The loss of the brig named CHICAGO in Lake Erie on October 13, 1851, was a tragic incident that occurred during a sudden squall. The brig, built in 1848 in Ashtabula, Ohio, was a wooden, two-masted vessel with a capacity of 257 tons.
On the day of the incident, the CHICAGO had departed Buffalo bound for Chicago, but it was traveling empty, carrying no cargo, and was described as being “in ballast.” The ship was under the command of Captain Napier, and besides him, it had a crew of several men.
Around 4 o’clock in the morning, about 90 miles from Buffalo and approximately in the middle of Lake Erie, disaster struck. A sudden squall hit the vessel with tremendous force, causing it to capsize within a remarkably short time, leaving the crew with little opportunity to react or take preventive measures.
The crew faced a life-threatening situation as they struggled in the water. Unfortunately, three crew members were lost in the calamity. Among the deceased were John Fuloch, the first mate, who had recently been married and hailed from Cleveland, and W.L. Reed, the second mate, who had just married and resided in Chicago. The third crew member lost was John Carver, a single man also from Chicago.
Captain Napier and the remaining crew members found themselves clinging to the vessel’s hull. They managed to tie their clothing together to form a makeshift line and used it to pull up the others who were struggling in the water alongside the capsized vessel.
Later in the day, the schooner HOME, commanded by Captain Jeffords, encountered the wreck. They successfully rescued Captain Napier and the remaining crew members, who were on the brink of exhaustion. The timely intervention of the HOME saved them from further peril.
The brig CHICAGO was owned by Tom Dyer of Chicago, and it was insured for $6,000, with equal coverage from the Buffalo Mutual and North Western of Oswego insurance companies. However, despite the rescue efforts, the CHICAGO remained a total loss due to the severe damage it sustained during the storm.
