Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Dick Somers
- Type: Wooden-hulled two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: Wolf & Lawrence, Milwaukee, WI
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 432 (old style)
- Location: Driven ashore at the south end of Poverty Island
- Official Number: 6136
- Original Owners: Weinert & Meyers of Chicago
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th century wooden schooner built for bulk trade—likely iron ore—active in Great Lakes shipping routes.
Description
Typical two-masted schooner: wooden hull, single deck, centreboard likely, used for heavy cargo, particularly iron ore. Built with capacity for bulk shipments.
History
- 1863: Launched in Milwaukee, listed at 432 tons (linkstothepast.com)
- 1865–76: Ownership changed among Chicago-based merchant firms (Elkins & Merrill, Slauson, Weinert & Meyers), with adjusted gross tonnage recorded at 322 by 1865, then 332.21 by 1868
- 22 Nov 1877: Bound from Escanaba to Ashtabula with a full load of iron ore; driven ashore at Poverty Island during a gale and wrecked. Owner recorded as Weinert & Meyers of Chicago
- 1878: Salvage operations by Church & Hill of Chicago recovered gear and cargo
Significant Incidents
- Wrecked on 22 November 1877 during a gale while carrying iron ore.
- Salvage operations conducted in 1878 recovered some gear and cargo.
Final Disposition
Vessel was broken up on the shore at Poverty Island. Iron ore cargo partially salvaged. No hull remains reported.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No subsequent underwater discovery or dive identification has been recorded. Wreck location remains known only from contemporaneous salvage logs.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”dick-somers-us-6136″ title=”References & Links”]
Somers, Dick illustrates the rugged routine of ore schooners during the iron-boom era of the 1860s–1870s. The wreck served as a reminder of the hazards near Poverty Island, a known shipping bottleneck where rising iron ore traffic and late-season storms proved deadly. Its loss underscores both the economic pressure and maritime risks of Great Lakes resource transport.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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