(built 1853; lost September 24, 1858)
Identification & Vessel Specifications
- Name: Maine Law (also spelled Maime or Maize)
- Type: Two‑masted wooden scow‑Schooner, commonly used for towing or short-run cargo
- Built: 1853 at Port Huron, Michigan by L. S. Bedford
- Dimensions: Approx. 53 × 17 × 5 ft; approx. 36 registered tons (registered under that tonnage at loss) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Final Voyage & Loss Details
- Loss Date: September 24, 1858
- Loss Location: Just off Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan, on Lake Huron
- Cargo: Lumber (reported) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Circumstances of Loss: A spring gale (or fall storm) blew her off her loading dock at “Bark Shanty”, where she had been taking on lumber. She was cast adrift and pounded ashore on a bar, where she ultimately broke up and was destroyed beyond recovery (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Crew & Casualties: No documented fatalities; evidently crew survived as they are not recorded among losses (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Wreck Status
- Considered a Total Loss, with wreckage unrecoverable.
- Because she broke up close to shore on a bar, no intact Hull surveys or dive documentation exist. Her remains likely scattered or buried just offshore.
Summary Table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Maine Law |
| Type | Wooden scow‑Schooner |
| Built | 1853, Port Huron, MI (L. S. Bedford) |
| Dimensions/Tonnage | ~53 × 17 × 5 ft; ~36 registered tons |
| Cargo | Lumber |
| Date of Loss | September 24, 1858 |
| Location | Off Pointe Aux Barques, Lake Huron |
| Cause of Loss | Blown off dock; grounded on bar; broke up |
| Crew & Casualties | None (survived) |
| Outcome | Total Loss; no salvage |
Research Notes & Context
- This entry is based on the scanned Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, specifically the Maine Law loss summary, which details the vessel’s origin, loss date, cargo, and circumstances of loss offshore of Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, swhpl.digitalarchive.us)
- “Bark Shanty” refers to a small logging dock and camp on the Huron shoreline where lumber was being loaded.
- Lack of any survivor fatalities suggests the crew had time to abandon vessel before it was destroyed.
Suggested Further Research
To delve deeper into the Maine Law incident, consider:
- Local archives or newspaper collections in the Pointe Aux Barques / Port Austin region from late September 1858 for dockside accident reports or storm accounts.
- Michigan lumber trade ledgers or port authority documents at Bark Shanty that may record vessel tonnage, owner, master, or cargo manifest.
- Insurance or underwriter logs from late 1858 that reference scow/Schooner losses on Lake Huron, possibly noting value and loss condition.
Let me know if you’d like assistance tracking archival newspapers, underwriters’ records, or local port documents related to Maine Law or similar lumber-carrying scows from that period!