1860 — Nov 10, gale, American ship John Marshall lost, Strait of Juan de Fuca ~Cape Flattery WA-10-12

–All hands. Gibbs, James A. Shipwrecks off Juan de Fuca. Portland, OR: 1968, p. 222.
–10-12 The British Colonist, Victoria, B.C. “The Ship John Marshall Really Lost.” 12-18-1860, 2.

Narrative Information

Gibbs: “John Marshall, American ship, overcome by a gale off Cape Flattery, November 10, 1860. Parts of the derelict later came ashore near Bonilla Point but the entire crew was lost without trace. Vessel was en route to Port Discovery, Washington, from San Francisco, in ballast. She was to have loaded lumber.” (Gibbs, James A. Shipwrecks off Juan de Fuca. 1968, p. 222.)

Newspaper

Dec 18: “The schooner Ino arrived yesterday afternoon from San Juan harbor and its vicinity, bringing intelligence confirmatory of the reports heretofore published in the Colonist, regarding the rumored loss of the ship John Marshall, and a small schooner, the name of which is supposed to be the Dance. The captain of the Ino brings with him a portion of the head-board of the John Marshall, upon which the name of that unfortunate vessel can be plainly seen. She is supposed to have struck and gone down about seven or eight miles beyond San Juan, and near Cape Flattery, on the night of the 10th Nov. during the same gale in which the D. L. Clinch was castaway. A great portion of the rigging, one of the masts, and many other articles were picked up by the Ino on the beach. About fifteen feet of a small schooner, supposed to be named the Dance (from the fact that a head-board with that name upon it was found near the place where the John Marshall is thought to have gone down) was also seen, and portions of her rigging saved.

“There is not the least room for doubt but that the John Marshall has been lost with all on board. She was in ballast from San Francisco, and was bound for the Port Discovery Mills for a cargo of lumber. Her crew must have consisted of some ten or twelve persons. She had been engaged in the lumber business on the Sound for three years past, was about 400 tons burthen, and was owned by the proprietors of the Port Discovery Mills.

“In regard to the Dance, nothing is known as to where she was from or where bound, and she was evidently a stranger in these parts.

“The captain of the Ino informs us that although he searched the beach for several miles he saw no bodies; but nevertheless believes that not a soul escaped from either vessel, as they must have been wrecked over five weeks ago, during which time the crews would have had ample time to have reported themselves had they been alive.” (The British Colonist, Victoria, B.C. “The Ship John Marshall Really Lost.” 12-18-1860, p. 2.)

Sources

Gibbs, James A. Shipwrecks off Juan de Fuca. Portland, OR: Binfords & Mort, 1968.

The British Colonist, Victoria, B.C. “The Ship John Marshall Really Lost.” 12-18-1860, p. 2. Accessed 6-26-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/victoria-daily-british-colonist-dec-18-1860-p-2/