History #
The Amaranth was a schooner-barge, a two-masted wooden vessel primarily used for bulk freight transportation. It was built in 1864 by William Shupe in Milan, Ohio. The vessel had a length of 134 feet, a beam of 25 feet, and a depth of 11 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 273 and a net tonnage of 259.
Tragedy struck the Amaranth on September 7, 1901, when it encountered a severe storm near Fort Gratiot, Michigan, in the vicinity of North Kewahdin Beach on Lake Huron. At the time of the incident, the Amaranth was being towed by the steamer John H. Pauly. The storm’s powerful winds caused the Amaranth to be blown ashore and subsequently wrecked. Thankfully, there were no reported loss of life in this event.
The crew of the Amaranth, along with the crew of the steamer John H. Pauly, were rescued by the United States Lifesaving Service (USLS) in a daring operation. However, despite efforts to salvage the vessel, the Amaranth was eventually pounded to pieces by the relentless waves.
The Amaranth was owned by C. W. Kotcher of Detroit at the time of the incident. It had a history of ownership changes over the years, including being owned by Valentine Fries of Milan, Ohio, and later by John Shaw of Bay City, Michigan, before coming under the ownership of E. Tirney.
The specific details regarding the Amaranth’s build, official number, and any previous names it may have had are not provided in the available information. The vessel’s primary cargo at the time of the incident was lumber and lath, which were likely lost as a result of the wreck.
The Amaranth’s tragic end serves as a reminder of the challenging and unpredictable conditions faced by vessels navigating the Great Lakes, particularly during severe storms.
