1892 — Oct 4, Cleveland steam-barge Nashua sinks, Lake Huron gale, off Bayfield, Ontario–14

–15 Maritime History of the Great Lakes. “Nashua (Propeller), U18537, capsized/aground, 4 Oct 1892.”
–14 Delphi Times, IN. “Lake Steamer Missing.” 10-7-1892, p. 2, col. 1.
–12 crew
— 2 wives of crew-members
–14 Mansfield (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, p. 768.
–14 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 165.
–12 Logansport Reporter, IN. “Twelve Probably Drowned.” 10-5-1892, p. 1.
–12 Los Angeles Herald, CA. “A Steam Barge Foundered.” 10-5-1892, p. 5.

Narrative Information

Mansfield: “Foundering of the Nashua. The propeller Nashua, laden with lumber from Georgian Bay to Toledo, foundered on Lake Huron, October 4, with all hands, 14 souls in all. Wreckage drifted ashore between Bayfield and Goderich.”

Swayze: “Nashua. Wooden lumber hooker of 298 t. [tons] and 134 ft., launched in 1868 at Cleveland as a passenger and package freight steamer.

“Lake Huron: Bound for Toledo with a cargo of lumber, the little wooden steamer Nashua was lost near Bayfield, Ontario, near the south end of the lake. On October 4, 1892, she was struck by a terrific gale, capsized and sink with all hands. Fourteen perished in the tragedy.”

Newspapers

Oct 4: “Port Huron, Mich., Oct. 4. – The steam barge Nashua is believed to have foundered off Goderich this morning, and it is feared her crew of a dozen man have been lost. The barge belongs in Cleveland. ” (Los Angeles Herald, CA. “A Steam Barge Foundered.” 10-5-1892, p. 5.)

Oct 5: “Port Huron, Mich., Oct. 5. – The steambarge Nashua is believed to have foundered off Goderich Tuesday morning [Oct 4], and it is feared that its crew of a dozen men have also been lost. The barge Ryan, which was in tow of the Nashua, arrived here Tuesday afternoon. Capt. Miller, of the Ryan, reports that when 10 miles north of Goderich at 8 o’clock Tuesday morning the Nashua let go the towline. A northwest gale was blowing and a heavy sea was running. The Nashua was then rolling in the trough of the sea with disabled machinery, and had already lost its deckload of lumber. They Ryan stood by, and at daylight the Nashua was again sighted flying a signal of distress. The steam-barge Gratwick signaled from the Ryan, and was sent to where the Nashua was last seen. Capt. Peterson, of the Gratwick, reported on arriving here that he had searched for four hours for the missing steamer, but could find nothing of if or the crew.” (Logansport Reporter, IN. “Twelve Probably Drowned.” 10-5-1892, p. 1.)

Oct 6: “Port Huron, Mich., Oct. 6. – The tug which went in search of the steam barge Nashua, which has been adrift on Lake Huron since Monday night [Oct 3], arrived in Sand Beach this noon, and reports having found the Nashua bottomside up 20 miles from Bayfield at daylight this morning. The tug made a diligent search in the neighborhood for some of the crew, but could not find a trace of any of them, and it is now feared that all were lost.

“The only names of the missing people known here are Capt. Richard Millen and wife; Archie Muir of Port Huron [MI], pilot; Charles Brockway, mate, of Brockway, Mich., and John Putnam, first engineer, of Detroit. Capt. Millen owned a third of the boat.” (Boston Daily Globe. “None of the Crew Found. Steam Barge Nashua Drifting Bottom Upward on Lake Huron.” 10-7-1892, p.12.)

Oct 6: “Goderich, Ont., Oct. 6. – Telegraphic inquiries all along this shore of Lake Huron failed to find any trace of the steambarge Nashua, which is believed to have foundered off this port Tuesday night. It is certain that she is not in shelter in this vicinity.

“Oort Huron, Mich., Oct. 6. – No tidings have been received of the steambarge Nashua. Mrs. Captain Millen and Mrs. Captain Shepard were on board, in addition to the crew of twelve men. A northwest gale is blowing and the crew, if still adrift on Lake Huron, will hardly survive.” (Delphi Times, IN. “Lake Steamer Missing.” 10-7-1892, p. 2, col. 1.)

Sources

Boston Daily Globe. “None of the Crew Found. Steam Barge Nashua Drifting Bottom Upward on Lake Huron.” 10-7-1892, p. 12. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-daily-globe-oct-07-1892-p-12/

Delphi Times, IN. “Lake Steamer Missing.” 10-7-1892, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/delphi-times-oct-07-1892-p-2/

Hamilton Daily Republican, OH. “Lake Disaster Feared.” 10-5-1892, p. 1. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hamilton-daily-republican-oct-05-1892-p-1/

Logansport Reporter, IN. “Twelve Probably Drowned.” 10-5-1892, p. 1. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-reporter-oct-05-1892-p-1/

Los Angeles Herald, CA. “A Steam Barge Foundered.” 10-5-1892, p. 5. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/los-angeles-herald-oct-05-1892-p-5/

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 12-14-2020 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Maritime History of the Great Lakes. “Nashua (Propeller), U18537, capsized/aground, 4 Oct 1892.” Donor: William R. McNeil. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca//60210/data

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