Identification & Site Information

• Name: NEWHOUSE, J. S.
• Former Names: None reported
• Official Number: 12764
• Date Built and Launched: 1856
• Builder: Peck & Masters, Cleveland, Ohio
• Homeport: Chicago, Illinois
• Final Owner: Peterson, Chicago, Illinois
• Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner (later converted to a Barge)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power: Sail-powered until Conversion to Barge in 1873
• Measurements: Length: 135.4 ft (41.3 m) Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m) Depth: 11.4 ft (3.5 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 381 tons (later recorded as 292.17 tons in 1868 after modifications)
• Primary Cargo: Lumber (at the time of its loss)
• Final Route: Unknown, part of the Chicago-area lumber trade

Vessel Type

The J. S. NEWHOUSE was a wooden Schooner, later converted into a Barge. It was primarily used for transporting lumber and other bulk cargo on the Great Lakes.

Key Features of Great Lakes Schooners:

• Efficient for bulk cargo transport, including lumber and grain
• Typically had two or three masts
• Could operate independently or as a Barge towed by steam-powered freighters

At 135 feet in length, the J. S. NEWHOUSE was a mid-sized Schooner, frequently traveling between Chicago, Detroit, and other major ports.

History

The J. S. NEWHOUSE operated for 18 years, primarily transporting lumber and general cargo before being wrecked near Grand Haven, Michigan, in 1874.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1856: Built in Cleveland, Ohio, for Chicago-based shipping owner A.R. Williams.
• 1856, October: Dismasted in the Straits of Mackinac, later repaired in Chicago.
• 1857, October: Lost mainsail and jibs in a storm off Presque Isle, sweeping three men overboard; all were rescued.
• 1859, November 26: Collided with the propeller SUSQUEHANNA at Buffalo, New York.
• 1860, November: Went ashore at Goderich, Ontario, stopped by ice.
• 1862, October: Damaged in a Lake Huron gale, stranded on the St. Clair Flats.
• 1866, August: Collided with the Schooner AUTOCRAT in Lake Michigan, which later sank.
• 1871, July: Burned to the waterline and was scuttled in Traverse Bay; later repaired and returned to service.
• 1873: Converted into a Barge to serve as a tow for steam-powered freighters.
• 1874, October 25: Wrecked near Grand Haven, Michigan.

Final Disposition

The J. S. NEWHOUSE was lost on October 25, 1874, when it went ashore and wrecked near Grand Haven, Michigan, on Lake Michigan.

The Disaster

• The vessel was hauling lumber when it went aground in a storm.
• Due to its earlier Conversion to a Barge, it had no sails or self-propulsion, relying on a Steamer tow.
• The wreckage was a Total Loss and was never salvaged.

No lives were reported lost in the accident.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the J. S. NEWHOUSE‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near Grand Haven, Michigan.

Due to its wooden construction and location near shore, it is scattered, buried, or deteriorated over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in Grand Haven, Michigan, Lake Michigan.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Local Archives & Museums:
• Tri-Cities Historical Museum (Grand Haven, MI) (Records of early shipwrecks in the area)
• Grand Haven Lighthouse and Lifesaving Museum (Potential references to the wreck)
• Michigan Shipwreck Research Association (MSRA) (Historical records and potential dive sites)

Conclusion

The J. S. NEWHOUSE was a long-serving Schooner that experienced multiple accidents before finally wrecking near Grand Haven in 1874.

Its collision with the AUTOCRAT in 1866 contributed to one of Lake Michigan’s shipwrecks, and its burning, repair, and later Conversion to a Barge illustrate the changing nature of Great Lakes shipping in the late 19th century.

Would you like more details on Grand Haven-area shipwrecks, early Schooner-to-Barge conversions, or ship collisions on the Great Lakes? Let me know!