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.

Wooden Steam Barge — Lake Huron

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Vessel Name: Jas. H. Pellett
• Year Built: c. 1905 (registry period 1905–1943)
• Reported Loss: 2 July 1943
• Location: Likely near Cheboygan, Michigan (per “Kitchen, Cheboygan, Mich.” reference)
• Cause: Hull failure—vessel “she sank” after structural failure; no reported fatalities across two crew (none of 2) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Description & Use

• Type: Likely wooden steam barge, typical of small-scale bulk or general freight operations on Lake Huron.
• Tonnage: The Great Lakes “Red Book” 1937 lists Jas. H. Pellett at approximately 6,800 long tons capacity—though this number likely refers to capacity class, not actual registered tonnage (gvhs.ca).
• Purpose: Presumably employed in bulk freight (e.g. coal, ore, or stone) transport typical of early 20th-century Great Lakes barges.

Operational History

• Period of service: ~1905 to 1943 under registry (exact build details remain undocumented).
• Operational area: Active around Cheboygan, Michigan, on Lake Huron.
• Incident context: On 2 July 1943, the vessel reportedly suffered hull failure (“(hull failure)?”), sank near Cheboygan. Two crew aboard survived.
• Sources: The Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry clarifies crew count, incident type, and location context (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files). Limited additional historical entries exist.

Incident Details

• Date & Conditions: 2 July 1943—likely calm summer conditions given July date, without mention of storm.
• Sequence: Hull structural failure led to the vessel sinking. Crew abandoned vessel and survived. Cargo details were unreported.
• Casualties: None (no crew members lost).

Final Disposition

• Vessel sank and was deemed a total loss—no mention of salvage or recovery efforts.
• Wreck location is undocumented and presumably unvisited by divers; no formal survey recorded.

Wreck Status & Dive Potential

• Current known condition: Unknown; no modern exploration or dive logs associated with this wreck.
• Potential site: May lie in shallow nearshore waters off Cheboygan, MI. Without coordinates, dive access remains speculative.

Notices to Mariners / Advisories

• None recorded—no formal notice or hazard broadcast archived.

Research Gaps & Recommendations

• Engineer’s Logs / Inspection Reports (1940s): Search Coast Guard or railway shipping logs for structural issues or maintenance preceding hull failure.
• Region Newspapers (July 1943): Local Cheboygan or regional Lake Huron press may report vessel sinking, cargo, crew, or owner.
• Great Lakes Vessels Registries: 1943 U.S. or Canadian registry entries may include tonnage, build specs, or ownership details.
• Company Records: Potential identification of owners or stevedores operating out of Cheboygan might lead to archives with documentation.

Resources & References

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Entry “Jas. H. Pellett“: Provides incident date (2 July 1943), location (Kitchen, Cheboygan, Mich.), nature of loss (hull failure?), crew count (none of 2 lost) (gvhs.ca).
• Great Lakes Red Book (1937): Lists Jas. H. Pellett with a tonnage figure of 6,800 long tons (capacity-based classification) (gvhs.ca).

Keywords & Categories

Wooden steam barge, hull failure, crew safe, Cheboygan, 1943, Lake Huron, minimal documentation, possible wreck site.

Summary

The Jas. H. Pellett, a wooden steam barge in service from c. 1905, suffered catastrophic hull failure on 2 July 1943 near Cheboygan, Michigan. The vessel sank, but both crew members survived. Registered capacity is listed at 6,800 long tons, suggesting a substantial freight role. No wreck survey is known, and further archival research—particularly in regional shipping records and newspapers—is required to flesh out her build, cargo, ownership, and final resting place

jas-h-pellett-c1902 1943-07-02 14:44:00