Identification & Site Information

• Other Names: None
• Official Number: 15832
• Vessel Type: Wooden 3-masted Schooner
• Builder: Quayle & Martin, Cleveland, Ohio
• Year Built: 1872
• Specifications: Length: 190 ft (57.9 m) Beam: 34 ft (10.4 m) Depth: 14 ft (4.3 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 694 tons
• Net Tonnage: 660 tons
• Owner: Hanna & Co., Cleveland, Ohio

Service History

The Leonard Hanna was a large Great Lakes Schooner, built in 1872 at Cleveland, Ohio, by Quayle & Martin. With three masts, she was one of the larger sailing cargo ships of her era, capable of hauling bulk freight such as iron ore, coal, and grain across the Great Lakes.

She was owned by Hanna & Co., a Cleveland-based firm, which was associated with the iron ore and steel industries—a booming sector in the late 19th century. The vessel was designed for heavy cargo transport, particularly moving ore from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to industrial centers like Cleveland and Chicago.

Final Voyage & Loss – October 20, 1889

The Leonard Hanna met her fate in dense fog near South Fox Island, a remote location in northern Lake Michigan.

• The vessel struck bottom while navigating in poor Visibility, due to an unseen shoal or rocky reef.
• The Hull was severely damaged, causing the ship to take on water and eventually founder.
• The cargo and Hull were valued at $13,000, a significant loss at the time.
• No lives were lost, as the crew was able to escape safely.

Conflicting Reports of an Earlier Loss

Some reports indicate that the Leonard Hanna was wrecked on Lake Michigan on October 8, 1887, two years before her confirmed loss. However, this may have been a misreported incident, or she may have been salvaged after an earlier accident before finally being lost in 1889.

Final Disposition & Wreck Site

• Location: Near Northwest side of South Fox Island, Lake Michigan
• Condition: Total Loss; remains scattered or buried

Located By & Date Found

Nil return

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return

Resources & Links

📖 More on Great Lakes Shipwrecks:
🔗 Maritime History of the Great Lakes
🔗 Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
🔗 David Swayze Shipwreck File
🔗 Save Ontario Shipwrecks

Conclusion

The Leonard Hanna was a classic example of a 19th-century Great Lakes freighter, relying on wind power to transport heavy industrial cargo. She served for 17 years before succumbing to fog and grounding near South Fox Island in 1889. Though lost, she remains a symbol of the transition from sail to steam on the Great Lakes, as larger, more efficient steam-powered vessels soon replaced ships like hers.

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