John Spry US 75599

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: John Spry
• Type: Side-wheel steamer (packet/passenger freight)
• Year Built: 1866
• Builder: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: 92 ft (28 m) long × 15 ft beam × 4 ft depth; 55 GRT
• Registered Tonnage: 55 GRT
• Location: Approximately 3 miles downstream of Wrightstown, Wisconsin
• Official Number: 75599
• Original Owners: Capt. John W. Steinhoff

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Originally constructed as a tug in 1866, she was later converted into a side-wheel packet, carrying passengers and freight along river routes.

Description

The John Spry was a side-wheel steamer that served as a packet and freight vessel. It was built in 1866 and had dimensions of approximately 92 feet in length, 15 feet in beam, and a depth of 4 feet. The vessel was registered at 55 gross tons.

History

She operated primarily in the Fox River/Green Bay region under Hutchings or Steinhoff ownership structures. Capt. John W. Steinhoff owned the vessel, and it was mastered by his son.

Significant Incidents

• On November 4, 1885, while moored overnight near Wrightstown, a fire severely damaged the John Spry, extending to the Hutchings dock and warehouse.
• The conflagration consumed the vessel down to the waterline, inflicting catastrophic damage; the steamer was considered a total loss.
• Aboard at the time was a young boy, rescued by the engineer and placed on a salt-barrel on deck—his fate is uncertain, as “the boy was never seen again” after the fire.
• The fire also heavily damaged adjacent infrastructure—dock and warehouse were burned as well.
• No salvage or rebuilding efforts are mentioned in primary records; the vessel was apparently decommissioned after the event.

Final Disposition

The John Spry was destroyed by fire on November 4, 1885, while docked near Wrightstown, Wisconsin. The blaze consumed the boat and adjacent structures; at least one youth went missing in the confusion, and the steamer was never recovered or rebuilt.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As the vessel was destroyed by fire and not recovered, no physical remains of the John Spry are accessible for diving or exploration.

Resources & Links

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This marks the end of her service in Fox River–Green Bay commerce. Additional contemporary records may reveal more about the fire’s cause, the missing boy, and the impact on local traffic and infrastructure.