Identification & Site Information:

• Vessel Name: ADELL
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: None
• Type at Loss: Schooner, Wood, 2-Mast
• Year Built: 1860
• Builder: Unknown
• Build Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Specifications: Length: 48 ft (14.6 m) Beam: 12 ft (3.7 m) Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 25 tons

Vessel Type Description:

The ADELL was a small, two-masted wooden schooner typical of mid-19th-century vessels on Lake Michigan. Vessels of this size were frequently employed in the coastal trade, transporting goods like lumber, firewood, and building materials between ports along the Wisconsin and Michigan shorelines. Their shallow Draft allowed them to navigate smaller harbors and rivers, making them vital to local economies in the region.

History:

Launched in 1860 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the ADELL served in the wood trade, moving cargo along the busy lake shore routes. Owned and captained by Fred Webster, the Schooner represented a significant investment for its skipper, who had all his savings tied up in the vessel. The ship was Rebuilt in 1862, suggesting she had already faced significant wear or damage in the early years of her service.

Throughout her career, the ADELL was a hardworking vessel, but she ultimately met her fate at the mercy of Lake Michigan’s notorious storms.

Final Voyage & Disposition:

On November 16, 1869, the ADELL encountered a violent storm as she approached Bay View, just south of Milwaukee. The Schooner was driven ashore about half a mile below the Bay View pier. Pounded relentlessly by the waves, she began to break apart on the rocky shoreline.

Despite the wreck, no lives were lost, and Captain Fred Webster managed to salvage the rigging and spars, leaving them on the beach overnight with hopes of retrieving them later. Unfortunately, when he returned, he discovered that everything had been stolen. This loss compounded the tragedy for Webster, who had invested his entire fortune in the vessel.

By November 26, reports confirmed that the ADELL was completely broken up. A source suggested that she had been recovered, though no further records confirm this.

Final Location:

• Place of Loss: ½ mile below Bay View pier, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Date of Loss: November 16, 1869
• Lake: Lake Michigan
• Type of Loss: Storm
• Loss of Life: None
• Final Cargo: Wood

Located By & Date Found:

• Located By: No official discovery recorded.
• Date Found: The wreck site has not been definitively identified.

Notices to Mariners & Advisories:

NOTMARs: No current Notices to Mariners for this wreck.

Advisories: Mariners near Bay View, Wisconsin, should remain aware of potential underwater obstructions from historical wrecks.

Resources & Links:

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Conclusion:

The Schooner ADELL embodies the risk and resilience inherent in 19th-century Great Lakes commerce. Despite being a small vessel, she played an essential role in transporting wood and other materials along the shores of Lake Michigan. Her final wreck near Milwaukee in 1869 highlights the challenges faced by independent shipowners like Fred Webster, who gambled their livelihoods on the unpredictable waters of the Great Lakes. The theft of the salvaged rigging adds a poignant note to her story, underscoring the harsh realities of life along the lakeshore during this period.

Keywords ADELL Schooner, Milwaukee shipwrecks, Lake Michigan maritime history, Bay View pier shipwreck, Great Lakes wood trade, 19th-century schooners, Fred Webster, Wisconsin shipwrecks, 1869 shipwrecks, Great Lakes storms.