Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

E. B. Perkins (1867)

The E. B. Perkins was a scow-schooner lost in a storm off St. Joseph, Michigan, in 1875, resulting in the loss of all crew members.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: E. B. Perkins
  • Type: Scow-schooner
  • Year Built: circa 1867
  • Builder: South Haven, Michigan
  • Dimensions: Not specified — listed at 94 gross tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 94 gross tons
  • Location: Approximately 5 miles off St. Joseph, Lake Michigan
  • Official Number: Not recorded
  • Original Owners: Unknown
  • Number of Masts: Not specified

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type: Scow-schooner (wooden)

Description

The E. B. Perkins was a fishing vessel that operated as part of a fleet out of St. Joseph, Michigan. It was primarily used for carrying fishing gear.

History

The vessel was caught in a sudden storm on April 29, 1875, while laden with fishing equipment just outside St. Joseph harbor. The storm overwhelmed the vessel, leading to its sinking.

Significant Incidents

  • On April 29, 1875, the E. B. Perkins was caught in a sudden storm while laden with fishing equipment.

Final Disposition

  • Date of Final Loss: 29 April 1875
  • Location: Approximately 5 miles off St. Joseph, Lake Michigan
  • Cause: Overwhelmed by a fierce and sudden squall; vessel foundered and sank
  • Casualties: Four total crew lost—all hands perished
  • Wreck Status: Submerged; crew-collected wreckage brought ashore the following spring

Current Condition & Accessibility

  • Wreck Condition: Likely lies in deep water with minimal structural remains
  • Dive Accessibility: Unknown location and depth make diving impractical; site may be identified through sonar sweep based on drift reports
  • Remains: Some floating wreckage recovered by local fishermen in the spring following the storm

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”e-b-perkins-1867″ title=”References & Links”]

The E. B. Perkins was a 94-ton scow-schooner fishing vessel lost in a sudden squall off St. Joseph on April 29, 1875. All four crew members drowned when the vessel foundered just outside harbor. Debris from the wreck washed ashore the following spring. Though the wreck lies unknown in deeper waters, further research into newspapers, local fishing records, underwriters’ casualty lists, and weather logs from April 1875 may uncover crew identities, storm details, or the precise sinking location.

Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Year Built: circa 1867, South Haven, Michigan
Official Number: Not recorded
Vessel Type: Scow‑schooner (wooden)
Dimensions: Not specified — listed at 94 gross tons
Cargo at Loss: Fishing gear

Chronology & Operational History

  • Operated as part of a fishing fleet out of St. Joseph, Michigan
  • On April 29, 1875, the E. B. Perkins was caught in a sudden storm just outside St. Joseph harbor while laden with fishing equipment

Final Disposition

  • Date of Final Loss: 29 April 1875
  • Location: Approximately 5 miles off St. Joseph, Lake Michigan
  • Cause: Overwhelmed by a fierce and sudden squall; vessel foundered and sank
  • Casualties: Four total crew lost—all hands perished
  • Wreck Status: Submerged; crew-collected wreckage brought ashore the following spring

Site & Dive Notes

  • Wreck Condition: Likely lies in deep water with minimal structural remains
  • Dive Accessibility: Unknown location and depth make diving impractical; site may be identified through sonar sweep based on drift reports
  • Remains: Some floating wreckage recovered by local fishermen in the spring following the storm

Research Recommendations

  1. Contemporary Newspaper Reports (May–June 1875):
    • St. Joseph Herald-Press, Chicago Tribune, and other regional newspapers for accounts of the sudden storm, rescue efforts, crew names, and recovery of wreckage.
  2. Fishing Fleet Records & Insurance Claims:
    • Reports from St. Joseph’s fishing community and marine insurers could list ownership, crew identifiers, and equipment loss estimates.
  3. Harbor Master Logs & Weather Records:
    • St. Joseph harbor master records and meteorological archives from late April 1875 could clarify storm severity and vessel movements.
  4. Marine Casualty Registers:
    • Potential references in 1875 casualty rolls or board of underwriters’ files, particularly under “scow‑schooner losses.”

Sources

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“P” section): “Type at loss: scow‑schooner…Date of loss: 1875, Apr 29…Place of loss: 5 mi off St. Joseph…Loss of life: 4 [all]…Carrying: fishing gear…She was caught in a sudden storm outside of the harbor and foundered…The following spring wreckage was brought up by …St. Joseph fishermen.” (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)

Summary

The E. B. Perkins was a 94‑ton scow‑schooner fishing vessel lost in a sudden squall off St. Joseph on April 29, 1875. All four crew members drowned when the vessel foundered just outside harbor. Debris from the wreck washed ashore the following spring. Though the wreck lies unknown in deeper waters, further research into newspapers, local fishing records, underwriters’ casualty lists, and weather logs from April 1875 may uncover crew identities, storm details, or the precise sinking location.

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