Site Description
The Willis, a schooner built in 1872, was constructed in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It was a wooden vessel with a single deck and was originally owned by J.R. Slauson & W.R. Pugh of Racine, Wisconsin. The master carpenter responsible for its construction was Peter Larson. The schooner had three masts and was designed for sailing purposes.
The Willis had hull dimensions of 131 feet 7 inches in length, 27 feet 9 inches in beam, and 9 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 245.28. However, the vessel’s service came to a tragic end on November 11, 1872. While carrying a cargo of 17,250 bushels of barley downbound from Chicago to Buffalo, the Willis collided with the barque Elizabeth Jones. The collision resulted in the sinking of the Willis, which occurred approximately 20 miles north of Lorain, Ohio, and 15 miles east of Point au Pelee, Ontario, in Lake Erie.
Fortunately, the Elizabeth Jones sustained little damage in the collision. The crew of the Willis was picked up by the Elizabeth Jones, which then continued its journey. Both parties involved in the collision accused each other of negligence. However, in a lawsuit that followed, the owners of the Willis emerged as the winners on May 24, 1885.
The sinking of the Willis marked the end of its short-lived history. On December 31, 1872, the vessel’s enrollment was surrendered, stating that the vessel was lost.
