday morning last [18th], about 8 o’clock, ten miles south of Point au Barques, and about 8 miles from land.

“The propeller encountered a strong head wind until about 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning, when the wind veered to north-west, and blew a gale. Notwithstanding the very heavy sea on the lake, the propeller weathered the gale well until about 5 o’clock the morning, when a heavy sea burst in her gang-ways and flooded her decks. After this every sea swept over her decks, until the water rising above her weather boards, flooded the engine, boiler and furnace, and at a quarter to 7 o’clock her fires were all extinguished, and at 8 o’clock in the morning she went down. As she sunk, her upper cabin parted from her deck, and when last seen was afloat.

“There were on board of her twenty-six persons, viz:- The officers and crew, numbering nineteen; Wm. Raic, wife and three children; Kate Hurlbut, sister of the captain’s wife, and two steerage passengers.

“When the vessel was found to be sinking, the Master, Capt. Byron, with great coolness and decision, addressed himself to the task of saving the passengers and crew. His first care was for the passengers, so after giving direction to other of the officers, with reference to manning the boats and for saving the crew, he launched the life-boat, and placing Mr. Raic, with his wife and three children, Miss Hurlbut, the chambermaid, Elizabeth Leonard, and Joseph Kelly, the 1st. Engineer, in it, got into it himself to take the management of it.

“After the boat was launched, a mad rush was made for her by the deck hands, and two of them, colored men, succeeded in getting into her. The Captain, however, maintained his presence of mind, and prevented the swamping of the frail craft. The Captain detailed one of the officers to take charge of the only quarter-boat that was considered seaworthy, but in making the attempt the boat partially filled, and was then abandoned.

“There was still another quarter-boat, but she was not seaworthy. She had been passed by the hands, probably because she was known to have a hole in her. J.C. Barber, the 2nd, Engineer, who had shipped on the Troy for the first time at Chicago, not knowing the condition of this boat, got into her and floated from the propeller as she went down. George F. Plimley remained on the pilot house until the propeller was over half under water, when he left his post, flung himself into the lake and swam, picking his way among the flood wood, towards Barber’s boat. When he got in he found a hole through the bottom, and the boat itself half full of water. He pulled his neckerchief off and handing it to Barber told him to put it in the hole. This done Barber took Plimley’s knife and made a plug, which he put in the aperture also. In this way and by bailing, the boat was kept afloat.

“One of the negro deck hands was in the water near the boat in which were two oars; Plimley seeing him, reached him an oar, which he grasped, when the stern of the boat rising on the sea, Plimley was obliged to let go, and the poor negro sank to rise no more. Only one oar remained, and the occupants of the boat knowing that their safety depended upon retaining that, lashed it to the ring bolt at the stern. Marcus Lake, the first mate, remained on the hurricane deck after the propeller had gone down, trying to save his comrades. When he saw that his only chance of escape was to get on board the boat in which Barber and Plimley were, he urged his comrades to plunge with him into the water and make for the boat; but they seemed paralyzed with fear, and Lake jumped from the hurricane deck and swam to the boat, where, by clinging hold of the oar, the blade of which was swung towards him, he was assisted on board. The three occupants of the boat, Lake, Barber, and Plimley, then putting their frail and leaking craft before the wind, drifted for ten and three-quarter hours, finally making land at Black’s Point, four miles below Goderich, C.W., at about 7 o’clock in the evening.

“When they last saw the wreck, three men were on the hurricane deck, which being part of the upper cabin, had floated off with it. These men, who were a wheelsman called “Dan”, and steward “Tom,” and the porter, who had a wife in Buffalo. They were called to several times to jump into the water and swim to the boat, but all appeals were in vain, as they seemed perfectly paralyzed and appalled with the awful scene before them. All of the balance, with the exception of the eleven in the life-boat, were clinging to pieces of the wreck, or floating upon the drift wood.

“The life boat was well furnished with buckets, blankets, &c., and was not overloaded, but when last seen she was half filled with water, and it was the impression of Mr. Plimley, that the oars had been washed away, and that the persons on board of her were entirely at the mercy of the waves….

“The men saved landed on the farm of Mr. Witten, Lake and Plimley got ashore, and supposed Barber was following but looking back they discovered him out of the boat, receding with the surf. Plimley sprang after him, and brought him so that he could get hold of the roots of a fallen tree; but again he was swept out by the waves, and again he was brought to shore by Plimley. This time he was taken part way up the bank, and being unable to walk was left, while his two companions proceeded towards a light, which proved to be Mr. Whitten’s house. They entered the house, when a large number of men, who had been taking part in a threshing bee, were at supper. They told their story, and the men sallied forth for Barber, whom they found on top of the bank, where he had crawled, thinking as he said afterwards, that the waves were after him, and bound to catch him. The three men saved had nothing on but pants, shirts and stockings. The folks in the house, acting each one the part of the Good Samaritan, stripped their wet clothes from them, wrapped them in warm flannels, gave them some “hot stuff,” and as soon as they had recovered from their benumbed and fatigued condition, set out, what to them was a bounteous repast.

“Mayor McDougal of Goderich, supplied them with shoes, caps, and good warm coats and garments, when the next day they went on board the steamer Kaloolah, proceeded to Saginaw. The Kaloolah by reason of heavy weather, was obliged to make for the St. Clair River, and the shipwrecked seamen were landed safe and sound at Port Huron, from which place they came to this city by the stmr. Ruby. They express themselves as owing a deep debt of gratitude to the people where they landed, for the kindness shown them. They say if they had fallen into the door of their own fathers’ house, they could not have met with a more charitable reception. They also acknowledge the generosity of Mayor McDougal, and feel under many obligations to the Captain of the Kaloolah, and Capt. Moore of the Ruby. When they arrived at Port Huron, the crew of the vessels lying there, on learning of their destitute condition, sailor-like, raised contributions among themselves, a purse of money, which they presented to them.

“The Troy was owned by A.H. Covert, of Chicago, to whom the cargo, consisting of 12,600 bushels of wheat, also belonged. Both vessel and cargo are supposed to be fully insured. We shall look with much anxiety for intelligence from the missing ones, and trust that the dispatch from Port Sarnia, giving news of the safety of five, may be correct. We hope for the best, but fear the worst….

“A telegraphic dispatch from Port Sarnia, was published in the Advertiser yesterday morning, which states that five of the crew had been picked up. This must be a mistake, since our informant left there yesterday morning and knew nothing of it. There is a possibility that the Captain and ten other persons in the life-boat, may have been saved, although the chances are greatly against them. For the others there can hardly be a hope, and it seems almost certain that they must have perished….

“The Propellers Bucephalus and Detroit, both lost several years since, sunk near the spot where the Troy went down. Cleveland Morning Leader, October 24, 1859.” (Cleveland Morning Leader, OH. “Terrible Gale on Lake Huron – Loss of the Propeller ‘Troy.’” 10-24-1859; transcribed by William R. McNeil in Maritime History of the Great Lakes website.)

Oct 24: “The particulars of the wreck of the Propeller Troy, on Lake Huron, in the gale of the 16th, are sad indeed. It is now quite certain that Captain Byron, and fifteen of the crew, and seven passengers, three of whom were women and three children, sunk to a watery grave under the most distressing circumstances. The Troy was a small, old, unseaworthy craft, and soon yielded to the fierce winds and waves of the memorable Tuesday in October.” (Cleveland Morning Leader, OH. “Wreck of the ‘Troy.’” 10-24-1859; transcribed by William R. McNeil in Maritime History of the Great Lakes website.)

Oct 26: “The telegraph today brought the first intimation of the loss of the propeller Troy on Lake Huron. The mate, engineer and wheelsman arrived here today at 2 p. m. on the steamer Ruby. They state that she foundered in a tremendous sea on Tuesday night when ten miles off Point aux Barque. The passengers and crew numbered in all twenty-six. Finding she was sinking the three men launched a yawl and got in. It proved to be unseaworthy and leaked so badly that it was with great difficulty they could keep it from sinking. In this frail boat and in a heavy sea they drifted across Lake Huron and landed about 7 o’clock on Wednesday night, twelve miles below Goderich. The captain and three ladies went to sea in the lifeboat and have not since been heard from. The probability is that their boat swamped in the fearful gale. The telegraph reports that five others have been saved, leaving 18 as the number lost or missing. The TROY was on her route from Chicago to Port Colborne with a cargo of wheat.” Detroit Tribune, October 26, 1859; transcribed by William R. McNeil in Maritime History of the Great Lakes website.)

Oct 27: “It is now quite certain that twenty three of the twenty six persons on board the ill-fated Troy perished in the waters of lake Huron. The report that five others had been rescued is not confirmed.” (Cleveland Morning Leader, OH. “The Lost.” 10-27-1859; transcribed by William R. McNeil in Maritime History of the Great Lakes website.)

Oct 30: “The propeller Troy recently wrecked on Lake Huron, was purchased in 1854 by Messrs. Cutler & Warts of this town, who ran her for over 3 years between Buffalo, Grand Traverse and Grand Haven. She cost them $16,000. Messrs. Cutler & Warts sold her about 18 months ago, and had no interest in her at the time of her loss. Grand Haven Clarion.” (Detroit Free Press, MI. 10-30-1859.).

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Grand Haven News, MI. “Foundering of the Propeller Troy on Lake Huron.” 10-26-1859, p. 3, col. 5. Accessed 1-22-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-grand-haven-news-oct-26-1859-p-3/

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=7

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. Google digitized. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

McNeil, William R. “Troy (Propeller), sunk 18 Oct 1859.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes (website). Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/50664/data?n=2

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.