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

RELIABLE

Official No: 110435
Type of Ship: propeller, wood, sandsucker
Place of Loss: 2.5 mi SE of Milwaukee
Type/Cause: storm
Cargo: sand
More details: The crew made it away in her yawl. The skipper appeared to have gone down with the ship but was later rescued by the Goodrich steamer CHICAGO, along with the rest of her crew. The skipper's two young sons were aboard the yawl.
Former schooner-barge
Date Built: 1880
Builder: T. Davis
Where Built: MI as a schooner
Size: 91x23x6, 97 gt

RESUMPTION

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 3-mast, lumber
Official No.: 110384
Built: 1879, Wolf & Davidson, Milwaukee, WI
Specs: 143x29x10, 294g 279n
Enrollment: Marquette
Date of Loss: 1914, Nov 7
Place of Loss: off Plum Island, Death's Door, WI
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: ?
Cargo: lumber
Details: She struck bottom and settled in a gale, then was pounded to pieces.

R.G. PETERS

Type at Loss: propeller, wood, bulk freight "steambarge"
Official No.: 110424
Built: 1880, Milwaukee Ship Yard, Milwaukee
Specs: 175x31x10 386 t
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: 1882, Dec 1
Place of Loss: about 40 miles off Milwaukee
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm/fire
Lives Lost: 14 [all]
Cargo: in ballast
Details: She burned and foundered while bound for Manistee, MI. No wreckage or bodies were ever identified, but the accident was reported by her consort, the schooner A.W. LUCKEY. Owned by L. Sands of Manistee

St. Joseph Traveler-Herald, (St. Joseph, Michigan),
Saturday, 9 December 1882

"The steam barge R. G. Peters, which lay in this port and near Brown's ice-house, on the canal, a portion of last week, and left last Friday with the barge A. W. Luckey in tow, for Manistee, took fire and was burned some twenty-five miles off Milwaukee about 2 o'clock Saturday morning. Her Captain and entire crew of thirteen hands perished with the boat. The tow Luckey parted with the burning steamer and was carried along with the heavy gale, which was blowing at the time, toward Chicago, into which port she was towed in safety [sic] Saturday afternoon. All but one of the crew hailed from Manistee. The First Mate, Capt. John Larson, who resided in Milwaukee, had been wrecked five times, each previous time coming safely through. He leaves a wife and two children."

ROCKWELL

Specs: 100x26x9, 120t
Enrollment:
Date of Loss: yr 1855
Place of Loss: Muskegon
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: stranded wrecked
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: details unknown

ROSA BELLE

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 2-mast
Official No.: 21302
Built: 1863, L. H. Boole, Milwaukee
Specs: 100x26x10 132g 125n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1921, Oct. 30 (also given as Oct. 20)
Place of Loss: Midlake off Milwaukee
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: Storm
Lives Lost: 11 (all) also reported as 9 lives
Cargo: Lumber, 600 bu potatoes
Details: Bound High Island for Benton Harbor, she capsized in an easterly gale and fog. Her upturned hulk was discovered by the carferry ANN ARBOR #4.

ROSE DOUSMAN

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 2-mast
Official No.: none
Built: 1855, Leander Cox, Milwaukee
Specs: 88x23x8 133 t.
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Owner: G.D. Dousman
Date of Loss: 1867, Apr [1st week]
Place of Loss: near New Buffalo
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: 3
Cargo: ?
Details: She stranded and became a total loss. Owned by Roach & Connor, Milwaukee, in 1864

ROSWELL P. FLOWER

Specs: 1593t
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss:
Place of Loss:
Lake Lost:
Type/Cause:
Lives Lost:
Cargo:
Details: AGNES W. 1915-1918

ROUSE SIMMONS

Type at Loss: schooner, wood, 3-mast
Official No.: 110087
Built: 1868, Allen, McClelland & Co., Milwaukee
Specs: 123x28x8, 205g 195n
Enrollment: Milwaukee
Date of Loss: 1912, Nov 26
Place of Loss: off Kewaunee, WI
Lake Lost: Michigan
Type/Cause: storm
Lives Lost: 17 [all]
Cargo: Christmas trees
Details: The famous "Christmas Tree Ship" was on her last trip of the season when she sailed out from Manistique, overloaded, into the teeth of a blizzard-gale. She had her regular crew plus about 10 lumberjacks aboard. She was overwhelmed and sunk off Kewaunee. She had been spotted, ice covered and in distress, farther to the north, and several boats, including one from C.G., had tried to find her. Wreck located 1971 in 180' near Rawley Pt.

See also Allan bio in Marriage section