J.M. Craw and Partners – Subsequent Owners of the Columbia

After Aaron Wilcox, ownership of the Columbia transferred to J.M. Craw and partners, a group of investors based in the Great Lakes region. Under Craw’s stewardship, the vessel’s route was expanded to include service between Cleveland, Mackinac, and Sault Ste. Marie, as well as routes between Chicago and Green Bay by 1854. This expansion into different routes illustrates the demand for flexible vessels like the Columbia, which could adapt to the needs of various lake communities.

J.M. Craw and his partners’ ownership of the Columbia demonstrates the collaborative nature of ship ownership during this period. Investors often formed partnerships to share the financial risks and profits of operating vessels on the Great Lakes, where unpredictable conditions made ownership a precarious endeavor.