Wooden Two‑Masted Schooner – Detroit River (≈ 2 miles downstream of Detroit, Michigan)

Identification & Site Information

Description & Vessel Type

John Richards served as a small wooden coastal Schooner—two-masted, under 60 feet long, used for hauling bulk cargo such as stone or ballast. The vessel was typical of early 19th-century river and lake traders, designed for shallow Draft and modest capacity.

Incident History

On 10 May 1842, while sailing the Detroit River loaded with cut stone, John Richards encountered a sudden intense squall. The cargo shifted violently, capsizing the Schooner. Initial orientation left her capsized with masts above water, across the current. As the river’s current pushed her into a different orientation, she righted and sank. Suction from the capsizing and rebounding vessel resulted in tragic loss: six crew members drowned, and only one survived (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Historical accounts note the vessel later was raised and returned to service, suggesting salvage and repair occurred later in 1842. However, further confusion appears with a reported secondary loss at Cherry Creek, Detroit River, in May 1858—likely a transposed record for the same vessel.

Final Disposition

John Richards was initially recovered after sinking and reportedly resumed operation. The registry remained active until at least 1858, when another incident at Cherry Creek is listed; the vessel was then considered lost (total wreck), closing her operational life.

Survey & Wreck Status

  • No archaeological dive or survey records are known for John Richards.
  • The wreck site, if still extant, would likely be buried or degraded in the Detroit River bed. Past salvage complicates locating any remaining structure.

Official Notices & Advisories

  • None recorded relating to this vessel—incident predated standardized Notices to Mariners or modern hazard bulletins.

Research Gaps & Proposed Next Steps

  • Crew manifest and master’s identity: Capt. James B. Moland (mentioned in sources) – accessing U.S. customs enrollment or crew lists circa 1840s may clarify details.
  • Registry records: Consult merchant vessel registries or local port customs records (Detroit area) from 1842 and 1858 to trace certification, repairs, and registry surrender.
  • Newspaper archives: Contemporary coverage in Detroit-area papers (e.g., Detroit Free Press, Detroit Advertiser) in May 1842 may yield eyewitness accounts or casualty names.
  • Salvage documentation: Local maritime or harbor records may note salvage operations, refits, and final disposition.

Resources & References

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “John Richards” entry: Incident summary, build data, loss information, crew fatality count and salvage outcome (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Wisconsin Genealogy Resources / History of the Great Lakes: lists brief event of capsizing on Detroit River May (though without name) reinforcing storm pattern and small-vessel vulnerability in the era (linkstothepast.com)

Keywords & Categories

wooden Schooner, Detroit River wreck, cargo shift capsizing, cut stone cargo, early Great Lakes vessel, 1842 maritime disaster, vessel salvage, small Schooner loss.

Summary

The John Richards, built in 1830, was a small wooden Schooner lost during a sudden squall on the Detroit River on 10 May 1842. Carrying heavy cut stone, she capsized and sank after cargo shifted, drowning six of seven aboard. Though salvaged and returned to service, a later incident in 1858 likely ended her career permanently. No modern archaeological documentation exists, and further research into local archives may enrich the vessel’s historical record.