The propeller tug THOMAS COLEMAN, with official number 145030, was a wooden vessel originally built in 1864 in Newburgh, New York. It had dimensions of 73 feet in length, 16.2 feet in beam, and a depth of 6 feet, with a tonnage of approximately 100 gross tons.
On November 20, 1883, the THOMAS COLEMAN experienced a tragic loss when it caught fire while lying alongside the Bar Point lightship on Lake Erie. The fire spread rapidly, prompting the crew to abandon the vessel using a lifeboat. However, the lifeboat was leaky, creating a fear of drowning for the crew. The tug “ONEIDA” came to their rescue and towed the THOMAS COLEMAN ashore. Another tug named “WILCOX” managed to extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, the fire consumed the entire upper works of the tug. Despite efforts to save the vessel, some sources suggest that it was a total loss.
The THOMAS COLEMAN was initially a New York Harbor tug and later came to the Great Lakes region in 1874. It was out of Detroit and owned by Captain William Mills.
This incident underscores the risks that maritime vessels faced, even when stationed near lightships for safety, as unforeseen accidents such as fires could quickly escalate and put both the vessel and crew in perilous situations.
