Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

MILWAUKEE MARINE AND SHIPPING
SHIPWRECKS AND DISASTERS

The following ships were listed in various sources, newspapers 
and publications as having a Milwaukee connection.
This list includes information collected by David D. Swayze, Lake Isabella, MI

MADONA

Specs: 80x24x6, 76t
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: May 27 1914
Place of Loss: Detroit
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: abandoned
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: details unknown

MAINE

Official No: 16402
Type of Ship: schooner, wood, 2-mast
Place of Loss: mouth of the harbor at Milwaukee
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: RR ties More details: The crew was saved by the Lifesaving Service. Her cargo reportedly washed up on beaches all over the lake for months afterwards.
Date Built: 1852
Builder: W.B. Linn
Where Built: Black R., Ohio
Size: 103x25x8, 152g 144n

Detroit Free Press, December 20, 1867
Sept.
Prop Equinox, collided with prop Maine at Milwaukee. Damages slight.

MANITOWOC

Specs: 74t
Enrollment:
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MARENGO

Type at Loss: schooner-barge, wood, bulk freight
Official No.: 17456
Built: 1873, Wolf & Davison, Milwaukee
Specs: 189x32x14, 648g 616n
Enrollment: Milwaukee, also Detroit
Date of Loss: October 12, 1912
Place of Loss: near Morgan's Point, 5 mi from Port Colburne, Ontario
Lake Lost: Erie
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: none
Cargo: coal
Details: Tow of steamer LLOYD S. PORTER, her hawser parted and she was driven on the beach, where she broke up. Out of Erie, PA 2nd vessel of this name. The first was possibly sunk near the Sisters Islands, Lake Erie, in 1856.

MARIA

Type at Loss: schooner, wood
Official No.: 91096
Built: 1878, Milwaukee
Specs: (34x12x4, 9g 8n)
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1895, Nov
Place of Loss: near Two Rivers, WI
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: none of 6
Cargo: railroad ties
Details: After she began to leak heavily in a storm, her crew was evacuated by local fishermen. The vessel blew ashore near Two Rivers and broke up.

MARINER

Specs: 159t
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Owner: William Porter
Details: Repaired in 64
Date of Loss: Apr 1867
Type/Cause: Storm
Lives Lost: Unknown
Details: disabled in a storm on Lake Michigan and sprung a leak.
Towed to Milwaukee Detroit Free Press, December 20, 1867

Other ships by that name:
MARINER
Specs: 113t
Enrollment: Chicago
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MARION W. PAGE

Specs: 749t
Enrollment: Duluth
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MARSHALL F. BUTTERS

Type at Loss: propeller, wood, bulk freight, lumber hooker
Official No.: 91408
Built: 1882, Milwaukee Ship Yard Co., Milwaukee
Specs: 164x30x11 376g 229n
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: Oct. 21, 1916
Place of Loss: 10 mi. southeast of Southeast Shoal
Lake Lost: Erie
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: none
Cargo: lumber, shingles
Details: A huge gale tore her apart offshore. Her crew was saved in a courageous rescue from steamers FRANK BILLINGS and FRED G. HARTWELL 41 dec 43.64', 82deg 17.37'.

MARTHA

Type at Loss: propeller steam fish tug, wood
Official No.: 206883
Built: 1909, Milwaukee
Specs: 36x12x5, 20g 15n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1933, Dec
Place of Loss: near Michigan City, IN
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MARTIN TREU

Specs: 18t
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MARY

Type at Loss: propeller, wood, passenger & tug
Official No.: 90910
Built: 1876, Brooks, Milwaukee
Specs: 71x13x6, 36gt 22nt
Enrollment: Marquette
Date of Loss: Nov. 27m 1910
Place of Loss: 15 mi E of Chicago
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: Rebuilt Marquette MI 1902, foundered east of
Chicago, surrenedered a few days later.

MARY BOOTH

Official No: 16392
Type of Ship: scow-schooner, wood
Place of Loss: off Milwaukee
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: maple lumber
More details: The crew clung to her as long as they could. But had to abandon her. She rolled over, but actually may have drifted to the east for several days. The crew landed at White Lake, Michigan after 48 frigid hours adrift, and they were all near death.
Date Built: 1857
Builder: Bidwell & Banta
Where Built: Buffalo
Size: 132 t.

MARY MARGARET

Official No: none
Type of Ship: schooner, wood, 2-mast
Place of Loss: 20 miles off Milwaukie [later Milwaukee]
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: lumber
More details: It took four hours for the crew to be rescued by the schooner MAGIC. On May 30, 1853 she capsized between Muskegon and Grand Haven in heavy weather. Four crewmen were trapped below and drowned, while the captain and mate held on for 60 hours until picked
Date Built: 1852
Builder:
Where Built: Chicago
Size: 51x18x5, 39 gt. [om]

MAY DURR

Specs: 162x31x12, 583gt 444nt
Enrollment: Milwaukee, also Chicago
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: Named JOHN SPRY (1892-1902), THREE BROTHERS (1902-1911)

MAY QUEEN

Type at Loss: schooner, wood
Official No.: none
Built: 1855, J. M. Jones, Milwaukee
Specs: 108x25x9 246t om
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Owner: Grant, Kellogg, & Strong
Date of Loss: 1859, Nov. 21
Place of Loss: Accident Place Tawas Bay
Lake Lost: Huron
Type/Cause: Storm
Lives Lost: none
Cargo: Wheat and Barley
Details: Bound Milwaukee for Oswego in a blinding blizzard, she got off course and struck the bar south of Tawas Point. Her crew took to the rigging as she went down, wrapping themselves in the sails for warmth, until they were rescued by local fishermen the next day. Recently sold to Oswego parties, formerly out of Milwaukee.Her wreckage probably discovered off Tawas Point in low-water year of 2000.

Detroit Free Press, December 19, 1866
1866 disasters
March Steamer May Queen, burned at Milwaukee; a total loss.

Detroit Free Press December 23, 1866
Vessels Passed out of Commission in 1866
Steamer May Queen, burned at Milwaukee; total loss.

Detroit Free Press December 23, 1866
Incidents of Interest 1866
March 5, steamer May Queen burned at Milwaukee after 13 years service

M. DOUSMAN

Type at Loss: schooner, wood
Official No.: none
Built: 1843, S. Farnham, Milwaukee
Specs: 86ft 137t
Enrollment: Miliwaukee also Detroit, Chicago
Owner: Dousman, Merril & Farmin
Date of Loss: yr 1852
Place of Loss: off Dunkirk, NY
Lake Lost: Erie
Type/Cause: sank
Lives Lost: unknown
Cargo: unknown
Details: details unknown

MENOMINEE

Specs: 166x33x10,456t
Enrollment: Milwaukee, also Ogdensburg
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MENOMONEE

Size 75t
Owner: Byron Kilbourn

MENOMONEE bark Nov 1867
cargo lumber, ashore at Milwaukee. Got off
Detroit Free Press, December 20, 1867

MENOMONEE:
See Campbell bio

MERCHANT

Detroit Tribune, 11 Oct. 1875

THE PROPELLER MERCHANT. - The Milwaukee Wisconsin says that there is much doubt about the propeller Merchant being recovered. The corn in her hold is all wet, but the flour is not thought to be much damaged.

Detroit Tribune, 13 Oct, 1875

FOR THE MERCHANT. - Five steam pumps left this city yesterday evening from the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad for Racine reef, where the propeller Merchant is presently lying.

M. G. BONESTEEL

Specs: 103t
Enrollment: Chicago
Owner: George Humble
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MICHAEL DOUSMAN

Specs: 153t
Enrollment: Chicago, also Buffalo
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MILTON

Type at Loss: scow-schooner, wood, bulk freight
Official No.: 50395
Built: 1867, Ellsworth, Milwaukee
Specs: 102x24x7, 131g 124n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1885, Sep 8
Place of Loss: off Two Rivers Point, WI
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: 5
Cargo: wood
Details: Bound Ellison’s Bay, WI, for Milwaukee, she foundered in a heavy gale. Three brothers were among the lost. Owned and commanded bt Capt. Matheson, Milwaukee Driven ashore and thought to be a total loss, Oct 9, 1883, near Jacksonport, WI.

MILWAUKEE

Specs: 131t
Enrollment: Duluth
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MILWAUKEE:
See Trowell Bio

MILWAUKEE

Renamed MILWAUKEE 1908-1929
Formerly: MANISTIQUE-MARQUETTE & NORTHERN NO. 1
Official No: 93363
Type of Ship: propeller, steel, carferry, 30 car Hull no. 413
Place of Loss: on a line between Milwaukee and Grand Haven
In Lake Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: 27 loaded railcars
More details: Foundered in gale Oct 22, 1929
47 lives lost also repored as 52
Date Built: 1903
Builder: American Shipbuilding, Cleveland Ohio
Size: 338x56x19, 2933g 1755n
Shortly after she disappeared, her watertight message case was discovered on the Michigan side. It contained the following message from the ship's purser:

SS MILWAUKEE, October 22, 29, 6:30 PM. The ship is taking on water fast. We have turned around and headed for Milwaukee. Pumps are working but the sea gate is bent and won't keep water out. Flicker is flooded. Seas are tremendous. Things look bad. Crew roll is about the same as last payday.

Apparently what had happened is the ships cargo, railcars, shifted off their rails and rammed the sea gate causing the bend and letting in the lake water. The flicker is the crew quarters.

Wreck is in 90'-125' of water.

MILWAUKEE
Detroit Post and Tribune, 7 Apr, 1884
MILWAUKEE (actually MILWAUKIE) had an even more checkered career. Records show her as a 285.85 t. ship, old measure, launched in 1836 at Grand Island, NY, but she is registered as a 401 t. steamer late in 1838. Her engine was reportedly removed and placed in the steamer NILE about 1842, with the hull going in ordinary. In 1847 she was re-engined, but records list her as "abandoned" on 1849.

MILWAUKEE BELLE

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 2-mast
Official No.: 16642
Built: 1854, James M. Jones, Milwaukee
Specs: 133ft 243g 231n 368t
Enrollment: Milwaukee, also Chicago
Owner: D. Newhall
Date of Loss: 1886, Nov. 18
Place of Loss: off Brevort, MI, Straits of Mackinac
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: Storm
Lives Lost: ?
Cargo: Lumber
Details: She was dismasted by a SW gale north of the Beaver Isls., and blown almost 40 miles and sank. Her rigging and gear were salvaged, but the vessel was abandoned Nov 30.Out of Chicago. She spent the winter ashore after stranding in a terrific gale near Cheboygan, MI, in Nov of 1860. Recoverd in May, 1861, Large repairs in 61

1865 Disasters
Detroit Free Press Dec. 1865
July Schooner Milwaukee Belle - Cargo lumber; sprung a leak on
Lake Michigan; run into North Bay; towed thence to Chicago.

1865 Disasters
Detroit Free Press Dec. 1865
August Schooner Milwaukee Belle - Lost flying jib and gaff-topsails
to a gale on Lake Michigan.

Detroit Free press December 25, 1866
Loss of Lives
Richard Williams, seaman, died from sunstroke on board schooner
Milwaukee Belle on Lake Michigan.

Detroit Free Press, 9 Dec, 1873
Aug 1873
Schooner Milwaukee Belle, ashore on southeast reef of Chambers
Island, cargo lumber; vessel filled, but was rescued.

MILWAUKEE CLIPPER

Built as JUNIATA
Official No: 201768
Type of Ship: propeller steel Hull #423
More details: Rebuilt by Manitowoc Ship Building Co. Winter 1940-41 1941-Sept 1970 carferry Milwaukee-Muskegon Line May 28, 1960 rammed Milw. Breakwater and injured 14 passengers while travelling in fog. damage $30,000.
Sold as museum ship to Milwaukee Business man in 1977 (deal fell threw)
Sold for use as Boutique at Navy Pier, Chicago.
Dec. 1990 used as part of a tourist attraction in Hammond, IN
Date Built: 1905 as JUANITA
Builder: American Ship Building Co.
Where Built: Cleveland, OH
Size: 346x45x28, 4333gt, 2619nt
Many sites have the spelling of this vessel as built as Juanita. According to a researcher/see contributora page and the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes maintained by Bowling Green State University the name was originally Juniata.

MINNESOTA

Type at Loss: propeller, wood, bulk freight
Official No.: 91272
Built: 1880, Wolf & Davidson, Milwaukee
Specs: 206x36x18, 1138g 903n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1903, Nov 17
Place of Loss: near Sans Souci, MI, off Wapole Island
Lake Lost: St Clair R
Type/Cause: fire
Lives Lost: none
Cargo: coal
Details: Upbound, a fire was discovered in the engine room when the ship was off Walpole Isl. As the blaze exapnded, the vessel was abandoned and drifted down to Sans Souci and sank. She was a serious menace to navigation for quite some time. Member of Corrigan Fleet.

MINT

Specs: 44t
Enrollment: Detroit
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MISS LIBERTY

Specs: 51x11x5. 21gt 17nt
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: Nov. 2, 1869
Place of Loss: Grand Rapids MI
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause: fire
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: burned

MISSOURI

Detroit Tribune, 10 Oct, 1875
A FISH STORY. - The following curious story is told by the captain of the propeller MISSOURI, which left several weeks since on her way to Lake Superior. On her way between this port and Milwaukee, the vessel sprang a leak, and the pumps were put to work. When near Milwaukee, however, it was noticed that the leak was stopped, and when the vessel had gone into dry dock at the latter place, it was found that a "bullhead" had been sucked into the aperture tail first, and had completely closed it up. The story sounds fishy, but is vouched for. - Chicago Tribune

M.J. CUMMINGS

Official No: 90592
Type of Ship: schooner, wood
Place of Loss: in harbor at Milwaukee
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: coal
More details: Only one of the crew was rescued by the Lifesaving
Service.
Date Built: 1874
Builder: Goble & McFarlane
Where Built: Oswego, NY
Size: 138x26x12 330g 314n

Oswego Palladium, Tues, May 6, 1884
The schooner Typo of Milwaukee, which was lying alongside the Sumner was badly scorched and damaged to the extent of several hundred dollars. She was rescued by the tug M.J. Cummings, Capt. Donovan. Two piles of lumber, one on each side of the slip, were badly damaged.

MONITOR

Official No: 90163
Type of Ship: propeller tug, wood
Place of Loss: 10 mi SE of Milwaukee
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: slabs, bark
More details: Crew abandoned ship and was picked up by a
passing schooner. Rebuilt from a schooner to a steam barge
in 1875, to a tug by 1884
Date Built: 1870
Builder: Campbell & Owen
Where Built: Detroit as a schooner
Size: 100x22x5, 128 g, 97n

MOONLIGHT

Type at Loss: schooner-barge, wood, bulk freight, 2-mast
Official No.: 90719
Built: 1874, Wolf & Davidson, Milwaukee
Specs: 206x34x14, 777g 738n
Enrollment: Milwaukee, also Cleveland, Sandusky
Date of Loss: 1903, Sep 13
Place of Loss: off Michigan Island., Apostles
Lake Lost: Superior
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: none
Cargo: iron
Details: Tow of twin-stack steamer VOLUNTEER, she broke her hawser and began to sink in a terrific gale. VOLUNTEER took her crew off before she foundered. There are famous photos of her high on Chocolay Beach, L. Superior in 1886 when she went ashore with HENRY A. KENT. She was salvaged a year later. Member of Gilchrist Fleet. Final Accident date 1903, 12 Miles off Michigan Island, Lake Superior, collided with schooner IRONTON, sunk

MURIEL W.

Type at Loss: propeller, wood, bulk freight
Official No.: C138505 1886, Milwaukee Shipyard, Milwaukee hull #24
Official No.: 161560
Specs: 202x35x18 1092g 881n
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: 1919, Aug 11
Place of Loss: near Port Weller, Ont.
Lake Lost: Ontario
Type/Cause: collision
Lives Lost: ?
Cargo: ?
Details: Struck a sunken crib and sank. Sold Canadian in 1919.

MUSKEGON

Specs: 109t
Enrollment: Chicago, also Detroit
Owner: Judge Newall, Kenosha
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: Large repairs in 62

MUSKEGON

Official No: 90466
Type of Ship: sidewheel steamer, wood, passenger & package freight
Place of Loss: at drydock, Milwaukee
Type/Cause: fall
Cargo: none
More details: Goodrich Line steamer was worth $25,000.
Date Built: 1871
Builder: G.S. Rand
Where Built: Manitowoc, WI
Size: 193x29x12, 618g 486n
Date of Loss: 1896, Sep 22
She fell a few feet off her blocks in drydock at the Milwaukee Dry Dock Co.. The hull broke in two and was damaged beyond repair.

MYOSOTIS

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 3-mast, bulk freight
Official No.: 90764
Built: 1874, Milwaukee Shipyard, Milwaukee [begun by Allen & McClelland, Milwaukee]
Specs: 134x24x14., 332g 317n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1887, Nov 11
Place of Loss: Silver Beach, near harbor mouth at St. Joseph, MI
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: none of 7
Cargo: 600 t. iron ore
Details: Bound Escanaba for St. Joseph, she struck a reef near the harbor entrance and sank to her decks. Her crew made it ashore in her boat, but the vessel was pounded to pieces by waves. This was the 4th vessel of Capt. Read's fleet of Chicago to be wrecked within a month, wiping him out financially. [CITY OF GREEN BAY, HAVANA, $12,000 damage to D.S. AUSTIN]

Chicago Tribune, (Chicago, Illinois), 12 November 1887
(Saturday)

Capt. A. P. Read, owner of the schooner Myosotis, received a telegram from Capt. John Mahoney, the master, reporting the l oss of his vessel at St. Joseph. The Myosotis left Escanaba last Tuesday with 600 tons of ore. Encountering adverse winds she ran to Chicago for shelter, leaving her Thursday night. A brisk northerly wind was blowing, and while the vessel was trying to make the harbor at St. Joseph at 1 o'clock yesterday morning she ran on the sandbar that obstructs the entrance to the river there. Three times the seas lifted her and let her drop on the bar. The last time her back was broken. Then a sea swept under her quarters and shoved her over the bar into deep water. A few minutes later she was driven on the beach about thirty rods south of the pier, where she now lies a total loss with her cargo washing out of her. Capt. Benham of Cleveland, who was here looking after the insurance on the Vernon, left for the wreck last night, in the interest of the underwriters. This is the fourth vessel Capt. Read has had wrecked within a month. During a severe storm in October the Havana sunk a few rods from where the Myosotis now lies, and a few miles further north the City of Green Bay went to pieces, while the D. S. Austin was damaged to the extent of $12,000 by running ashore in Lake Huron. All three of these wrecks happened in one day. Capt. Read has had almost the entire savings of a lifetime swept away, as he had but a limited amount of insurance on any of his vessels. The Myosotis was built at Milwaukee in 1874, measured 317 tons, and was valued at $8,000. She was insured for $2,400 in the Mercantile of Cleveland and $2,400 in the Detroit Fire & Marine. Her cargo was consigned to Pickands & Brown, and was fully insured in the Boston Marine.

See also Allan bio in Marriage section

MYSTIC

Specs: 14t
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details:

MYSTIC schooner Nov 1873
lost sails at Milwaukee
Detroit Free Press, 9 Dec, 1873