MARY A. DARYAW C150481

  #

Kewaunee, known by its official number 14065, was a vessel with a rich history on the Great Lakes. Built in 1866 at Port Huron, Michigan by J.P. Arnold, it measured 123.8 feet in length, 27.4 feet in width, and had a depth of 8.3 feet. After serving under the name Kewaunee for many years, it was renamed Mary A. Daryaw when it was acquired by the Daryaw brothers of Kingston in April 1921.

Tragically, the Mary A. Daryaw met its unfortunate fate on October 15, 1927. The official Canadian number for the vessel was 150481, and it had a tonnage of 195 tons. The ship was moored at the spile dock below Kingston when a devastating fire broke out, causing severe damage to the vessel. Despite the efforts of Kingston firefighters who worked for over six hours to save the ship, the fire ravaged the schooner, destroying its sails and cabin and causing significant damage to its hold. The fire marked a sad end for the Mary A. Daryaw, leaving only two sailing schooners remaining from the once-numerous fleet on Lake Ontario.

Local mariners reflected on the dwindling number of sailing schooners, highlighting the Julia B. Merrill, owned by Captain “Bill” Peacock of Cobourg, and the Lyman M. Davis, owned and sailed by Captain John C. McCollough of Napanee, as the sole survivors of the famed fleet. The Mary A. Daryaw had faithfully served the Great Lakes for almost half a century, primarily in the coal-carrying trade on Lake Ontario. Its final voyage took place just before the incident, carrying 300 tons of coal from the Lackawanna trestle in Oswego to Kingston.

The decline of sailing vessels in the region was evident as Charles H. Eddy, in charge of the Lackawanna trestle, recalled the heyday of the trade between Oswego and other Great Lakes ports. In the past, a multitude of schooners plied the waters, transporting goods such as barley to Canadian points. However, the passage of the McKinley bill dealt a severe blow to the importation of Canadian grain, leading to the decline of the grain business in Oswego.

The cause of the fire aboard the Mary A. Daryaw remains unknown, although it was discovered in the vessel’s hold around 3 o’clock in the morning. Firefighters battled bravely to save the ship, but the flames engulfed the schooner, consuming its sails and causing extensive damage. Despite the possibility of reconstruction, the future of the Mary A. Daryaw appeared bleak, signaling the end of its journeys on the Great Lakes.