Wooden Schooner – Built 1847, Lost November 4 1881

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Monsoon
• Official Number: 16 418
• Built: 1847 by John Oades at Milan, Ohio
• Type: Two-masted wooden Schooner, specialized for slab lumber transport
• Dimensions: 106 ft × 22 ft × 9 ft; ~132 tons
• Date of Loss: Approximately November 4, 1881
• Route: Departed Muskegon, MI, bound for Chicago
• Cargo: 106 cords of slab lumber
• Location of Loss: Likely in mid-Lake Michigan, en route from Muskegon to Chicago

Circumstances of Loss

• Sailed November 2, 1881, from Muskegon amidst warnings of her deteriorated condition.
• Mid-voyage, she disappeared during a severe gale—no wreckage sighted immediately.
• A later Detroit report noted her advanced decay, with no hope of discovering even a plank.
• According to chroniclers, she may have been struck and sunk by the Steamer Joseph L. Hurd, after collision amid the storm, witnessed by crew from another Schooner (C.P. Merrick) who reported horrific damage and loss of life.

Casualties & Crew

• Six souls were aboard—all presumed lost with the vessel.
• Crew from C.P. Merrick witnessed her rapid sinking; at least one man’s body was reportedly mangled by Joseph L. Hurd’s propeller.

Final Disposition

The Monsoon vanished without salvage, presumed destroyed and fully submerged. Contemporary reports stated that due to extreme rot and decay, no part of the wreck was expected to survive, and no remains were ever recovered.
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Historical Significance

• The Monsoon exemplifies the era’s fast-framing, coastal lumber schooners—vessels often built cheaply and with minimal longevity.
• Sailor testimony of a propeller strike amid the storm adds a rare collision twist to what was initially thought to be a plain foundering, reflecting the hidden dangers of late-season maritime passage on Lake Michigan.

Sources & References

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “M” list: detailed summary of build, loss, collision, and cargo
• Michigan Shipwreck Research Association: additional context on her construction in 1847 and sinking in 1881

Summary Table