1860 — Sep 7-8, schooner St. Mary founders in Lake Michigan storm –all 11

–11 New York Times. “Loss of the Schooner St. Mary’s with all on Board.” 9-29-1860, p. 5.
–11 Shelak, Benjamin. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. 2003, pp 59-60 and 192.

Blanchard note: Newspaper accounts at the time have the St. Mary departing from Chicago. Shelak has it as Kewaunee. It is clear, though, that it is not known where the schooner went down.

Narrative Information

Shelak: “St. Mary…schooner…Kewaunee? …Pig iron [cargo]…F/S [Cause – foundered/sunk or storm?] …11-all…9-7-1860.” (Shelak, Benjamin. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. 2003, p. 192.)

Shelak: “There was little, if any loss of life [after 1866 losses of the Niagara and the Toledo], until 1860. This changed on September 7. Bound for Cedar River, Michigan, the schooner St. Mary was loaded with pig iron when it departed Kewaunee [WI]. In addition to the cargo, the St. Mary carried a crew of nine and two passengers. The schooner’s position when it foundered has never been determined, but the vessel was claimed by the storm in which the Lady Elgin was destroyed.” (Shelak, Benjamin. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. 2003, pp. 59-60.)

Newspapers

Sep 27, NYT: “Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 26. There is every reason to believe that, on the night of the disaster of the Lady Elgin [“about midnight” Sep 7 (Mansfield, 683)] another vessel was lost, with all on board. The schooner, St. Mary left here [Chicago] on that day, bound for Cedar River, and has not been heard from since. She had on board some lady passengers, and five men, besides Capt. Bennett, mate and cook. Since she left another vessel has been to Cedar River, but heard nothing of the missing schooner.” (New York Times. “Another Lake Disaster. Loss of the Schooner St. Mary withy all on Board.” 9-27-1860, p. 4.)

Sep 28, Oshkosh Courier: “It is believed that on the night of the Lady Elgin disaster, another vessel was lost, with all on board. The schooner St. Mary left Chicago that day for Cedar Rapids [sic. Cedar River], but has not been heard of since. She had on board some lady passengers, and five men, besides Capt. Bennett, Mate and Cook. Since she left, another vessel has been up to Cedar Rapids, but saw nothing of the missing schooner.” (Oshkosh Courier, WI. “Vessel Lost With All On Board.” 9-28-1860, p. 2.)

Sep 29, NYT: “Chicago, Friday, Sept. 28. It is now positively certain that the schooner St. Mary’s foundered on the night of the Lady Elgin disaster. One of her small boats drifted ashore Sunday last [Sep 23], a short distance north of this city. One body, supposed to have been lost on the Lady Elgin, has been identified as one of the schooner’s crew. There were eleven persons, including the crew, on board the vessel. The vessel was valued at $6,000.” (New York Times. “Loss of the Schooner St. Mary’s with all on Board.” 9-29-1860, p. 5.)

Sources

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. Accessed 12-3-2022 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

New York Times. “Another Lake Disaster. Loss of the Schooner St. Mary withy all on Board.” 9-27-1860, p. 4. Accessed 12-3-2022 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1860/09/27/78647998.html?pageNumber=4

New York Times. “Loss of the Schooner St. Mary’s with all on Board.” 9-29-1860, p. 5. Accessed 12-3-2022 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1860/09/29/355613992.html?pageNumber=5

Oshkosh Courier, WI. “Vessel Lost With All On Board.” 9-28-1860, p. 2. Accessed 12-3-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oshkosh-courier-sep-28-1860-p-2/

Shelak, Benjamin J. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. Big Earth Publishing, 2003. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=4CBCcye0n6IC