Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Hattie
- Type: Scow Schooner
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: Summerfield
- Dimensions: 99.8 ft (30.4 m) X 24.3 ft (7.41 m); Depth: 8.01 ft (2.44 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 141 tons
- Location: Off East Tawas, near Whitestone Point
- Official Number: 16458
- Original Owners: Captain McKay of Port Huron
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Scow schooner — a two-masted, flat-bottomed wooden cargo vessel designed for bulk transport in shallow waters.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Length: 99.8 ft (30.4 m)
- Beam: 24.3 ft (7.41 m)
- Depth: 8.01 ft (2.44 m)
- Tonnage (Gross): 141 tons
- Builder: Summerfield
- Original Owner: Enrolled Detroit, MI
- Masts: 2
History
The Mary Hattie had a turbulent operational life typical of smaller wooden schooners engaged in the timber and coal trades during the late 19th century:
- 1866: Grounded near Port Burwell, Lake Erie; later refloated and repaired. A separate incident saw her ashore near Port Colborne, believed to be a near-total loss, though this was ultimately not the case.
- 1871: Owned by Leadbeater & Wilson, Detroit; lost deck load on Lake Huron in October.
- 1872: Sank at dock in Detroit; raised by the steamer Detroit and steam pump.
- 1881–1882: Underwent major repairs.
- 1885: Sank at Petoskey, Lake Michigan, with a cargo of coal; later refloated.
- 1886: Hull dimensions updated; tonnage increased to 174.08 gross / 165.38 net tons.
- 1888: Ashore near Forestville, MI, but recovered.
- 1889: Final voyage carrying lumber from the Les Cheneaux Islands; foundered during a storm off East Tawas, Lake Huron, on 30 May. The crew was rescued by the Tawas Point Life Saving Service. She was owned at the time by Captain McKay of Port Huron and valued at $5,000, with no insurance.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded near Port Burwell, Lake Erie in 1866.
- Lost deck load on Lake Huron in 1871.
- Sank at dock in Detroit in 1872.
- Sank at Petoskey, Lake Michigan in 1885.
- Ashore near Forestville, MI in 1888.
- Foundered during a storm off East Tawas, Lake Huron on 30 May 1889.
Final Disposition
The Mary Hattie was declared a total loss after foundering in a storm. No casualties were reported. Her enrollment was formally surrendered at Port Huron on 30 September 1889.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No documentation suggests the wreck has been located or surveyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mary-hattie-us-16458″ title=”References & Links”]
The Mary Hattie exemplifies the hard-working, modestly built scow schooners that dominated short-haul Great Lakes cargo trade in the mid-to-late 1800s. Her career included repeated groundings, sinkings, and rebuilds, reflective of the punishing environment of the Lakes. Despite her resilience, she ultimately succumbed to a Lake Huron storm in 1889, ending over two decades of service.
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): Mary Hattie
- Official Number: 16458
- Year Built: 1866
- Place Built: North Baltimore (North Liverpool), Michigan
- Final Location: Off East Tawas, near Whitestone Point, Lake Huron
- Date Lost: 30 May 1889
- Cause of Loss: Foundered in a storm
- Final Cargo: Lumber
Vessel Type
Scow schooner — a two-masted, flat-bottomed wooden cargo vessel designed for bulk transport in shallow waters.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Length: 99.8 ft (30.4 m)
- Beam: 24.3 ft (7.41 m)
- Depth: 8.01 ft (2.44 m)
- Tonnage (Gross): 141 tons
- Builder: Summerfield
- Original Owner: Enrolled Detroit, MI
- Masts: 2
History
The Mary Hattie had a turbulent operational life typical of smaller wooden schooners engaged in the timber and coal trades during the late 19th century:
- 1866: Grounded near Port Burwell, Lake Erie; later refloated and repaired. A separate incident saw her ashore near Port Colborne, believed to be a near-total loss, though this was ultimately not the case.
- 1871: Owned by Leadbeater & Wilson, Detroit; lost deck load on Lake Huron in October.
- 1872: Sank at dock in Detroit; raised by the steamer Detroit and steam pump.
- 1881–1882: Underwent major repairs.
- 1885: Sank at Petoskey, Lake Michigan, with a cargo of coal; later refloated.
- 1886: Hull dimensions updated; tonnage increased to 174.08 gross / 165.38 net tons.
- 1888: Ashore near Forestville, MI, but recovered.
- 1889: Final voyage carrying lumber from the Les Cheneaux Islands; foundered during a storm off East Tawas, Lake Huron, on 30 May. The crew was rescued by the Tawas Point Life Saving Service. She was owned at the time by Captain McKay of Port Huron and valued at $5,000, with no insurance.
Final Disposition
The Mary Hattie was declared a total loss after foundering in a storm. No casualties were reported. Her enrollment was formally surrendered at Port Huron on 30 September 1889.
Located By & Date Found
No documentation suggests the wreck has been located or surveyed.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Buffalo Daily Courier (1866, 1889)
- Port Huron Daily Times, 31 May 1889
- Cleveland Leader, 7 December 1885
- Toronto Globe, 25 January 1867; 30 October 1866; 5 November 1866
- U.S. Coast Guard Marine Casualty Reports (1863–1873)
- Canadian Vessel Casualty List (1866)
- Bowling Green State University Historical Collections
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
Conclusion
The Mary Hattie exemplifies the hard-working, modestly built scow schooners that dominated short-haul Great Lakes cargo trade in the mid-to-late 1800s. Her career included repeated groundings, sinkings, and rebuilds, reflective of the punishing environment of the Lakes. Despite her resilience, she ultimately succumbed to a Lake Huron storm in 1889, ending over two decades of service.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Schooner, scow, wood hull, Lake Huron, 19th-century, storm loss, lumber trade, Great Lakes schooner, Port Huron, East Tawas, vessel loss, maritime history