Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: MARIAN TELLER (also seen as MARION TELLER)
• Official Number: 91130
• Type at Loss: Propeller Steam Tug, Wood
• Builder: F. Wheeler, West Bay City, Michigan
• • Hull Number: 5
• • Year Built: 1879
• Specifications:
• • Length: 52 ft (15.85 m)
• • Beam: 15 ft (4.57 m)
• • Depth: 6 ft (1.83 m)
• • Gross Tonnage: 33 GRT
• • Net Tonnage: 22 NRT
• Final Disposition
• • Date Lost: June 30, 1900
• • Cause: Hull Failure (likely from water ingress, not structural weakness)
• • Place of Loss: Approximately 1 mile from Lake St. Clair Lightship, Lake St. Clair
• • Cargo: None—she was towing the Barge CANTON at the time
• • Loss of Life: 3 of 5 crew members perished

Vessel Type

The MARIAN TELLER was a wooden-hulled propeller steam Tug, commonly used for towing barges and assisting vessels in harbors and rivers. Built in 1879 by F. Wheeler in West Bay City, Michigan, she was an early example of Wheeler’s work, being Hull number 5. Tugs like the MARIAN TELLER were vital on the Great Lakes, handling both commercial and industrial marine operations, including towing, salvage, and ice-breaking.

The MARIAN TELLER measured 52 feet in length, with a 15-foot beam and a 6-foot Draft. She was powered by a steam engine that required a firebox and boiler system—typical for tugs of her era. Despite her small size, she was capable of handling substantial towing tasks, including large barges like the CANTON, which she was towing at the time of her loss.

Her wooden Hull was typical of the period, built for strength and durability but vulnerable to structural weaknesses from prolonged exposure to water and heavy seas—factors that likely contributed to her sinking.

History

Launched in 1879, the MARIAN TELLER operated primarily out of Port Huron, Michigan, under the ownership of Captain John Cornwall, who also served as her skipper. For over two decades, she worked the busy waterways of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, towing barges and assisting vessels with harbor maneuvers.

Tugs like the MARIAN TELLER were essential for moving heavy freight across the interconnected Great Lakes and river systems, especially when large barges needed to be navigated through narrow channels or challenging weather conditions.

Final Disposition

On June 30, 1900, while towing the Barge CANTON on Lake St. Clair, the MARIAN TELLER suddenly sprang a leak. The situation escalated rapidly when rising water in her bilges extinguished her boiler fires, causing her to lose power. As the Tug began to founder, the crew scrambled to abandon ship in her Yawl boat.

Tragically, the Yawl was swamped during the chaotic evacuation, and three of the five crew members drowned.Only Captain John Cornwall and his son survived, rescued by the passing Steamer NORWALK.

After the sinking, salvage operations were launched. On August 12, 1900, the MARIAN TELLER was raised from the lakebed. Interestingly, salvage crews found her Hull to be in perfect condition, suggesting that the sinking may not have been due to Hull failure, as initially believed. Instead, it’s theorized that the Tug may have shipped water from aboveduring rough conditions, overwhelming her Bilge pumps and flooding her engine room. Despite being raised, her final fate remains unclear, with no records confirming whether she was repaired, scrapped, or Abandoned.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database
• Library and Archives Canada
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Research

Conclusion

The loss of the MARIAN TELLER is a reminder of the perils faced by small steam tugs on the Great Lakes during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite her reliable service history, a combination of sudden flooding and severe weather conditions led to her rapid sinking and the tragic loss of three crew members.

Though her wreck was raised shortly after the incident, her ultimate fate remains a mystery, making her an intriguing subject for maritime historians and shipwreck researchers exploring the history of the Lake St. Clair region.