Other Names #
- Wm. CASE
- the British Schooner
William Case: A Schooner-Barge Lost in Lake Erie
The William Case, originally known as the Wm. Case and sometimes referred to as the British schooner Wm. Case, was a three-masted wooden schooner-barge built by Roderick Calkins in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1855. It had a length of 137 feet, a width of 27 feet, and a depth of 11 feet. With a gross tonnage of 267 and a net tonnage of 254, the William Case was primarily engaged in transporting cargo across the Great Lakes.
On July 26, 1906, tragedy befell the William Case while it was on a voyage from Cleveland to Bay City, Michigan, carrying a cargo of 575 tons of soft coal. The vessel encountered a severe storm on Lake Erie, causing its seams to open and water to flood in. Despite the crew’s efforts to save the ship, the William Case eventually succumbed to the elements.
In a valiant rescue attempt, the tow steamer Saginaw, which was towing the William Case at the time, worked tirelessly to save the crew. The Saginaw managed to take all six crew members off the sinking schooner before it went down. The crew members were brought to safety, avoiding any loss of life.
The exact location of the sinking was approximately five miles northeast by north of Colchester Shoal Light in Lake Erie. The William Case foundered in 25 feet of water, becoming a permanent fixture on the lake’s floor.
At the time of the sinking, the William Case was owned by the Black Diamond Transportation Company of Detroit, Michigan. The master of the vessel was Captain Frank McDermand.
The history of the William Case includes an interesting note regarding its temporary sale to Canadian ownership in 1901. However, it was ultimately re-enrolled as an American vessel in the same year and continued its operations under various owners.
Today, the William Case rests at the bottom of Lake Erie, serving as a testament to the powerful forces of nature and the risks faced by sailors on the Great Lakes. Its story, like many others, is a reminder of the dangers that mariners faced in their quest to transport goods across the vast waters of the region.
