Title: Tragedy Strikes: The Colliding Fates of Schooners CLAYTON BELLE, and Thomas Parsons
On April 10, 1882, a maritime disaster unfolded on Lake Huron near Lexington, Michigan, claiming four lives and leaving a lasting mystery. The schooner CLAYTON BELLE, a wooden vessel measuring 139 feet and weighing 300 tons, met its demise in a collision with the schooner Thomas Parsons. Owned by Merrick, Esseltyne & Co. in Detroit, the Clayton Belle was bound from St. Ignace, MI, to Erie, PA, carrying 522 tons of pig iron.
As the Clayton Belle awaited a tug’s assistance, tragedy struck when it collided with the Thomas Parsons. The impact proved catastrophic, sinking the Clayton Belle within three minutes. Four of the eight crew members tragically lost their lives, including Captain A. F. Colvin and three others. Amid the chaos, part of the Clayton Belle’s crew managed to board the Thomas Parsons, attempting to launch the latter’s lifeboat to aid their fellow sailors, but their efforts were in vain.
Divers discovered the wreck in Lake Huron in 1993, revealing an intriguing puzzle: the hull of the Clayton Belle was split from stem to stern, with the port side lying far away from the rest of the wreck. Some theories suggested the ship was severed during the collision with the Thomas Parsons. However, diver Paul Schmitt proposed a different theory – that the ship was intentionally torn apart to access its cargo. Schmitt speculated that an old steam tug might have been used to pull the hull apart, as the vessel had already been deemed a total loss.
Survivor Thomas Irwin recounted that while everyone managed to board the ship before it sank, exposure and the icy waters ultimately led to the deaths of those who clung to the sinking vessel. The Thomas Parsons crew faced criticism for failing to launch a lifeboat promptly.
The Clayton Belle’s wreckage was discovered upright, with its masts still visible above the waterline. Subsequent salvage efforts by Quinn Brothers involved extracting 522 tons of pig iron using steam hoisting gear on a nearby schooner. The vessel was found to be in poor condition, its hull, cargo deck, and other parts scattered on the lakebed.
The tragedy of the Clayton Belle serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by sailors navigating the Great Lakes. The collision, sinking, and subsequent salvage efforts mark a somber chapter in maritime history, highlighting the risks that seafarers of the past endured on the unforgiving waters of Lake Huron.
