Identification & Site Information

• Name: J.C. HUBBARD (sometimes recorded as J.G. HUBBARD)
• Other Names: None reported
• Official Number: 75075
• Date Built and Launched: 1871
• Builder: S.J. Tripp, Bay City, Michigan
• Original Owner: Not documented
• Vessel Type: Wooden propeller-driven ferry
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power:
• Propulsion: Screw propeller (single propeller)
• Engine Type: Steam-powered
• Measurements:
• Length: 45 ft (13.7 m)
• Beam: 9 ft (2.7 m)
• Depth: 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Tonnage (Gross): 8 tons

Vessel Type

The J.C. HUBBARD was a small wooden ferry, built for short-distance transportation across the Saginaw River. Ferries like this were common in the late 19th century, serving local communities, passengers, and small freight loads.

Built in Bay City, Michigan, the vessel was likely used for river crossings or short-haul transport, though little historical record exists of its exact operations.

History

The J.C. HUBBARD had a service life of 18 years before it was sunk in a collision in 1889.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1871: Built in Bay City, Michigan, as a small wooden steam ferry.
• 1871-1889: Operated on the Saginaw River, likely ferrying passengers, goods, or small cargo loads between towns along the river.

Final Disposition

The J.C. HUBBARD was lost on October 29, 1889, when it sank in a collision on the Saginaw River, Lake Huron.

The Disaster

• Details of the collision remain unknown, including the identity of the other vessel involved.
• The extent of damage and whether there were any fatalities is uncertain.
• There is no confirmed record of the vessel being raised or recovered, suggesting it may have been Abandoned after sinking.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the J.C. HUBBARD‘s wreck being discovered or surveyed in the Saginaw River.

Given the shallow depth and shifting river sediments, any remains may be buried or dispersed.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in the Saginaw River, Michigan.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File

Conclusion

The J.C. HUBBARD is one of the many small, undocumented vessels lost on the Great Lakes, highlighting the risks faced by even short-haul ferries in busy waterways.

Its loss in 1889 remains a mystery, as no official records confirm whether it was salvaged or Abandoned.

If you’d like to learn more about other lost vessels on the Saginaw River, Great Lakes ferries, or collision-related wrecks, let me know!