Identification & Site Information

  • Name(s): C.S. Davis
  • Official number: 5989
  • Year built: 1869
  • Builder: Olson Brothers, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
  • Original owner: C.M. Olson, Sheboygan, WI
  • Home port(s): Whitehall, Michigan (by 1879)
  • Tonnage: Initially 60 gross tons (1871), reduced to 55 by 1876
  • Measurements:
    • Length: 24.7 m (81 ft)
    • Beam: 5.67 m (18.6 ft)
    • Depth of hold: 1.83 m (6 ft)
  • Construction: Single-Deck, wooden-hulled Schooner
  • Rigging: Two-masted, fore-and-aft Schooner

Vessel Type

The C.S. Davis was a traditional two-masted Great Lakes Schooner. It was primarily used in bulk cargo transport, notably timber and general freight across Lake Michigan and connected waters.

Description

This vessel typifies the small trading schooners used widely on the Great Lakes during the mid-to-late 19th century. Built for speed and moderate cargo capacity, it had a single Deck and shallow Draft. While not lavishly detailed, it was efficient and robust, well suited for inter-port timber and commodities.

History

  • 1869: Built and registered in Sheboygan, WI by Olson Brothers for local merchant C.M. Olson.
  • 1871: Listed at 60 gross tons.
  • 1876: Official tonnage revised to 55 gross tons — typical of post-survey or minor modifications.
  • 2 Nov 1878: Collided with the Schooner Jenny Mullen in White Lake, Lake Michigan. Details of damages were not noted in the source, but vessel continued service.
  • 1879: Owned by J. Johnson of Whitehall, Michigan — indicating a shift in operational base.

Final Disposition

No formal abandonment or loss has been documented in official registers. However, by the late 1880s the C.S. Davis disappears from enrollment listings, suggesting it was likely retired, broken up, or lost without full documentation.

Located By & Date Found

There is no confirmed wreck site or underwater remains. No public record or diving reports exist indicating the C.S. Davis has been discovered or surveyed.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted. The vessel has not been identified as a hazard or navigational concern in modern records.

Resources & Links

Shore Dive Information

Not applicable — No wreck located or diveable site known.

Conclusion

The C.S. Davis is a lesser-known but typical example of a small 19th-century Great Lakes Schooner. Though lightly documented, it represents the backbone of regional commerce before the rise of steel freighters. Her collision with the Jenny Mullen marks her only known maritime incident. With no wreck discovered, her story largely resides in shipping directories and registries — important to historians, though unlikely of interest to divers.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Ship Type: Wooden Schooner, two-masted, bulk freight
  • Region: Lake Michigan, White Lake, Sheboygan, Whitehall
  • Era: 1869–1880s
  • Incidents: Collision
  • Status: Undocumented wreck, presumed scrapped or lost

Would you like a dive into the Jenny Mullen or associated ships from this incident?