DAVID TODD

• Other names: Also seen as DAVID TOD
• Official no.: 6138
• Type at loss: Schooner, wood, 2-mast
• Build info: 1855, Peck & Masters, Cleveland
• Specs: 129’ x 30’ x 10’, 303 tons (gross) [373 tons (om)]
• Date of loss: October 30, 1868
• Place of loss: Foot of Bois Blanc Island, Detroit River
• Lake: Detroit River
• Type of loss: Navigational error

Detail

The David Todd, a 2-masted Schooner, was built in 1855 by Peck & Masters in Cleveland. On October 30, 1868, while upbound in the Detroit River, the vessel ran aground at the foot of Bois Blanc Island. The grounding was attributed to a navigational error. At the time of the incident, a local newspaper had predicted that the ship was in danger of becoming a Total Loss if not salvaged quickly. The Schooner was reported as a Total Loss by the end of the year.

The David Todd was owned by Mears & Bates of Chicago. After the grounding, it seems efforts to save the vessel were unsuccessful, and the David Todd was left to deteriorate in place.

The Detroit River was a crucial waterway, and many vessels, particularly schooners like the David Todd, frequently navigated the channel. Unfortunately, the area can be treacherous, with numerous shoals and the potential for navigational mistakes, especially before modern aids to navigation were established.

Notable Details:

• The David Todd was upbound when the error occurred, meaning it was traveling northbound on the Detroit River.

• Local newspapers had raised concerns about the Schooner’s condition and predicted it would be lost if not salvaged in time.

• The Detroit River was an important shipping route for Chicago and other port cities, and vessels like the David Toddoften made this route.