J. Duvall – St. Lawrence River Schooner Shipwreck (1905)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: J. Duvall
• Type: Wooden Two-Masted Schooner
• Year Built: 1874
• Builder: Rand & Burger, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length: 103 ft (31.4 m); Beam: 24 ft (7.3 m); Depth of hold: 8 ft (2.4 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 132 tons
• Location: Harsen's Island, St. Clair River
• Official Number: 75721
• Original Owners: C. H. Frame, Harbor Beach, Michigan
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The J. DUVALL was a wooden, two-masted schooner, commonly used for hauling lumber and bulk cargo on the Great Lakes.

Description

The J. DUVALL operated for over 30 years, primarily engaged in the lumber trade across the Great Lakes. It was known for its maneuverability and reliance on wind power, typical of schooners of its time.

History

Built in 1874 by Rand & Burger in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the J. DUVALL was designed for lumber transport. It faced several significant incidents during its service, including a capsizing in 1880 that resulted in the loss of seven lives and a reported sinking in Lake Superior in 1904.

Significant Incidents

• 1874: Built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, by Rand & Burger for lumber transport.
• 1880, July 16: Capsized in a squall off Two Rivers Point, Lake Michigan, with the loss of seven lives.
• 1904: Reportedly sank in Lake Superior, though details are unclear.
• 1905, December 5: Collided with the whaleback steamer JAMES B. COLGATE in the St. Clair River and sank.
• 1906: Hull was dynamited to remove navigational hazard.

Final Disposition

The J. DUVALL was lost on December 5, 1905, after a collision with the whaleback freighter JAMES B. COLGATE near Harsen’s Island in the St. Clair River.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no confirmed reports of the J. DUVALL‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near Harsen’s Island, St. Clair River. Since the wreck was dynamited, only fragments may remain buried in the riverbed.

Resources & Links

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The J. DUVALL was a long-serving schooner that experienced multiple disasters, including a deadly capsizing in 1880, a reported sinking in 1904, and a final collision in 1905. Its collision with the JAMES B. COLGATE marked the end of its career, and its hull was destroyed the following year to clear the busy shipping lane.