Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: H. B. Steele
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: circa 1858
- Builder: Chicago
- Dimensions: 51 ft × 16 ft × 5 ft; ~33 tons gross
- Registered Tonnage: ~33 gt
- Location: Holland Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Original Owners: Ole Johnson
- Number of Masts: Two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden schooner, likely built circa 1858, registered out of Chicago, owned and sailed by Ole Johnson.
Description
The H. B. Steele was a wooden two-masted schooner measuring approximately 51 feet in length, 16 feet in beam, and 5 feet in depth. She had a registered tonnage of around 33 gross tons.
History
The vessel was built around 1858 in Chicago and was owned by Ole Johnson. The H. B. Steele had a service history typical of mid-19th century small freight schooners, which were often vulnerable to late-season storms.
Significant Incidents
- A prior incident in November 1859 left the H. B. Steele heavily damaged on Lake Erie and stranded near Sturgeon Bay, where she was expected to break up. The vessel survived that event but was clearly weakened.
Final Disposition
The H. B. Steele was declared a total wreck after being driven ashore during a storm on October 30, 1870, while attempting to enter Holland Harbor. The vessel broke apart, but all crew members survived.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The current condition of the wreck is unknown, as it was declared a total loss and irrecoverable following the incident.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”h-b-steele-c1858″ title=”References & Links”]
The H. B. Steele’s career underscores the cumulative effects of storm trauma on wooden vessels and the hazards that small schooners faced in late-autumn harbor approaches.
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.
built 1858; lost October 30, 1870, Wooden two-masted schooner lost on Lake Erie
Vessel Identity
- A small wooden schooner, likely built circa 1858, registered out of Chicago, owned and sailed by Ole Johnson
- Dimensions: ~51 × 16 × 5 ft; ~33 tons gross
Final Voyage & Loss – October 30, 1870
- Date of Loss: October 30, 1870
- Location: Attempting to enter Holland Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Incident: A late-season storm caused the vessel to go out of control while navigating into harbor, driving her ashore and onto the beach. Her hull was battered by waves and she quickly broke apart.
- The crew abandoned ship in the yawl; the small boat capsized but all aboard eventually reached shore safely.
- Loss: No fatalities; vessel and cargo declared a total wreck
Additional Incident – 1859 Damage
- A prior incident in November 1859 left H. B. Steele “heavily damaged on Lake Erie” and stranded near Sturgeon Bay, where she was expected to break up. The vessel survived that event but was clearly weakened.
Summary Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | H. B. Steele |
| Built | circa 1858 (Chicago; owner Ole Johnson) |
| Type/Tonnage | Wooden schooner; ~33 gt; ~51 × 16 × 5 ft |
| Loss Date | October 30, 1870 |
| Loss Location | Approaching Holland Harbor, Lake Michigan |
| Cargo | Not documented |
| Cause of Loss | Storm: out of control, driven ashore, wrecked |
| Crew & Casualties | All survived; no fatalities |
| Prior Damage | Severely damaged and grounded in Nov 1859, Lake Erie |
| Final Disposition | Total hull loss; irrecoverable |
Context & Research Notes
- H. B. Steele represents typical mid-19th‑century small freight schooners vulnerable to late-season storms—especially when approaching harbor mouths.
- The crew’s survival by yawl despite capsizing is significant, indicating seamanship under duress.
- A previous grounding in 1859 at Lake Erie suggests cumulative hull stress may have contributed to her ultimate failure.
Research Suggestions
For deeper documentation:
- Chicago and Holland Harbor newspaper archives (late October 1870) may include accounts of the wreck, eyewitness testimony, or crew interviews.
- Insurance or shipwright records could include damage reports from 1859 and final claim valuations.
- Port registry logs from Chicago (c. 1858–1870) may list vessel build details and ownership transitions.
- Maritime rescue or lifesaving service records documenting the crew’s survival action via yawl launch and capsizing.
Conclusion
H. B. Steele was a small schooner owned by Ole Johnson, built around 1858. She survived a grounding in Lake Erie in November 1859, only to be wrecked under a storm on October 30, 1870, while entering Holland Harbor in Lake Michigan. Grounded offshore, the vessel broke apart, but all aboard survived a capsized yawl. Her career underscores the cumulative effects of storm trauma on wooden vessels and the hazards that small schooners faced in late-autumn harbor approaches
h-b-steele-c1858 1870-10-30 11:54:00