Identification & Site Information

• Name: HENRY HOWARD
• Other Names: None reported
• Official Number: 11610
• Date Built and Launched: 1867
• Builder: Fitzgerald & Stewart, Port Huron, Michigan
• Original Owner: J. Miner & B. Hoose (Port Huron, MI)
• Homeport: Port Huron, Michigan
• Vessel Type: Wooden propeller-driven steambarge (bulk freight carrier)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power: Steam propulsion (screw propeller)
• Measurements: Length: 137 ft (41.8 m) Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m) Depth: 10 ft (3.0 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 261 tons
• Net Tonnage: 217 tons
• Primary Cargo: Bulk freight (lumber, coal, or general goods)
• Final Owners: J. Miner (wife of the captain) & B. Hoose

Vessel Type

The HENRY HOWARD was a wooden steambarge, a common type of bulk freight carrier on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.

Steambarges were built to:

• Carry bulk cargo – lumber, coal, or grain
• Tow multiple barges to increase capacity
• Operates in both major shipping lanes and smaller waterways

By the 1880s, steambarges were essential to Great Lakes commerce, especially for the timber and coal industries.

History

The HENRY HOWARD had a 17-year career, ultimately being destroyed by fire in 1884 while towing a Barge near the mouth of the St. Clair River.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1867: Built in Port Huron, Michigan, by Fitzgerald & Stewart for bulk cargo transport.
• September 10, 1884: Caught fire near Harsen’s Island, Lake St. Clair and burned to a Total Loss.

Final Disposition

The HENRY HOWARD was lost on September 10, 1884, when it caught fire near the mouth of the St. Clair River and was beached at Harsen’s Island, where it burned out completely.

The Disaster

• The vessel was bound for St. Ignace, towing the Barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON.
• While in transit, a fire broke out on board, quickly spreading through the wooden Hull.
• To prevent sinking or loss of life, the crew beached the vessel on Harsen’s Island.
• The fire burned the ship to a Total Loss, leaving only wreckage behind.
• No lives were lost, and the Barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON was saved.

After 17 years of service, the HENRY HOWARD was no longer salvageable and was Abandoned on the island.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the HENRY HOWARD‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near Harsen’s Island, Lake St. Clair.

If any remnants exist, they may be buried under river sediment or eroded by currents.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Harsen’s Island, Lake St. Clair.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Port Huron Historical Society (Potential shipbuilding and ownership records)
• Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center (May have fire records on steambarges)

Conclusion

The HENRY HOWARD was a reliable bulk freight steambarge, ultimately destroyed by fire while towing a Barge near Harsen’s Island in 1884. Its rapid loss highlights the vulnerability of wooden steamships to fire, a common cause of shipwrecks in the 19th century.