Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Gilbert Mollison
- Type: Wooden three-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1871
- Builder: Andrew Miller & Co.
- Dimensions: 130-140 ft (39.6-42.7 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Near South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 85126
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-sized bulk-carrying schooner, specifically designed for deep Lake Michigan freight hauling.
Description
Her precise dimensions aren’t listed, but she would be typical of 19th-century schooners of her tonnage—rigged with three masts, wood-built, and measuring around 130–140 feet in length.
History
- 1871, Apr 8: Launched for Mitchell Bros. & M. Murphy, Oswego, NY.
- 1873, Oct 27: Cast off from Chicago carrying corn; entered Lake Michigan amid deteriorating weather.
- Late October 1873: Disappeared in a sudden northeast gale—reported as the worst experienced on Lake Michigan in years. An Oswego Palladium report from 7 November 1873 noted no sightings and expressed growing concern. By 10 November, the paper confirmed she was “likely lost with all hands,” attributing the loss to the extreme northeast gale.
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in a violent northeast gale on or just after 27 October 1873.
- All 8-9 crew members presumed lost.
Final Disposition
The schooner is presumed to have foundered with all (8–9) crew members aboard. No survivors, no debris, and no wreck confirmed, though believed to lie near South Manitou Island.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not located. Despite coastal searches, no remains or wreckage have been verified.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”gilbert-mollison-us-85126″ title=”References & Links”]
The Gilbert Mollison is a sobering example of a 19th-century Great Lakes vessel claimed by a sudden northeast gale—a phenomenon often referred to as the “Witch of November.” Outwardly swift and complete, her disappearance with an entire crew underscores the unpredictable dangers of Lake Michigan in late autumn. Though her hull remains unlocated and ghosted by time, her story resonates in Great Lakes shipping lore as a reminder of the perils that once beset wooden schooners.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Gilbert Mollison
- Official Number: 85126
- Built: 8 April 1871, Oswego, NY by Andrew Miller & Co.
- Type: Wooden three-masted schooner (grain and corn cargo)
- Final Location: Near South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan (Manitou Passage)
- Final Voyage & Loss Date: Departed Chicago on 27 October 1873; foundered in a violent northeast gale on or just after 27 October 1873
- Final Cargo: Approximately 20,022 bushels of corn
Vessel Type
A mid-sized bulk-carrying schooner, specifically designed for deep Lake Michigan freight hauling.
Description
Her precise dimensions aren’t listed, but she would be typical of 19th-century schooners of her tonnage—rigged with three masts, wood-built, and measuring around 130–140 feet in length.
History & Chronology
- 1871, Apr 8: Launched for Mitchell Bros. & M. Murphy, Oswego, NY.
- 1873, Oct 27: Cast off from Chicago carrying corn; entered Lake Michigan amid deteriorating weather.
- Late October 1873: Disappeared in a sudden northeast gale—reported as the worst experienced on Lake Michigan in years (michiganmysteries.com, wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
- An Oswego Palladium report from 7 November 1873 noted no sightings and expressed growing concern (michiganmysteries.com).
- By 10 November, the paper confirmed she was “likely lost with all hands,” attributing the loss to the extreme northeast gale (michiganmysteries.com).
Final Disposition
The schooner is presumed to have foundered with all (8–9) crew members aboard. No survivors, no debris, and no wreck confirmed, though believed to lie near South Manitou Island.
Located By & Date Found
Not located. Despite coastal searches, no remains or wreckage have been verified.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted. The wreck predates modern navigation aids and hasn’t been formally charted.
Resources & Links
- Michigan Mysteries: “1873 Gilbert Mollison” with contemporary newspaper excerpts (linkstothepast.com, michiganmysteries.com)
- History of the Great Lakes references her loss near the Fox Islands–Manitou Passage (linkstothepast.com)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files: multiple summaries confirm disappearance in gale (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The Gilbert Mollison is a sobering example of a 19th-century Great Lakes vessel claimed by a sudden northeast gale—a phenomenon often referred to as the “Witch of November.” Outwardly swift and complete, her disappearance with an entire crew underscores the unpredictable dangers of Lake Michigan in late autumn. Though her hull remains unlocated and ghosted by time, her story resonates in Great Lakes shipping lore as a reminder of the perils that once beset wooden schooners.
Keywords & Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Lake Michigan storm wreck
- Manitou Passage disappearance
- 1873 northeast gale
- Witch of November
- Grain-carrying vessel
- All-hands loss