M. Courtright (1856)(Milton Courtright)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: M. Courtright
• Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
• Year Built: 1856
• Builder: DeWolfe shipyard, Erie, Pennsylvania
• Dimensions: 136 × 29 × 11 ft; 276 tons burthen
• Registered Tonnage: 276 tons
• Location: Approximately 1.5 miles south of Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Official Number: 16393
• Original Owners: Mears & Bates of Chicago; Master: Capt. William Durgan
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Vessel Type

Wooden two-masted schooner.

Description

Description

The M. Courtright was a wooden two-masted schooner built in 1856 at the DeWolfe shipyard in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was registered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and had dimensions of 136 feet in length, 29 feet in beam, and 11 feet in depth, with a registered tonnage of 276 tons.

History

History

Owned by Mears & Bates of Chicago, the M. Courtright was captained by William Durgan. The vessel had a service history typical of mid-19th-century Great Lakes shipping, primarily transporting goods across the region.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents

• On November 7, 1871, while at anchor, the M. Courtright’s anchor rode dragged during a severe northwesterly gale.
• The vessel became waterlogged, struck bottom, and was subsequently abandoned by the crew.
• The U.S. Revenue Cutter Andrew Johnson attempted to tow the vessel off but was unsuccessful.
• The schooner went ashore and broke up within a few days; all crew members survived with no fatalities recorded.
• The hulk was later destroyed by natural wave action and storms.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition

The M. Courtright was abandoned after the crew evacuated due to severe weather conditions. Despite attempts by the U.S. Revenue Cutter Andrew Johnson to salvage the vessel, it ultimately broke up on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck lies ashore off Kenosha, now fully broken and dispersed by wave action. There are no substantial remains, making the site unsuitable for diving, and no underwater survey is necessary.

Resources & Links

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Conclusion

The M. Courtright was a well-documented mid-19th-century Great Lakes schooner whose loss on November 7, 1871, resulted from a severe gale that dragged her anchor, stranded her ashore, and destroyed her hulk after abandonment. The U.S. Revenue Cutter Andrew Johnson was on scene but unable to salvage the vessel. No loss of life occurred. The wreck remains fully broken and dispersed onshore. Ongoing research could fill in crew biographies, legal aftermath, and cutter’s logs, enriching the vessel’s narrative.