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.

(schooner, built 1873 – lost November 6, 1886, Lake Michigan)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Ellen Spry
• Build Year: 1873
• Type: Wooden two‑masted cargo schooner
• Loss Date: November 6, 1886
• Loss Location: Deep water off the Manitou Islands, Lake Michigan
• Cause: Foundered—leak led to sinking in storm conditions, while carrying approximately 1,100 tons of coal, no lives lost (Wikipedia, Kiddle, NOAA Institutional Repository, Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Vessel Type & Cargo

A mid‑sized wooden schooner purpose-built for bulk freight—most likely grain or coal trade. At time of loss she was laden with about 1,100 tons of coal and navigating Lake Michigan under adverse weather conditions.

Description

• Hull: Wooden, two‑masted schooner
• Tonnage: Estimated 1,100 tons cargo capacity (coal)
• Cargo at Loss: Coal loaded aboard at departure port, intended for delivery before winter freezeback (Midland Daily News)

Precise dimensions (length, beam, depth) and shipyard registry details have not been discovered in publicly accessible records.

History

Ellen Spry entered service in 1873. In November 1886 she was sailing with a substantial coal cargo toward Chicago when she sprang a leak off the Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan. Despite efforts, the vessel ultimately foundered and sank in deep water. No casualties were reported. Her crew was rescued by nearby vessels—most notably by the schooner H. M. Scove, which plucked survivors from the water shortly after she sank (Wikipedia).

Crew & Casualties

• Crew: Not named in surviving summaries
• Fatalities: None—crew rescued without loss of life (Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Wikipedia)

Final Disposition

• Cause: Likely hull breach or storm-stress leak leading to foundering in high seas
• Outcome: Vessel lost; cargo lost or dumped; crew rescued
• Environmental Conditions: Gale-force winds typical of Lake Michigan November storms likely accelerated sinking.

Located By & Date Found

There are no known records of the Ellen Spry wreck having been located or investigated underwater. She sank in deep water off the Manitou Islands, and the site has not been mapped or surveyed by modern archaeological teams.

Notices to Mariners & Advisories

No Notices to Mariners or official hazard bulletins have been found. Given the location in deep offshore water and the absence of floating debris, she likely posed no navigational hazard.

Resources & References

• List of shipwrecks in November 1886 (Wikipedia): Notes Ellen Spry as having sprung a leak and sunk in the Great Lakes with full cargo of coal (Wikipedia)
• Wisconsin Shipwrecks / H. M. Scove: Rescuer of Ellen Spry crew; confirms foundering off Manitou Islands (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
• History of the Great Lakes: Mentions Ellen Spry undergoing foundering in deep Lake Michigan (Links to the Past)

Research Gaps & Next Steps

To construct a fuller, archival-level profile for Ellen Spry, the following avenues are recommended:

• U.S. and Canadian Vessel Enrollment Records (circa 1873–1886)
  • To obtain official tonnage, dimensions, ownership, and master/crew lists.
• Port and Shipping Logs
  • Departure port records (likely Milwaukee or Chicago) might list cargo bill and crew names.
• Regional Newspapers (November 1886)
  • Press in Ludington, Traverse City, Chicago, and Detroit may have reported the sinking, rescue, or insurance claims.
• Marine Board and Insurance Records
  • Great Lakes maritime insurance claims may outline investigative summaries or value assessments.
• Maritime Museum or Archive Collections
  • Institutions such as Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Wisconsin Historical Society, or Michigan Shipwreck Research Association may hold unpublished deposition or survivor accounts.

Summary

The schooner Ellen Spry, built in 1873, foundered on November 6, 1886, in a storm off the Manitou Islands while carrying about 1,100 tons of coal. She sprung a leak and sank in deep water; all crew were rescued by H. M. Scove. No wreck site is known, and technical specifics such as measurements, official number, or crew identities remain absent from accessible records. Focused archival research—particularly into enrollment logs, marine insurance records, and period newspapers—could fill in the gaps

ellen-spry-1873 1886-11-06 18:10:00