George C. Drew (1848)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: George C. Drew
• Type: Scow Schooner
• Year Built: 1848
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length 94 ft 4 in (28.8 m); Beam 22 ft 5 in (6.8 m); Depth of hold 6 ft 10 in (2.1 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 130 54/95 tons
• Location: Big Charity Island or Chantry Island, Lake Huron
• Official Number: N/A (pre-1867 registration system)
• Original Owners: Fredrick Clausen, Ralph R. Mann, H.C. Mocal, Elizabeth Nichols
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Scow Schooner, a flat-bottomed, two-masted vessel commonly used for hauling lumber and bulk cargo across shallow harbours and rivers of the Great Lakes.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood
• Length: 94 ft 4 in (28.8 m)
• Beam: 22 ft 5 in (6.8 m)
• Depth: 6 ft 10 in (2.1 m)
• Tonnage (old style): 130 54/95 tons
• Number of Decks: 1
• Masts: 2

History

• 1848, May 11: Lost her foremast near Black River on Lake Erie.
• 1849: Enrolled at Chicago, IL.
• 1850: Multiple incidents:
  • April 23 – Ashore at Grand River, Lake Michigan with lumber.
  • August 30 – Ashore near Chicago with lumber.
  • September 3 – Damaged in a gale near Chicago.
• 1853, Apr 10: Capsized on the east shore of Lake Michigan.
• 1853, May 6: Ashore at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River.
• 1854: Owned by Fredrick Clausen (Newark, MI) and Ralph R. Mann (Manlius, MI).
• 1860: Owned by H.C. Mocal, Chicago.
• 1863: Owned by Elizabeth Nichols, Chicago.
• 1865: Reported as 107 tons (possibly remeasured or reconfigured).
• 1866, Aug 13: Ran aground and wrecked on a reef off either Big Charity Island or Chantry Island in Lake Huron. The cargo and vessel outfit were salvaged, but the hull was considered a total loss.

Final Disposition

Wrecked on a reef in Lake Huron. The exact reef remains uncertain (Big Charity Island or Chantry Island). Though the ship was lost, its cargo and some of the vessel’s equipment were recovered.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No verified discovery of the wreck has been recorded. Status presumed submerged and broken up on reef.

Resources & Links

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The George C. Drew was a typical example of the utilitarian scow schooners of the mid-19th century, serving reliably in the timber and general cargo trade. Its loss illustrates the navigational hazards around reefs in Lake Huron, particularly under heavy load or poor visibility. Despite frequent groundings and damage over her 18-year career, the vessel served extensively on Lakes Erie, Michigan, and Huron before her final grounding and wrecking in 1866.