- Lumber Hooker
- 70ffw 23m
- 164ft Length
- Lake Erie
- 41 43.636 82 17.370
History #
The steam propeller MARSHALL F. BUTTERS, with an official U.S. number of 91408, was constructed in 1882 and had a gross tonnage of 376 tons. On October 20, 1916, while carrying a load of lumber, the vessel foundered in Lake Erie during a severe gale near the Southeast Shoal, close to the mouth of the Detroit River. Fortunately, all thirteen individuals aboard were rescued, and there were no casualties. However, the ship was declared a total loss.
The news of the lumber vessel’s foundering spread quickly, and it was reported in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 20. Three crew members were saved by the steamer BILLINGS and brought to Cleveland, while the remaining twelve crew members were believed to have been rescued by the steamer HARTWELL, which was heading towards Ashtabula. The incident was covered in the Buffalo Daily Courier on October 21, 1916.
Later reports mentioned the discovery of a mast in the vicinity of the Southeast Shoal by the Government cutter MORRELL. However, it was clarified that the mast did not belong to the wrecked steamer MERIDA but was instead from the MARSHALL F. BUTTERS. This information was published in the Buffalo Daily Courier on October 27, 1916.
The MARSHALL F. BUTTERS had a history that spanned several years. It was initially enrolled in Grand Haven, Michigan, on June 2, 1882, and owned by Horace and Marshall Butters, among others, from Manistee, Michigan. Over time, ownership of the vessel changed hands, with Horace and Marshall Butters of Ludington, Michigan, taking possession by December 9, 1898. The ship traveled a significant distance, covering approximately 142,000 miles in the past six seasons and around 23,000 miles between April 18 and December 24, 1900.
The MARSHALL F. BUTTERS underwent a rebuilding process at Rieboldt & Walters Shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, between 1900 and 1901. It was subsequently owned by Horace and Marshall Butters, along with Robert Reid, as of April 23, 1902. The vessel received a new compound steeple engine, measuring 18″ and 40″ x 30″, along with patent anchors and other improvements on January 16, 1903. By May 4, 1903, it was under the ownership of the Ludington Transportation Co. in Michigan City, Indiana.
The MARSHALL F. BUTTERS faced some damage in 1904 when a Chicago bridge closed on it. In 1915, it came under the ownership of Stearns Salt & Lumber Co. in Ludington, Michigan. The vessel’s specifications, as listed in the Merchant Vessel List of 1885, include dimensions of 164.0 feet in length, 30.0 feet in width, and 10.0 feet in depth. It was equipped with a 275 nominal horsepower engine.
Unfortunately, the MARSHALL F. BUTTERS met its fate on October 20, 1916, when it foundered in Lake Erie, marking the end of its maritime journey.
