CITY OF SHEBOYGAN C125128

Other Names #

• CITY OF CHEBOYGAN – misspelling
• CITY OF SHEBOYGAN U125128

Site Description #

History #

On Sunday morning, September 26, 1915, a tragic wreck occurred on Lake Ontario, resulting in the sinking of the schooner CHEBOYGAN. The vessel, carrying a cargo of feldspar and bound from Kingston to Buffalo, foundered a few miles off Amherst Island. The CHEBOYGAN had encountered several mishaps throughout the season, and this incident proved to be its most devastating. Five lives were lost in the tragedy, including Captain MacDonald and his wife, W. Joyner of Kingston, J. Lavis of Cobourg, and Robert Milne of Port Hope. Joseph Bray, a resident of Amherst Island, witnessed the boat sinking and noted that the rough sea conditions made it impossible for a small boat to rescue anyone. Only a lone spar remained visible near the site of the wreck.

The schooner CITY OF CHEBOYGAN, a coal-laden vessel from Fort Brady, experienced a similar fate in a previous incident. On November 5, 1886, the vessel struck a rock near Detour, sinking stern-first into deep water. Tragically, the woman cook aboard the ship drowned, while the rest of the crew survived and found refuge at Detour.

In another report from May 12, 1887, Captain John Jenks inspected the sunken schooner CITY OF SHEBOYGAN near Pipe Island on Drummonds. He observed that the bow of the vessel was submerged nineteen feet underwater, while the stern sat thirty-nine feet below the surface. Captain Jenks estimated that the vessel could be raised and brought to drydock for $2,500.

Photogallery 2010 Tom Rutledge CC #

Efforts to salvage the CITY OF SHEBOYGAN continued, with the involvement of different companies and vessels. The tug LEVIATHAN was contracted to raise the schooner, and it was reported in July 1887 that the Dunham Wrecking and Towing Co. had accepted a contract for the same purpose. Despite these attempts, the vessel remained in its sunken state, with the LEVIATHAN unable to recover it completely.

Additional information about the CITY OF SHEBOYGAN reveals a history of reconstructions and further incidents. In April 1882, the vessel underwent reconstruction in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In April 1892, it was wrecked by an unidentified schooner on the Chicago River. Ownership of the vessel changed over the years, with E.M. MacDonald of Toronto, Ontario, listed as the owner in August 1915 and W.M. Schlosser of Milwaukee as the owner later that same year.

Photogallery 2022 Corey Phillips CC #

Ultimately, on September 25, 1915, the CITY OF SHEBOYGAN met its final fate when it foundered on Lake Ontario near Amherst Island. This tragic event resulted in the loss of five lives. It is worth noting that the vessel was enrolled in both the United States and Canada under the name CITY OF SHEBOYGAN.