Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: John Miner
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: J. Stupinski, Detroit, Michigan
- Dimensions: 134 × 26 × 10.4 ft (40.8 × 7.9 × 3.2 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 273.32 gross tons
- Location: 2 miles west of Point Aux Barques Light, Lake Huron
- Official Number: 12786
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Built in 1866, the John Miner was a deep-beamed, heavy-capacity schooner constructed for large cargo hauls—lumber, coal, or bulk grain—across the Great Lakes. With three masts, she demonstrated the later era of sail-powered freight before the steamships fully dominated.
Description
The John Miner was designed for significant cargo capacity, allowing her to transport up to 18,000 bushels of goods. Her construction reflects the shipbuilding techniques of the mid-19th century, emphasizing durability and efficiency for the Great Lakes trade.
History
- 1866: Enrolled and sprung a leak in Lake Huron, repaired in Saginaw.
- 1868: Registered in Milwaukee, listed briefly as a bark.
- 1869: Lost sails in Lake Huron; ran ashore at Hammond Bay, later refloated.
- 1871: Sold to J. Higgie of Chicago.
- 1873: New deck fitted.
- 1881: Reported leaking in Lake Huron.
- 1883: Aground on White Shoals, Lake Michigan, freed by tug Mocking Bird.
- 1900: Owned by S.R. Chamberlain.
- 1902 (19 Oct): Stranded near Point Aux Barques—final incident.
Significant Incidents
- The wreck is listed in the List of shipwrecks in 1902, recorded as hardened ashore on Point Aux Barques Reef (2 miles west of the light) and lost as a total wreck. (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- According to Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, the John Miner matched dimensions 134×26×10 and sank 19 October 1902 at the location cited. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Final Disposition
During a strong gale, the John Miner, bound from Harbor Springs to Detroit with a hardwood cargo, was driven ashore and wrecked on the shoal-strewn shallows near Point Aux Barques Light. Her hull broke up, and she was declared a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Presumed broken and salvaged where possible; wooden debris likely scattered or buried.
- Accessibility: Not officially documented as a dive site; nearby shoals are navigationally hazardous.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”john-miner-us-12796″ title=”References & Links”]
The John Miner exemplifies a transitional era where large wooden sailing cargo vessels still operated into the dawn of steam. Her loss at Pointe Aux Barques highlights the enduring risk of shoal navigation along Lake Huron’s treacherous coastline, even in the 20th century.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: John Miner
- Official Number: 12786
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: J. Stupinski, Detroit, Michigan
- Tonnage: 273.32 gross tons
- Capacity: 18,000 bushels
- Dimensions: 134 × 26 × 10.4 ft (40.8 × 7.9 × 3.2 m)
- Final Location: 2 miles west of Point Aux Barques Light, Lake Huron
- Date of Loss: 19 October 1902
- Cargo at Loss: Hardwood
Vessel Type Description
Built in 1866, the John Miner was a deep-beamed, heavy-capacity schooner constructed for large cargo hauls—lumber, coal, or bulk grain—across the Great Lakes. With three masts, she demonstrated the later era of sail-powered freight before the steamships fully dominated.
History & Chronology
- 1866: Enrolled and sprung a leak in Lake Huron, repaired in Saginaw.
- 1868: Registered in Milwaukee, listed briefly as a bark.
- 1869: Lost sails in Lake Huron; ran ashore at Hammond Bay, later refloated.
- 1871: Sold to J. Higgie of Chicago.
- 1873: New deck fitted.
- 1881: Reported leaking in Lake Huron.
- 1883: Aground on White Shoals, Lake Michigan, freed by tug Mocking Bird.
- 1900: Owned by S.R. Chamberlain.
- 1902 (19 Oct): Stranded near Point Aux Barques—final incident.
Final Disposition
During a strong gale, the John Miner, bound from Harbor Springs to Detroit with a hardwood cargo, was driven ashore and wrecked on the shoal-strewn shallows near Point Aux Barques Light. Her hull broke up, and she was declared a total loss.
Incident Confirmation
- The wreck is listed in the List of shipwrecks in 1902, recorded as hardened ashore on Point Aux Barques Reef (2 miles west of the light) and lost as a total wreck. (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- According to Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, the John Miner matched dimensions 134×26×10 and sank 19 October 1902 at the location cited. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Located By & Date Found
No modern dive surveys have confirmed the wreck. Reports from 1902 suggest the schooner was stranded—where she remained until breaking up. The reef site lies within the Pointe Au Barques Shoal, a known hazard.
Notmars & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) reference the wreck. The site likely blended into reef hazards managed via modern navigation charts.
Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Presumed broken and salvaged where possible; wooden debris likely scattered or buried.
- Accessibility: Not officially documented as a dive site; nearby shoals are navigationally hazardous.
Significance
The John Miner exemplifies a transitional era where large wooden sailing cargo vessels still operated into the dawn of steam. Her loss at Pointe Aux Barques highlights the enduring risk of shoal navigation along Lake Huron’s treacherous coastline, even in the 20th century.
Resources & Links
- Wikipedia “List of shipwrecks in 1902” entry for John Miner (Wikipedia)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry detailing loss specifics (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The John Miner served for over three decades amid evolving trade patterns. Her final grounding on 19 October 1902 marks the end of her career—and of large wooden schooners on those trade routes. Though no remains are confirmed, her loss is securely recorded.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary
- Keywords: John Miner, Lake Huron, Point Aux Barques wreck, wooden schooner, 1902 shipwreck
- Categories: 19th/20th-century sail trades, Great Lakes navigation hazards, shoal groundings
- Glossary: schooner, grounding, shoal, total loss, reef navigation