Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: TERISA
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: 145314
• Type at Loss: Schooner, Wood
• Builder: F. W. Wheeler, Port Sanilac, Michigan
• Year Built: 1882
• Specifications: Length: 39 ft (11.89 m) Beam: 12 ft (3.66 m) Depth: 3 ft (0.91 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 10 tons
• Net Tonnage: 10 tons
• Date Lost: 1905 (Exact date unreported)
• Cause: Unreported
• Place of Loss: Unreported
• Cargo: Unknown
• Loss of Life: Unknown
• Document Surrendered: May 25, 1905, at Port Huron, Michigan
• Annotation: “Total Loss”

Vessel Type

The TERISA was a small wooden Schooner, likely a two-masted vessel designed for light commercial or local transport duties. Vessels of this size were commonly used on the Great Lakes for short-haul cargoes, fishing, or tender services. Her shallow Draft of just 3 feet suggests she operated in coastal or shallow waters, perhaps along rivers, bays, or harbors, making her versatile for accessing smaller ports.

Description

Built in 1882 by F. W. Wheeler at Port Sanilac, Michigan, the TERISA was a compact Schooner reflecting the efficient, utilitarian designs of small Great Lakes vessels in the late 19th century. While Wheeler’s shipyard later became known for building larger freighters, his early work included crafting such small schooners and steamers. Given her modest size, the TERISA may have been employed in fishing, light freight transport, or even as a harbour service vessel, ferrying supplies between larger ships and shore. Her Gross Tonnage of 10 tons indicates a limited cargo capacity, reinforcing her likely role in localized maritime activity.

History

Little specific operational history survives for the TERISA, which was not uncommon for smaller, less prominent vessels of the time. She likely served quietly along the shores of Lake Huron or other nearby waterways, perhaps hauling lumber, agricultural goods, or fishing catches to port towns.

Records indicate she remained in service until around 1905, after more than two decades of operation—a respectable lifespan for a wooden Schooner exposed to the harsh conditions of the Great Lakes.

Final Disposition

The TERISA was declared a “Total Loss” in 1905, with the document formally surrendered at Port Huron on May 25, 1905. Unfortunately, the cause of her loss, exact location, and circumstances surrounding the event remain unreported.

The lack of detail could indicate that she was lost quietly, perhaps due to age-related deterioration, a minor collision, or a localized storm that did not attract widespread news coverage. Smaller vessels like hers often succumbed to incidents that went unrecorded beyond brief notations in official maritime registries.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database
• Port Huron Maritime Archives
• David Swayze’s Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Great Lakes Maritime Collection – Bowling Green State University

Conclusion

The TERISA represents one of the countless small working schooners that plied the Great Lakes during the late 19th and early 20th centuries—vessels that formed the backbone of local economies but whose histories were often overshadowed by the more dramatic tales of larger freighters.

Her quiet disappearance from records in 1905, marked only by a simple “Total Loss” notation, highlights how many ships were lost without fanfare. Yet, even these modest schooners played critical roles in the commerce and culture of the Great Lakes region, connecting small communities, ferrying goods, and sustaining livelihoods.