Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: St. Marys
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner carrying bulk cargo
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage: 20 tons of pig iron
- Location: Off Wilmette (Winetka), near Chicago, Lake Michigan
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-century wooden schooner used for carrying heavy cargo across the Great Lakes. With a typical schooner rig but robust hull, she was built to transport dense materials like pig iron from Lake Superior ports to eastern markets.
Description
The St. Marys was a wooden two-masted schooner designed for bulk cargo transport. She was primarily used to carry heavy materials, such as pig iron, across the Great Lakes, showcasing the maritime commerce of the 19th century.
History
On 7 September 1860, the St. Marys departed Chicago northbound to Cedar River, Green Bay, laden with 20 tons of pig iron. She set sail ahead of the notable steamship Lady Elgin, but later encountered the same sudden gale that led to Lady Elgin‘s tragic sinking. The schooner foundered that night in the same storm; all seven crew were lost. One of her small boats washed ashore at Lill’s Brewery, and one crewman, William Jameson, was among the recovered dead.
Significant Incidents
- Lost in a storm on 7 September 1860, during the same gale that sank the Lady Elgin.
- All seven crew members aboard were reported lost.
Final Disposition
St. Marys went down in deep water during the severe September storm. No hull remains have been located, likely due to depth and dispersal in open lake. She was valued at US $6,000 and uninsured at the time of loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck has never been recovered or archaeologically documented; presumed lying in deep water off the northern Chicago coast. Small fragments may wash ashore occasionally, but no dive surveys have been recorded.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”st-marys-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The fate of the St. Marys reflects the frequent, often fatal impact of late-season gale events on 19th-century Great Lakes commerce. As a heavy-cargo schooner overtaken by the same storm that claimed the Lady Elgin, her sinking underscores the perilous nature of sail-powered bulk freight vessels in storm-prone open water. Though largely lost to memory, her story remains a poignant example of maritime risk before modern meteorological forecasting.
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: St. Marys
- Year Built: 1848 (schooner)
- Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner carrying bulk cargo
- Final Location: Off Wilmette (Winetka), near Chicago, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 7 September 1860
- Cargo: 20 tons of pig iron
- Casualties: All 7 aboard per contemporary accounts (Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
Vessel Type & Description
A mid‑century wooden schooner used for carrying heavy cargo across the Great Lakes. With a typical schooner rig but robust hull, she was built to transport dense materials like pig iron from Lake Superior ports to eastern markets.
History & Final Voyage
On 7 September 1860, the St. Marys departed Chicago northbound to Cedar River, Green Bay, laden with 20 tons of pig iron (Wisconsin Shipwrecks). She set sail ahead of the notable steamship Lady Elgin, but later encountered the same sudden gale that led to Lady Elgin‘s tragic sinking. The schooner foundered that night in the same storm; all seven crew were lost. One of her small boats washed ashore at Lill’s Brewery, and one crewman, William Jameson, was among the recovered dead (Wisconsin Shipwrecks).
Final Disposition
St. Marys went down in deep water during the severe September storm. No hull remains have been located, likely due to depth and dispersal in open lake. She was valued at US $6,000 and uninsured at the time of loss .
Context – The Lady Elgin Storm
The loss of St. Marys occurred during the infamous storm that sank the passenger steamship Lady Elgin on 6 September 1860, resulting in over 300 fatalities. That same squall hit multiple vessels, overwhelming both sail and steam traffic in Lake Michigan (Wisconsin Shipwrecks).
Located By & Survey Status
The wreck has never been recovered or archaeologically documented; presumed lying in deep water off the northern Chicago coast. Small fragments may wash ashore occasionally, but no dive surveys have been recorded.
Notmar & Navigational Advisories
No specific Notices to Mariners for St. Marys. The tragedy spurred improved storm-warning awareness among mariners on the Great Lakes.
Conclusion
The fate of the St. Marys reflects the frequent, often fatal impact of late‑season gale events on 19th‑century Great Lakes commerce. As a heavy‑cargo schooner overtaken by the same storm that claimed the Lady Elgin, her sinking underscores the perilous nature of sail‑powered bulk freight vessels in storm-prone open water. Though largely lost to memory, her story remains a poignant example of maritime risk before modern meteorological forecasting.
Keywords & Categories
- Keywords: St. Marys schooner, Lady Elgin storm, pig iron wreck, Chicago shipwreck, 1860 Great Lakes disaster
- Categories: 19th‑century schooners, bulk cargo losses, Lake Michigan deep-water wrecks, storm-related disasters
- Glossary:
- Pig iron: Raw iron in ingot form used as feedstock for further refining
- Foundered: Vessel sank typically due to flooding or capsizing in a storm