Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Hattie Taylor
- Type: Two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1874
- Builder: Allen, McClelland & Co.
- Dimensions: Length 84.1 ft (25.6 m); Beam 22.6 ft (6.9 m); Depth 8.1 ft (2.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 84.84 gross tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 32 m / 105 ft
- Location: Approx. 5 miles SE of Sheboygan, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: N 43° 40.890', W 87° 39.290'
- Official Number: 96270
- Original Owners: Peter Clausen (¾); Fred Banfield (¼)
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Hetty Taylor was a wooden two-masted schooner, built for short-distance freight trading across Lake Michigan. Her hull and rigging were typical of small coastal vessels serving secondary ports. Designed to carry lumber, cordwood, and general cargo, she also functioned in the seasonal grain trade.
Description
Launched in 1874 by Allen, McClelland & Co. in Milwaukee, Hetty Taylor operated mainly between Milwaukee and smaller ports including Sister Bay, Egg Harbor, Green Bay, and Muskegon. A labor-saving cooperative, the Milwaukee Shipyard produced her as part of a fleet of fast, small coastal schooners.
She was damaged in summer 1874 while undermanned in heavy weather, losing her foretopmast. In December 1876, she grounded near Eagle Harbor Bluffs on Lake Superior and was refloated in March 1877.
History
On 26 August 1880, sailing light to Escanaba, she encountered a sudden squall off Sheboygan. Capsizing around 11:00 p.m., all five crew escaped in a yawl. Divers attempted salvage over the next eight months but failed due to equipment malfunctions, weather, and deterioration. Both masts were removed; the schooner sank upright in 105 ft of water.
Significant Incidents
- Damaged in summer 1874 while undermanned in heavy weather, losing her foretopmast.
- Grounded near Eagle Harbor Bluffs on Lake Superior in December 1876; refloated in March 1877.
- Capsized on 26 August 1880 during a squall off Sheboygan; all crew survived.
Final Disposition
Despite salvage attempts by the tugs Messenger, Winslow, and others, Hetty Taylor remained unrecoverable. Valued at $4,000 and insured for $1,800, she was eventually abandoned. The hull rests upright with minimal disturbance at depth.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Located in the mid-1990s by divers Robert and Charles Thom with Wisconsin Historical Society archaeologists. Site documented and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The site is protected, with a seasonal mooring buoy installed. It is not hazardous to navigation, but is considered an advanced dive due to depth. Zebra mussel colonization has been noted.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”hattie-taylor-us-96270″ title=”References & Links”]
All crew survived the incident, with Master C.M. Causland and four crew escaping via yawl. No known memorials exist for the crew; genealogical research can be conducted through FindAGrave.
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.
Hattie Tayor by NOAA
Identification Card (Site Style)
Other Names: Sometimes misidentified as Hattie Taylor
Official Number: 96270
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Two-masted schooner
Builder: Allen, McClelland & Co. (E.C. Penney, master carpenter), Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Year Built: 1874
Dimensions: Length 84.1 ft (25.6 m); Beam 22.6 ft (6.9 m); Depth 8.1 ft (2.5 m)
Tonnage: 84.84 gross tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: Stone ballast
Date of Loss: 26 August 1880
Location: Approx. 5 miles SE of Sheboygan, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: N 43° 40.890′, W 87° 39.290′
Depth: 105 ft (32 m)
Home Port: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Owners: Peter Clausen (¾); Fred Banfield (¼)
Crew: 5
Casualties: None
Description
Hetty Taylor was a wooden two-masted schooner, built for short-distance freight trading across Lake Michigan. Her hull and rigging were typical of small coastal vessels serving secondary ports. Designed to carry lumber, cordwood, and general cargo, she also functioned in the seasonal grain trade.
History
Launched in 1874 by Allen, McClelland & Co. in Milwaukee, Hetty Taylor operated mainly between Milwaukee and smaller ports including Sister Bay, Egg Harbor, Green Bay, and Muskegon. A labor-saving cooperative, the Milwaukee Shipyard produced her as part of a fleet of fast, small coastal schooners.
She was damaged in summer 1874 while undermanned in heavy weather, losing her foretopmast. In December 1876, she grounded near Eagle Harbor Bluffs on Lake Superior and was refloated in March 1877.
On 26 August 1880, sailing light to Escanaba, she encountered a sudden squall off Sheboygan. Capsizing around 11:00 p.m., all five crew escaped in a yawl. Divers attempted salvage over the next eight months but failed due to equipment malfunctions, weather, and deterioration. Both masts were removed; the schooner sank upright in 105 ft of water.
Final Dispositions
Despite salvage attempts by the tugs Messenger, Winslow, and others, Hetty Taylor remained unrecoverable. Valued at $4,000 and insured for $1,800, she was eventually abandoned. The hull rests upright with minimal disturbance at depth.
Located By & Date Found
Located in the mid-1990s by divers Robert and Charles Thom with Wisconsin Historical Society archaeologists. Site documented and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Notmars & Advisories
Protected site; seasonal mooring buoy installed. Not hazardous to navigation; advanced dive due to depth. Zebra mussel colonization noted.
Dive Information
Access: Boat
Entry Point: Mooring buoy maintained by Wisconsin Historical Society
Conditions: 10–50 ft visibility, 40–60°F (4–15°C) temperature
Depth Range: 105 ft (32 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Sheboygan; local dive shops
Permits: Not required for recreational divers
Dive Support: Local dive shops in Sheboygan and surrounding areas
Crew & Casualty Memorials
All crew survived. Master C.M. Causland and four crew escaped via yawl. No known memorials; recommend FindAGrave for further genealogical research.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The schooner Hetty Taylor was found capsized, with only her topmast above water… hope was held that she might be righted, but she soon slipped beneath the lake.” — Milwaukee Sentinel, August 27, 1880
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
U.S. Official Number 96270. Registered in Milwaukee. Insured for $1,800 against a valuation of $4,000. Ownership split between Peter Clausen and Fred Banfield.
Site Documentation & Imaging
Hetty Taylor 3D Model on Sketchfab
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Hetty Taylor
- Sketchfab – Hetty Taylor 3D Model
- Great Lakes Rex – Hetty Taylor
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Find A Grave
References
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks (Hetty Taylor)
- Great Lakes Rex (Hetty Taylor)
- NOAA/WHS Sketchfab Model
- Door County Advocate, 2 September 1880
- Madeline Roth, John Bright, and Russ Green, “Baseline Monitoring Documentation of Maritime Heritage Resources in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary,” Report of 2022 Field Operations, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, December 2022, p. 25.
- Wisconsin Sea Grant. “Selah Chamberlin (1873)”. Wisconsin Shipwrecks. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: Sometimes misrecorded as Hattie Taylor
Official Number: 96270
Coordinates: N 43° 40.890′, W 87° 39.290′
Depth: 105 ft (32 m)
Location Description: 5 miles SE of Sheboygan, Lake Michigan
Vessel Type: Two-masted schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 84.1 ft × 22.6 ft × 8.1 ft; 84.84 GT
Condition: Upright, largely intact
Cause of Loss: Capsized in squall
Discovery Date: Mid-1990s
Discovered By: Wisconsin Historical Society divers and partners
Method: Diver visual survey
Legal Notes: State-owned archaeological site; protected under Wisconsin law
Hazards: None
Permits Required: No (recreational diving permitted)
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