(Wooden Schooner, built 1856; lost November 3, 1878)
Known Summary
- Loss Date: November 3, 1878
- Cargo: 400 tons of coal
- Route: Bound for Chicago via Bay City, Lake Huron
- Incident: Stranded ashore during storm, wrecked despite towing efforts
- Crew: No casualties reported
(greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, manitouislandsarchives.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Historical Context & Construction
- No registry data (e.g., official number, exact dimensions, builder) is available in the searchable sources. The 400-ton cargo of coal suggests a larger-than-average mid-19th-century Schooner or Barge.
- The grounding occurred near Bay City, a significant coal port, making it a plausible location for such a vessel to be overwhelmed by a late-fall gale.
Research Gaps
- Vessel Specifications: No builder, home port, or enrollment information found in current sources.
- Incident Record: Details other than the basic storm grounding and cargo acknowledgment are absent.
- Salvage & Aftermath: No mention of recovery, paperwork on insurance claims, or subsequent inquiry.
- Primary Sources: No contemporary newspaper articles or official logs have surfaced.
Recommended Research Paths
To build a more complete vessel profile, consider the following archival directions:
- Regional Newspaper Clippings (Nov–Dec 1878)
- Search Bay City Journal‐American, Detroit Free Press, or Milwaukee Sentinel for storm and storm‑damage coverage, ship names, crew reports, or salvage operations referencing a coal Schooner named Lively.
- Ship Registry & Enrollment Records
- Investigate Buffalo or Detroit registry archives, enrollment certificates, and port clearance logs between 1850–1878, focusing on any vessel named Lively carrying coal on Lake Huron.
- Steamboat Inspection & Casualty Reports
- Although designated as a Schooner, any formal inspection files or incident logs may have documented the ship’s structural details or cause-of-loss evaluations.
- Marine Insurance and Salvage Record Searches
- Underwriter ledgers or salvage firms near Bay City may have noted claims involving coal schooners stranded in late 1878.
- Local Port/Harbor Authority Archives
- Any reports or notices referencing the wreck site or dangers off the Bay City harbor could be referenced in port management documents.
Summary Table
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Lively |
| Loss Date | November 3, 1878 |
| Cargo | 400 tons coal |
| Route | Bay City → Chicago |
| Cause of Loss | Stranded in storm |
| Crew | Safe; no deaths noted |
| Registry Details | Unknown |
| Additional Source Info | None available |