Year Unknown

The captain of the two-year-old, 125-foot wooden schooner barge JOHN F. RITCHIE brought his wife, two other women, and several small children as guests on a voyage from Bay City, Michigan, to Buffalo, New York. The RITCHIE was one of a string of four barges loaded with lumber in tow of the tug ZOUAVE. As the tow entered Lake Erie, they were struck by a terrifying storm. The RITCHIE broke her towline and was cast adrift. The deck load of lumber broke loose, and everyone was in danger. The women and children were brought out of the cabin since it was considered to be a death trap, and they were lashed on deck for safety. Soon the vessel was waterlogged, and the cabin was actually washed away. On August 17, a passing steamer took everyone aboard and towed the RITCHIE into Cleveland, Ohio, where she was repaired. Amazingly, no lives were lost.

1890

The ANNIE WATT (wooden propeller, passenger-package freight “packet,” 75 feet, 62 gross tons, built in 1884 at Lion’s Head, Ontario) collided with the ship W.M. ALDERSON and sank off of Gunn Point, Ontario. Just the previous year (November 8, 1889), ANNIE WATT had burned and been declared a total loss, but she was rebuilt.

1902

The PERE MARQUETTE 18 (Hull #412) was launched at Cleveland, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Pere Marquette Railway.

1921

The wooden steamer H.N. JEX foundered off Long Point, Lake Ontario, while carrying coal between Sodus and Kingston. All on board were rescued.

1927

NORTHERN LIGHT, a steel package freighter, left the Great Lakes for saltwater service in two sections in 1917. The vessel was ravaged by a fire that began in the coal bunker on this date at Mobile, AL. The engine was removed in 1928, and the hull was converted to a barge. It foundered off the Florida Keys on November 8, 1930.

1966

The PEAVEY PIONEER, laid up with damage from a May 31, 1966, grounding at Ashland, was traded to the U.S. Maritime Administration by Sea-Land Services for the C4 transport GENERAL H.G. FREEMAN.

1967

The third GEORGE HINDMAN went aground and sustained heavy damage in the St. Lawrence off Clayton, NY. The ship was inspected at Collingwood and considered beyond economical repair. It was sold to Marine Salvage for scrap and resold to Hyman-Michaels for dismantling at Duluth, arriving there on October 13, 1967.

Contributors & Sources

Joe Barr, Max Hanley, Skip Gillham, Ahoy & Farewell II, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

Compiled by Roger LeLievre.