Identification & Site Information

  • Official Number: 1582
  • Registry: United States
  • Builder: F. LeFebure
  • Build Location: Oak Harbor (Port Clinton), Ohio
  • Enrollment: 20 Aug 1867, Sandusky, OH

Vessel Type & Construction

A three-masted wooden Schooner, single Deck, originally measured at 138.16 ft length, 26.16 ft beam, and 9.5 ft depth. Built by F. LeFebure for owner S. Doolittle of Oswego, NY. Gross register tonnage around 259 GT with capacity of approximately 20,000 bushels—likely used for bulk cargoes like grain or stone.

Dimensional Changes & Ownership

  • In 1868, recorded at 259.19 GRT.
  • By 1894, reconstructed or re-measured at 147.66′ × 26.16′ × 9.75′.
  • Owned at times by Captain Donahue (Cleveland, 1876), Sands Lumber Co. (Manistee, from 1882), and in later years by Illinois Stone Co. before final disposition.

Incident History Chronology

  • 1871 (Sep): Lost centreboard in Lake Michigan while grain-laden.
  • 1879 (Nov 20): Aground near Manistee, MI, Lake Michigan.
  • 1896 (May 27): Damaged during squall at Port Washington; underwent repairs.
  • 1916: Officially Abandoned, per registry sources.
  • 1917: Scuttled off Chicago, IL under Illinois Stone Co., marking end of service.

Final Disposition: Scuttled off Chicago (Lake Michigan), 1917

Discovery & Site Status

No recorded advances in wreck discovery or dive surveys. Condition unknown. Possible submerged remains exist, but they’re unidentified in known databases.

Notable Event: Reporting of Another Wreck

In an 1880s lake gale, A.W. LUCKEY notably reported the loss of another vessel:

“She burned in a blizzard‑gale and Foundered… but the accident was reported by her consort, the Schooner A.W. LUCKEY.”
The incident involved a Manistee‑owned vessel whose mate’s body was later found off Kewaunee, spotted by the wrecking Tug Leviathan (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, IWCC, Flying Frenchman, Wisconsin Shipwrecks).

Gaps & Recommendations for Further Research

  • Crew lists, masters, and casualties (especially during 1871, 1879 incidents)—check National Archives and Michigan marine records.
  • Sands Lumber Co. archives, Manistee shipping logs, and insurance documentation.
  • Local newspaper archives (Oswego, Cleveland, Manistee, Milwaukee, Chicago) via Chronicling America or Newspapers.com for building, repair, grounding, and scuttling details.
  • Illinois Stone Co. records for scuttling authorization, tonnage, and location specifics.
  • Underwater archaeological surveys off Chicago to assess possible wreck remnants.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The A.W. LUCKEY, built 1867 in Ohio, served as a workhorse Schooner for grain, lumber, and stone transport on Lake Michigan. She endured multiple incidents and grounded events before being scuttled off Chicago in 1917. While no wreck has been confirmed, future archival dives into company and maritime records—as well as geophysical surveys—could yield rich insights into her final resting place and operational legacy.