Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Grace Greenwood
- Type: Wooden three-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder: George Rogers, Oswego, New York
- Dimensions: Approx. 124 ft (37.8 m) length × 26 ft (7.9 m) beam × 12 ft (3.7 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: Approx. 306 gross tons
- Location: North pier entrance, St. Joseph, Michigan
- Coordinates: Not documented
- Official Number: 10196
- Original Owners: Chicago interests (Captain F. O. Berryson commanding)
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Grace Greenwood was a wooden, three-masted schooner of 306 gross tons, built in Oswego, New York, in 1853. She was originally bark-rigged but was later converted to schooner rig. At 124 ft in length, with a 26 ft beam and 12 ft depth of hold, she was among the workhorses of the mid-century Great Lakes fleet, designed to carry dense cargoes such as iron ore, grain, and lumber. She was the first vessel constructed by Oswego shipwright George Rogers.
Description
The vessel spent over twenty years in the bulk freight trades of the Upper Lakes. Carrying heavy cargos such as ore from Escanaba and grain from northern ports, she made regular voyages between Lake Superior and southern Lake Michigan and Lake Erie destinations.
By the 1870s, she was registered to Chicago owners and under the command of Captain F. O. Berryson. On her final voyage in October 1876, she departed Escanaba with a load of 700 tons of iron ore bound for Michigan City, Indiana.
History
On 5 October 1876, while attempting to enter St. Joseph harbor during a storm, the schooner grounded near the north pier entrance. Despite rough seas, her six-man crew were safely rescued. In the days following, the stranded hull worked heavily in the surf and eventually broke in two. The vessel was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- No fatalities were reported. All six crew, commanded by Captain F. O. Berryson, survived. No memorial listings or cemetery records are associated with this loss. Further detail may be available in 1876 Chicago or St. Joseph press records.
Final Disposition
No modern archaeological survey has confirmed remains of the Grace Greenwood. The wreckage was heavily broken up by storm action and likely dispersed or buried in harbor sediment shortly after 1876.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No dive site is associated with this wreck. The grounding occurred adjacent to the St. Joseph north pier; wreckage was destroyed by wave action. Modern divers have no known site to access.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”grace-greenwood-us-10196″ title=”References & Links”]
The Grace Greenwood serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by Great Lakes vessels in the 19th century, particularly during severe weather conditions. While her remains are not accessible for diving, her story contributes to the rich maritime history of the region.
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.
Identification Card (Site Style)
Official Number: 10196
Builder: George Rogers, Oswego, New York
Build Year: 1853
Vessel Type: Wooden three-masted schooner (originally bark-rigged)
Dimensions: Approx. 124 ft length × 26 ft beam × 12 ft depth
Tonnage: Approx. 306 gross tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: 700 tons iron ore
Date of Loss: 5 October 1876
Location: North pier entrance, St. Joseph, Michigan (Lake Michigan)
Coordinates: Not documented
Depth: Near harbor entrance, shallow water (wreckage dispersed)
Home Port: Chicago, Illinois
Owner (at loss): Chicago interests (Captain F. O. Berryson commanding)
Crew: 6
Casualties: None – all survived
Description
The Grace Greenwood was a wooden, three-masted schooner of 306 gross tons, built in Oswego, New York, in 1853. She was originally bark-rigged but was later converted to schooner rig. At 124 ft in length, with a 26 ft beam and 12 ft depth of hold, she was among the workhorses of the mid-century Great Lakes fleet, designed to carry dense cargoes such as iron ore, grain, and lumber. She was the first vessel constructed by Oswego shipwright George Rogers.
History
The vessel spent over twenty years in the bulk freight trades of the Upper Lakes. Carrying heavy cargos such as ore from Escanaba and grain from northern ports, she made regular voyages between Lake Superior and southern Lake Michigan and Lake Erie destinations.
By the 1870s, she was registered to Chicago owners and under the command of Captain F. O. Berryson. On her final voyage in October 1876, she departed Escanaba with a load of 700 tons of iron ore bound for Michigan City, Indiana.
Final Dispositions
On 5 October 1876, while attempting to enter St. Joseph harbor during a storm, the schooner grounded near the north pier entrance. Despite rough seas, her six-man crew were safely rescued. In the days following, the stranded hull worked heavily in the surf and eventually broke in two. The vessel was declared a total loss.
Located By & Date Found
No modern archaeological survey has confirmed remains of the Grace Greenwood. The wreckage was heavily broken up by storm action and likely dispersed or buried in harbor sediment shortly after 1876.
Notmars & Advisories
No active Notices to Mariners exist for the wreck of the Grace Greenwood. The vessel was destroyed at the harbor entrance in 1876 and no navigation hazard has been reported since.
Dive Information
No dive site is associated with this wreck. The grounding occurred adjacent to the St. Joseph north pier; wreckage was destroyed by wave action. Modern divers have no known site to access.
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No fatalities were reported. All six crew, commanded by Captain F. O. Berryson, survived. No memorial listings or cemetery records are associated with this loss. Further detail may be available in 1876 Chicago or St. Joseph press records.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The schooner Grace Greenwood, bound from Escanaba to Michigan City with a cargo of iron ore, struck near the north pier at St. Joseph during Thursday’s gale. She is now broken in two and will prove a total loss. The crew were saved.”
— Regional press summary, October 1876 (Detroit & Chicago newspapers).
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
U.S. Official Number 10196. First registered at Oswego, New York, in 1853. Later transferred to Chicago ownership. Enrollment documentation and insurance valuation records may be located in U.S. Customs House archives for Chicago and Oswego. Insurance status at loss not recorded in surviving secondary sources.
Site Documentation & Imaging
No photographs, drawings, or archaeological surveys are known for the Grace Greenwood. The wreck remains undocumented in the field.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Newspapers.com – contemporary press
References
- Detroit Free Press, October 1876 shipping news (loss reported).
- Chicago Tribune, October 1876 storm coverage.
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL) – Grace Greenwood entry.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – vessel index and loss references.
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: 10196
Coordinates: Not documented; north pier, St. Joseph, Michigan
Depth: Nearshore surf zone; destroyed
Location Description: Grounded at harbor entrance during gale, 5 October 1876
Vessel Type: Wooden three-masted schooner (originally bark)
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 124 × 26 × 12 ft (approx. 306 gt)
Condition: Grounded and broken in two; total wreck
Cause of Loss: Storm-driven grounding
Discovery Date: 1876 (time of loss)
Discovered By: Observed wrecking
Method: Grounding at pier entrance
Legal Notes: Declared total loss; removed from registry
Hazards: None remain
Permits Required: None