L.D. COMAN (Launched 1848)

Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name: L.D. Coman
  • Type: Wooden Schooner
  • Year built and launched: 1848
  • Builder: Carrick & Wilkes
  • Build location: Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Original owner: C.M. Tibbats? of Erie, PA
  • Final owner (at loss): John Johnson, Port Huron, Michigan
  • Date lost: May 1865
  • Location of loss: Point aux Barques (Port Austin), Michigan, Lake Huron
  • Final disposition: Wrecked
  • Crew: Not documented

Vessel Type

The L.D. Coman was a wooden two-masted Schooner, typical of the mid-19th-century Great Lakes fleet, built for bulk cargo trade.

Description

Built with oak frames and pine planking, the Coman measured 27.4 metres (90 ft) in length, with a depth of hold of 2.4 metres (8 ft), and was rated at 165 tons (old measurement). No beam measurement was recorded. Her Hull was designed for stability and capacity to carry grain, lumber, and general goods between major Lake Erie and Lake Huron ports.

History

Launched in Erie in 1848, the Coman quickly entered the lake trade, being recorded in Buffalo and Presque Isle as early as 1848–1849. In 1856, she stranded at Freeport (modern Fairport Harbor), Lake Erie, but was repaired. In 1858, large repairs were carried out, possibly reflecting a major Rebuild or refit.

By 1860 she was owned by Hearn & Scott of Erie, then sold in 1863 to James Cox of Port Huron, Michigan. That same year, she was badly damaged in a collision in the Detroit River but repaired once again.

In May 1865, while under ownership of John Johnson of Port Huron, the Coman was wrecked near Point aux Barques on Lake Huron. Precise details of the wrecking event are scarce, but no later registry indicates she returned to service, confirming a Total Loss.

Final Dispositions

Total Loss, Abandoned on site.

Located By & Date Found

No modern survey or diver documentation of the wreck has been reported.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The L.D. Coman had a service history reflecting the resilience — and the risks — of wooden schooners on the Great Lakes. Surviving strandings, collisions, and damage across almost two decades, she ultimately succumbed near Point aux Barques in 1865, closing the book on a hardworking regional cargo carrier.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Wooden Schooner
  • Lake Huron
  • Port Austin
  • Point aux Barques
  • 19th-century Great Lakes shipping
  • Erie shipbuilding
  • Wrecked schooners
  • Maritime history