Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: J.C. Davis (J.A. Davis)
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1847 or earlier
- Builder: Not documented
- Dimensions: Estimated 97 tons (gross) – precise length, beam, depth unknown
- Registered Tonnage: 97 tons
- Location: Off Grand Haven, Michigan
- Coordinates: Not documented
- Official Number: None recorded
- Original Owners: Not recorded
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The J.C. Davis was a mid-19th-century wooden schooner, utilizing a two-masted sailing rig typical of the era. Built in or before 1847, her estimated 97-ton capacity places her among small coastal freight carriers serving Great Lakes ports such as Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo.
Description
The J.C. Davis was a mid-19th-century wooden schooner, utilizing a two-masted sailing rig typical of the era. Built in or before 1847, her estimated 97-ton capacity places her among small coastal freight carriers serving Great Lakes ports such as Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo.
History
Documentation of her operational life is limited. Like many contemporary schooners, the J.C. Davis would have carried general merchandise between regional ports. The absence of registry or ownership records online underscores her modest profile in maritime commerce.
Significant Incidents
On the night of 4 November 1868, the J.C. Davis encountered a severe storm off Grand Haven, Michigan. The gale “blew her down” and she capsized, resulting in total loss by foundering. No salvage attempts were documented, and no survivors or casualties are recorded.
Final Disposition
The wreck has never been located or surveyed. It remains uncharted and undiscovered, likely resting in deep waters given the open-lake capsizing scenario.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No diving information exists due to the wreck’s unknown location and condition. Conditions off Grand Haven in that era—and currently—would have involved cold, potentially turbulent waters and likely significant depth.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”j-c-davis-j-a-davis-1847″ title=”References & Links”]
There are no personal or casualty records associated with the loss. No memorials, obituaries, or crew-profiles are documented in accessible sources.
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)
Other Names: J.A. Davis (variant listing)
Official Number: None recorded
Registry: United States (implied by operation on Lake Michigan)
Vessel Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner (sail‑powered coastal freight vessel)
Builder: Not documented
Year Built: 1847 or earlier
Dimensions/Tonnage: Estimated 97 tons (gross) – precise length, beam, depth unknown
Cargo on Final Voyage: Unknown
Date of Loss: 4 November 1868
Location: Off Grand Haven, Michigan, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Not documented
Depth: Presumed deep water—site not surveyed or located
Home Port: Not recorded
Owners: Not recorded
Crew: Not recorded; presumed survived Casualties: None reported
Description
The **J.C. Davis** was a mid‑19th-century wooden schooner, utilizing a two‑masted sailing rig typical of the era. Built in or before 1847, her estimated 97-ton capacity places her among small coastal freight carriers serving Great Lakes ports such as Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo.
History
Documentation of her operational life is limited. Like many contemporary schooners, the **J.C. Davis** would have carried general merchandise between regional ports. The absence of registry or ownership records online underscores her modest profile in maritime commerce.
Final Dispositions
On the night of **4 November 1868**, the **J.C. Davis** encountered a severe storm off Grand Haven, Michigan. The gale “blew her down” and she capsized, resulting in total loss by foundering. No salvage attempts were documented, and no survivors or casualties are recorded.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck has never been located or surveyed. It remains uncharted and undiscovered, likely resting in deep waters given the open-lake capsizing scenario.
Notmars & Advisories
No navigational hazards or formal advisories are associated with this vessel. Her loss reflects the typical vulnerabilities of sail-powered schooners to sudden storms on Lake Michigan.
Dive Information
No diving information exists due to the wreck’s unknown location and condition. Conditions off Grand Haven in that era—and currently—would have involved cold, potentially turbulent waters and likely significant depth.
Crew & Casualty Memorials
There are no personal or casualty records associated with the loss. No memorials, obituaries, or crew-profiles are documented in accessible sources.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“J.C. Davis … 97 t. … Date of loss: 1868. Place of loss: off Grand Haven, MI. Type of loss: storm. Detail: Blown down and capsized.”
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
No registry or official documentation exists for the **J.C. Davis** in online archives. Insurance and enrollment records, if any, may reside in historical maritime records or local port archives near Grand Haven or Michigan maritime authority repositories.
Site Documentation & Imaging
There is no known 3D modeling, photographic record, or sonar survey of the **J.C. Davis** wreck. The site remains undocumented and absent from modern shipwreck databases.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – J.C. Davis entry
- History of the Great Lakes – mention of schooner J.A. Davis capsized off Grand Haven
References
- “J.C. DAVIS. … Date of loss: 1868 … Place of loss: off Grand Haven, MI … Blown down and capsized.” – Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (WordPress entry)
- “Schooner J.A. Davis capsized off Grand Haven.” – History of the Great Lakes resource
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: J.A. Davis (alternate listing)
Official Number: None recorded
Coordinates: Not documented
Depth: Unknown; likely deep water off Grand Haven
Location Description: Off Grand Haven, Michigan, in Lake Michigan
Vessel Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions/Tonnage: Estimated 97 tons (gross), built 1847 or earlier
Condition: Capsized and sunk in storm; total loss
Cause of Loss: Gale/storm capsizing
Discovery Date: Not discovered
Discovered By: N/A
Method: N/A
Legal Notes: None recorded
Hazards: None currently identified, typical seasonal storm risk
Permits Required: N/A (site undiscovered)