- Schooner Barge
- 22 – 93ffw 27m
- 180ft Length
- Russel Island, Lake Huron
- 45° 16.069′ N 081° 42.543′ W
The JAMES C. KING, originally built as a bark in 1867 in East Saginaw, Michigan by Tripp & Kirby, later underwent a rerigging and became a schooner by 1884. The vessel had a length of 175.3 feet, a beam of 33.0 feet, and a depth of 12.9 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 512.20 and a net tonnage of 486.59. The JAMES C. KING was registered out of various ports, including Chicago, Illinois, Buffalo, New York, and finally Bay City, Michigan.
Throughout its history, the JAMES C. KING experienced various ownership changes. It was initially owned by James C. King and others in Chicago, Illinois, and later came under the ownership of James Davidson from Buffalo, New York. In 1887, Benjamin Boutell and others from Bay City, Michigan became the new owners. Richard Sherman owned the vessel in 1888, and Gustavus Hine took ownership in 1890. Matilda Latour from Bay City became the final recorded owner in 1899.
On November 29, 1901, the JAMES C. KING met its tragic end during a storm when it was driven ashore and destroyed near Rabbit Island, located near Tobermory, Ontario, in Georgian Bay. The vessel was carrying a cargo of lumber at the time. Fortunately, there was no loss of life in the incident. The crew, numbering 27 individuals, endured a frigid and harrowing night until they were eventually rescued by the fish tug GLUCUS.
The wreck of the JAMES C. KING, along with the steam barge W.L. WETMORE and the barge BRUNETTE, still remains in the waters near Rabbit Island. Divers often visit the wrecks as they have become popular sites within Ontario’s Fathom Five Provincial Park.
The JAMES C. KING had a notable career, serving primarily in the lumber trade. Although it met its untimely demise, the vessel played its part in the maritime history of the Great Lakes, and the story of its wreck serves as a reminder of the challenging conditions faced by sailors on the inland seas.
