(wooden steam Barge, built 1887)

Identification & Vessel Details

  • Name: Joseph P. Farnan
  • Official Number: 76691
  • Built: 1887 by W. Radcliffe, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Type: Propeller steam Barge for bulk freight
  • Dimensions: 152 ft length × 33 ft beam × 10 ft depth; 410 gross tons
  • Engine: Armed with a compound steam engine from the Winnifred
  • Owner & Master: Capt. Loren G. Vosburgh, based in Cleveland

Final Incident – July 20, 1889

  • Date & Voyage: Departed St. Joseph, Michigan on the morning of July 20, 1889, bound for Escanaba, Michigan; burning began around 2 p.m., approximately 17 miles offshore
  • Cargo & Conditions: Light (no cargo); fair weather initially, but seas running under northwest winds
  • Cause of Loss: Fire ignited in the engine room, rapidly disabled pumps, and spread catastrophically
  • Immediate Response: The crew Abandoned ship on makeshift rafts made from hatch covers and fenders; lifeboat destroyed in blaze. All 12 aboard (including Capt. Vosburgh’s wife, Belle) survived
  • Rescue: South Haven U.S. Life-Saving Service monitored the stricken vessel; they commandeered the Steamer Glenn to reach them, arriving at dusk to rescue all survivors

Outcome & Site Details

  • Recklessness of Fire: Ship burned to waterline and was left to drift before sinking
  • Casualties: None among the crew or passengers
  • Final Resting Place: Wreck lies at approx. 170 ft depth off South Haven; engine and boiler remain, superstructure fully consumed by fire
  • Insurance: Carried no insurance

Primary Sources

  • Michigan Shipwreck Research Association: Technical data, engine history, official loss description, and site depth
  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (D-Series): Lists blazing incident details, rescue by Glenn, and preservation of survivors

Archival Gaps & Research Opportunities

  • Damage origin: No records specify if fire began in the engine, fuel tanks, or electrical system—shipyard or fire marshal logs could fill this void
  • First-hand accounts: Newspaper articles (e.g., Detroit Free Press, Escanaba Morning News, South Haven Tribune) from late July 1889 may offer eyewitness reports or technical descriptions
  • USLSS Logs: Reports from South Haven station personnel could provide operational insight into the rescue
  • Wreck Survey: Marine archaeological surveys (e.g., by NUMA and MSRA) likely have mapped and documented remaining structure; cross-referencing these logs could aid in artifact preservation

Conclusion

The Joseph P. Farnan burned catastrophically on July 20, 1889, nearly 17 miles offshore from St. Joseph. Thanks to the ingenuity of her drifting crew and a timely, well-organized rescue by the South Haven Life-Saving Service and the Glenn, all aboard were saved. The vessel sank in ~170 ft of water off South Haven. Today, her wreck—with intact engine and boiler—remains a significant underwater heritage site. The absence of insurance and comprehensive technical analysis indicates room for deeper archival and archaeological exploration.