Identification & Site Information

• Name: A. HOWES (also seen as ABNER HOWES or just HOWES)
• Official Number: 1495
• Date Built and Launched: 1858
• Builder: Irwin, Detroit, Michigan
• Original Owner: Unknown (Later owned in Racine, Wisconsin)
• Homeport: Likely Racine, Wisconsin
• Vessel Type: Scow-Schooner (A flat-bottomed sailing vessel designed for carrying cargo in shallow waters)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Number of Masts: Likely 2 (typical of scow-schooners)
• Measurements: Length: 70 ft (21.3 m) Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m) Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 65 tons
• Primary Cargo: General supplies

Vessel Type

The A. HOWES was a scow-schooner, a common cargo vessel on the Great Lakes during the 19th century. Scow-schooners were often used for short-distance shipping between Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois ports, and were favoured by small independent operators due to low construction and maintenance costs. Scow-schooners were built with flat bottoms to:

• Navigate shallow harbors, rivers, and beaches
• Easily load and unload cargo without docks
• Carry bulk materials like lumber, stone, and supplies

History

The A. HOWES operated for 13 years, suffering multiple accidents before its final loss in 1871.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1858: Built in Detroit, Michigan, by Irwin.
• 1866: Capsized on Lake Erie—details unknown, but the vessel was recovered and repaired.
• September 22, 1871: Destroyed in a storm at Ahnapee, Lake Michigan.

Final Disposition

The A. HOWES was lost on September 22, 1871, after being wrecked in a storm near Ahnapee, Lake Michigan (modern-day Algoma, Wisconsin).

The Disaster

• The vessel was anchored off Ahnapee, attempting to ride out a storm.
• High winds and waves caused it to drag anchor, pushing it toward shore.
• It wrecked on the north side of the north pier, suffering severe damage.
• No loss of life was reported, but the vessel was considered a Total Loss.

After already surviving a capsizing in 1866, the A. HOWES was unable to recover from this final wreck and was likely Abandoned or broken up.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the A. HOWES‘s wreck being discovered or documented near Ahnapee/Algoma, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan.

If remains exist, they are likely buried under sand or destroyed by storms and ice movement over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Algoma, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Local Archives:
• Algoma Historical Society (Potential records on Ahnapee shipwrecks)
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum (Shipwreck research and scow-Schooner history)

Conclusion

The A. HOWES was a hardworking scow-Schooner that faced multiple accidents, including capsizing on Lake Erie in 1866 and its final wreck at Ahnapee, Wisconsin, in 1871.

It serves as an example of the dangers faced by small schooners on the Great Lakes, where poor weather, shallow harbors, and rough waters often led to wrecks.

If you’d like to learn more about scow-schooners, wrecks near Algoma, or Lake Michigan storm disasters, let me know!