Shipwreck Report: LILLY HAMILTON (1885)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: LILLY HAMILTON (also seen as LILY HAMILTON)
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: C71271
• Type at Loss: Wooden 3-Masted Schooner
• Date Built and Launched: 1874
• Builder: G. Pontine, Port Burwell, Ontario
• Homeport: Port Burwell, Ontario
• Measurements: 137 ft (41.8 m) length, 26 ft (7.9 m) beam, 11 ft (3.3 m) depth
• Tonnage: 321 gross tons, 321 net tons
• Date Lost: August 21, 1885
• Place of Loss: 20 miles southeast of Cana Island, Lake Michigan

Vessel Type

Wooden 3-Masted Schooner (Great Lakes Bulk Cargo Transporter)

Description

The LILLY HAMILTON was a Canadian-built wooden Schooner, launched in 1874 at Port Burwell, Ontario. She was designed for bulk cargo transport, mainly carrying goods such as lumber, coal, grain, and salt across the Great Lakes trade routes. Her owners varied over time, with records showing she was owned by W.Y. Emery or Sutherland, and commanded by Captain Stalker.

She underwent major repairs in 1880 after sinking in the Welland Canal, but was refloated and returned to service. By the 1880s, she was regularly operating between Canadian and American ports, including Milwaukee, Kincardine, and other key shipping hubs.

Final Voyage & Loss

On August 21, 1885, LILLY HAMILTON was bound from Kincardine, Ontario, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, carrying 680 tons of salt.

While sailing on Lake Michigan, she was caught in a powerful gale 20 miles southeast of Cana Island.

• The crew fought to keep her afloat, but as she took on water rapidly, it became clear that she was doomed.
• The order was given to abandon ship, and the crew of 8 escaped in the Yawl boat.
• The Schooner Foundered and disappeared beneath the waves shortly after.
• The crew drifted on Lake Michigan for 6 hours before being rescued.

Despite the vessel’s Total Loss, all hands survived.

Final Disposition

Foundered in a storm southeast of Cana Island, Lake Michigan, on August 21, 1885.

• No lives lost (crew of 8 survived in the Yawl boat after drifting for 6 hours).
• Declared a Total Loss.

Located By & Date Found

Nil—there are no confirmed reports of LILLY HAMILTON‘s wreck being located.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil—no known navigational advisories related to the wreck site.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The LILLY HAMILTON was a typical 19th-century Great Lakes Schooner, used for bulk cargo transport. Despite previously sinking in the Welland Canal and being repaired, she was ultimately lost in a Lake Michigan storm in 1885.

Her crew’s survival after 6 hours adrift highlights the dangers sailors faced on the Great Lakes, where storms could turn a routine voyage into disaster in moments.

Her final resting place remains unknown, but she is part of the rich maritime history of Lake Michigan.

Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: LILLY HAMILTON shipwreck, Lake Michigan Schooner loss, Cana Island shipwrecks, Great Lakes sailing vessels, Canadian Schooner wrecks
• Categories: Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Schooner Losses, Storm-Related Shipwrecks, Unlocated Shipwrecks, 19th-Century Maritime Disasters
• Glossary Terms:
• Schooner: A two- or three-masted sailing vessel, commonly used in Great Lakes shipping during the 19th century.
• Yawl Boat: A small lifeboat used for emergency escape or maneuvering in harbors.
• Cana Island: A landmark on Lake Michigan, known for its historic lighthouse and role in maritime navigation.