1880 – Oct 12, steambarge Trader, waterlogged in storm, Lake MI off Grand Haven, MI–0

–11 Winona Republican, MN. “Steam Barge Trader Gone Down…Eleven…Lost.” 10-19-1880, p. 2.
–10 Fort Wayne Daily Sentinel, IN. “A Steam Barge Gone to Pieces.” 10-19-1880, p. 1.
–10 McNeil. “Trader (Propeller), waterlogged, 18 Oct 1880.” Maritime History…Great Lakes.
–10 Swayze. Shipwreck! 1992, p. 233.
— 0 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. “Today in Great Lakes History. Oct. 12.”

Narrative Information

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On 12 October 1880, TRADER (wooden propeller, 115 foot, 169 gross tons, built in 1865 at Marine City, Michigan) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She was battered severely and became waterlogged. Her crew abandoned her with water up to her decks. They were saved by the schooner GUIDE in a daring rescue. A few days later, in the “Alpena Storm”, her wreckage washed ashore near Holland, Michigan and she was erroneously reported as another “all-hands” victim of that storm.” (“Today in Great Lakes History. October 12.”)

McNeil: “Trader (Propeller), waterlogged, 18 Oct 1880.”
….
“Reason: waterlogged
“Lives: 10
“Remarks: Total loss
“Date of original: 1880
“Geographic Coverage: Montague, Mich. [east end of White Lake; north of Grand Haven]
“Donor: William R. McNeil

Swayze: “Trader. Steamer. Lake Michigan: October 15, 1880, was the date of the loss of this vessel on Lake Michigan. According to reports, the vessel foundered in a storm, with ten lives lost.” (Swayze. Shipwreck! 1992, p. 233.)

Newspapers

Oct 19: “Chicago, Oct 19. – The steam barge Trader, which plies between Chicago and Muskegon, and does a lumber business, and which, according to advices and reports of officers of schooners who have seen her wrecked, has been lost and gone to pieces on the east shore of Lake Michigan. She was captained by F. Brown and manned by a crew of ten. She measured 150 tons, was classed B2, and was valued at $6,000. All hands have probably perished.” (Fort Wayne Daily Sentinel, IN. “A Steam Barge Gone to Pieces.” 10-19-1880, p. 1, col. 4.)

Oct 19: “Montague, Mich., Oct. 19. The messenger sent by the Associated Pres to Stony Creek, yesterday, returned at 2 o’clock this morning, with the information that the reported cabin washed ashore at that place, and supposed to be the Alpena, proves to be nothing more than a small portion of the promenade deck of the barge Trader, which water-logged last Monday night [12th? ] The two sections found near the Waite Lake piers [White Lake? ], and supposed to be a part of the Alpena’s wheel rope, belong probably to the Trader. On account of the drift wood and lumber, which had been thrown upon the beach and laid in one endless heap six feet in height, the patrolmen considered it decidedly useless to look further during the night, and will therefore wait till daybreak, when they will continue their search.” (Fort Wayne Daily Sentinel, IN. “A Steam Barge Gone to Pieces.” 10-19-1880, p. 1.)

Oct 26: “Incidents of the loss by the great storm of Monday, Oct. 18, multiply as communications destroyed by it are restored. There seems no question of the total loss of the steamer Alpena near Grand Haven, Mich., with all on board, between thirty and forty souls. The steam barge Trader was also lost with her crew of ten men, and the schooners Harbell [Hartzell], Hope, Eclipse, Geo. B. Sloan and from fine to ten unknown vessels are wrecked at points on Lake Michigan with more or less loss of life….” (Warren Mail, PA. “The Great Storm.” 10-26-1880, p. 2, col. 4.)

Sources

Fort Wayne Daily Sentinel, IN. “A Steam Barge Gone to Pieces.” 10-19-1880, p. 1, col. 4. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-sentinel-oct-19-1880-p-1/

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. “Today in Great Lakes History. October 12.” Accessed 1-19-2021 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/10-04.htm

McNeil, William R. “Eclipse (Schooner), aground, 16-Oct 1880.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes (webpage). Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/59589/data?n=1

McNeil, William R. “George B. Sloan (Schooner), aground, 18 Oct 1880.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes (webpage). Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/58256/data?n=1

McNeil, William R. “Hope (Schooner), aground, 16 Oct 1880.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/58259/data?n=3

McNeil, William R. “Trader (Propeller), waterlogged, 18 Oct 1880.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/58254/data?n=1

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

Warren Mail, PA. “The Great Storm.” 10-26-1880, p. 2, col. 4. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/warren-mail-oct-26-1880-p-2/

Winona Daily Republican, MN. “Steam Barge Trader Gone Down and Eleven Lives Lost.” 10-19-1880, p. 2. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/winona-daily-republican-oct-19-1880-p-2/