TOM BOY – Shipwreck Information

• Official No.: 145103
• Other Names: None
• Type at Loss: Wooden Schooner
• Built: 1863 (exact shipyard or location not specified) 
• Specifications: Length: 50 ft (15.24 m)
• Tonnage: 19 tons (19 t)
• Date of Loss: August 1, 1880
• Place of Loss: Off Presque Isle, Northwest of Marquette, Michigan
• Lake: Superior
• Type of Loss: Storm
• Loss of Life: None
• Cargo: Over 2,000 kegs of blasting powder
• Owner at Time of Loss: Not specified
• Captain at Time of Loss: Skipper not named, but it was noted that it was his ninth shipwreck
• Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner

Description

The Tom Boy was a small wooden Schooner, built in 1863, measuring 50 feet in length and 19 tons in tonnage. This type of vessel was commonly used for transporting cargo, such as freight or materials like powder. In August of 1880, while navigating the stormy waters of Lake Superior, the Tom Boy ran into trouble.

On August 1, 1880, the Tom Boy Foundered off Presque Isle, located to the northwest of Marquette, Michigan. The Schooner sprang a leak in the heavy seas and was quickly overwhelmed. The crew, realizing their peril, just had time to cut away the Yawl before the vessel sank. Fortunately, the crew was rescued by the Steamer Selah Chamberlainapproximately three hours after the shipwreck.

The Tom Boy was carrying a highly dangerous cargo—over 2,000 kegs of blasting powder—at the time of its loss, though no explosions were reported following the sinking. The rescue and survival of the crew was fortunate, given the volatile cargo aboard the vessel. The vessel’s skipper later remarked that this was his ninth shipwreck, highlighting the risks faced by sailors navigating the often treacherous Great Lakes during the 19th century.

Final Dispositions

The Tom Boy Foundered in heavy seas and sank two miles offshore from Presque Isle, Michigan. It was completely lost to the storm, and no further records indicate any efforts to recover the wreck. The dangerous cargo of blasting powder did not result in an explosion, but the ship was a Total Loss.

Located By & Date Found

There is no record of the Tom Boy’s wreck being rediscovered or located. As the vessel sank offshore in 1880, it may remain undiscovered, or if found, no significant salvage or recovery efforts have been documented.

Notable Marks & Advisories

No specific marks or advisories related to the wreck of the Tom Boy have been recorded. The sinking occurred off Presque Isle, north of Marquette, and was due to the storm conditions at the time. The wreck may remain an underwater hazard if located, though it is unclear if it poses any navigational concern today.

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• The Maritime History of the Great Lakes

Conclusion

The Tom Boy was a small Schooner that tragically Foundered on Lake Superior on August 1, 1880, while attempting to reach Marquette during a storm. Carrying over 2,000 kegs of blasting powder, the vessel sank after springing a leak in heavy seas. Thankfully, the crew survived, rescued by the Selah Chamberlain hours after the incident. Despite the volatile cargo, there was no reported explosion, and the wreck of the Tom Boy remains a part of the history of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes region.