Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Joseph Cochrane
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Possibly Detroit, Michigan (exact yard unconfirmed)
- Dimensions: Estimated length 30–35 m (98–115 feet); Beam approx. 7 m (23 feet); Depth of hold unknown
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 220–250 tons
- Location: Near Cheboygan, Lake Huron
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Not conclusively documented
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Joseph Cochrane was a typical mid-19th-century two-masted wooden schooner, designed for bulk lumber cargo on the upper Great Lakes. These schooners featured a centreboard, shallow draft, and large cargo hold to carry rough-cut timber and other forest products.
Description
Constructed of white oak with iron fastenings, the vessel was built for durability and capacity. She would have had a straight sheerline, open deck for cargo stowage, and minimal accommodations for a small crew — very common in lumber carriers of the era.
History
In mid-October 1870, the Joseph Cochrane departed Duncan City (present-day Cheboygan, Michigan) with a full load of lumber destined for Chicago. During her passage down Lake Huron, she encountered a severe autumn gale. Driven by wind and waves, she was forced ashore near the Michigan shoreline.
Early newspaper reports from November 1870 indicated the schooner had broken up after stranding, though no formal salvage was recorded. No casualties were reported among the crew, suggesting they escaped safely.
Significant Incidents
- Mid-October 1870: Departed Duncan City with a full load of lumber.
- Encountered a severe autumn gale on Lake Huron.
- Forced ashore near the Michigan shoreline, leading to her stranding.
- Reportedly broke up after stranding; no formal salvage recorded.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss, the Joseph Cochrane was left to break apart on the shoreline. Parts of her cargo may have been salvaged, but the vessel itself was not refloated or rebuilt.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological survey has confirmed the wreck’s remains, and its precise site is unknown.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”joseph-cochrane-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
The Joseph Cochrane is a representative example of a Great Lakes lumber schooner lost in seasonal gales. Her stranding in 1870 demonstrates the extreme hazards faced by timber carriers in exposed waters, especially late in the shipping season. Though no known wreck site survives today, she stands in the historical record as part of Michigan’s lumber trade heritage.
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
- Name(s): Joseph Cochrane
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Possibly Detroit, Michigan (exact yard unconfirmed)
- Registration Number: Not conclusively documented
- Vessel Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Dimensions: Estimated length 30–35 m (98–115 feet); beam approx. 7 m (23 feet); tonnage approximately 220–250 tons
- Final Resting Place: Near Cheboygan, Lake Huron (precise location uncharted)
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Date Lost: Mid-October 1870
- Depth: Presumed shallow, but no modern survey
Vessel Type
The Joseph Cochrane was a typical mid-19th-century two-masted wooden schooner, designed for bulk lumber cargo on the upper Great Lakes. These schooners featured a centreboard, shallow draft, and large cargo hold to carry rough-cut timber and other forest products.
Description
Constructed of white oak with iron fastenings, the vessel was built for durability and capacity. She would have had a straight sheerline, open deck for cargo stowage, and minimal accommodations for a small crew — very common in lumber carriers of the era.
History
In mid-October 1870, the Joseph Cochrane departed Duncan City (present-day Cheboygan, Michigan) with a full load of lumber destined for Chicago. During her passage down Lake Huron, she encountered a severe autumn gale. Driven by wind and waves, she was forced ashore near the Michigan shoreline.
Early newspaper reports from November 1870 indicated the schooner had broken up after stranding, though no formal salvage was recorded. No casualties were reported among the crew, suggesting they escaped safely.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total loss, the Joseph Cochrane was left to break apart on the shoreline. Parts of her cargo may have been salvaged, but the vessel itself was not refloated or rebuilt.
Located By & Date Found
No modern archaeological survey has confirmed the wreck’s remains, and its precise site is unknown.
Notmars & Advisories
No current Notmar (Notice to Mariners) warnings apply for this wreck.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Ships Database – BGSU
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Joseph Cochrane is a representative example of a Great Lakes lumber schooner lost in seasonal gales. Her stranding in 1870 demonstrates the extreme hazards faced by timber carriers in exposed waters, especially late in the shipping season. Though no known wreck site survives today, she stands in the historical record as part of Michigan’s lumber trade heritage.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Joseph Cochrane, 1870 wreck, lumber schooner, Lake Huron, Cheboygan, Duncan City
- Categories: Great Lakes schooners, storm wrecks, lumber carriers, Lake Huron shipwrecks
- Glossary Terms: stranded, constructive total loss, gale, centreboard schooner