Identification & Site Information

• Name: JOHN DUNN
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 75609
• Date Built and Launched: 1874
• Builder: A. Miller, Oswego, New York
• Homeport: Oswego, New York
• Final Owner: T. Dunn & M.J. Cummings, Oswego, New York
• Vessel Type: Wooden Three-Masted Schooner
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Power: Sail-powered
• Measurements: Length: 138 ft (42.1 m) Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m) Depth: 11 ft (3.4 m)
• Tonnage: 320 tons
• Primary Cargo: Coal (600 tons on final voyage)
• Final Route: Cleveland, OH → Chicago, IL

Vessel Type

The JOHN DUNN was a three-masted wooden Schooner, a typical vessel used in Great Lakes coal, lumber, and grain transport during the late 19th century. At 138 feet in length and 320 tons, the JOHN DUNN was a large Schooner, built to handle bulk cargo shipments across the Great Lakes.

Key Features of Great Lakes Three-Masted Schooners:

• Designed for heavy cargo transport across the lakes
• Carried coal, lumber, grain, and general freight
• Rigging allowed for greater speed and efficiency than two-masted schooners
• Commonly used for long-haul routes between ports like Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Buffalo

History

The JOHN DUNN was a relatively new vessel, built in 1874, but sank twice within a short span of time, indicating a turbulent career.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1874: Built in Oswego, New York, by A. Miller for coal and bulk cargo transport.
• 1874: Sank on Lake Erie, later recovered.
• 1875, September 9: Wrecked in Chicago Harbor during a storm while carrying coal from Cleveland.
• 1875, November 10: After extensive salvage attempts, the vessel was Abandoned.

Final Disposition

The JOHN DUNN was lost on September 9, 1875, when it struck the harbor piers near the foot of 18th Street in Chicago during a violent storm.

The Disaster

• The Schooner was entering Chicago Harbor in gale conditions.
• It struck the harbor piers and wrecked near “the fort”.
• The crew of seven survived.
• The vessel was valued at $22,000, a significant amount for the time.

After two months of salvage attempts, including partial raising of the Hull, the effort was Abandoned on November 10, 1875, when wreckers were called to assist the iron propeller MERCHANT at Racine, Wisconsin.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the JOHN DUNN‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented.

Due to its wooden construction and the extensive salvage efforts, it is likely that little to nothing remains of the shipwreck.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in Chicago Harbor.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Chicago Maritime Museum (Chicago, IL) (Possible archival material on the Schooner’s wreck and salvage attempts)
• Oswego Maritime Foundation (Oswego, NY) (Historical records on vessels built in Oswego)
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum (Manitowoc, WI) (Historical records on Great Lakes schooners and the MERCHANT wreck)

Conclusion

The JOHN DUNN was a relatively new three-masted Schooner that suffered multiple losses in its short career, ultimately wrecking at Chicago Harbor in 1875. Despite extensive salvage efforts, the vessel was ultimately Abandoned. Its final remains are likely lost, making it another of Chicago’s many harbor shipwrecks.