Shipwreck Report: Pere Marquette No. 8 (ex-H.W. Williams, ex-Tennessee)

Vessel Identification & Profile

  • Official Number: 95952
  • Original Name: H.W. Williams
  • Later Names: Tennessee (1910), Pere Marquette No. 8 (1913)
  • Launch Date: March 24, 1888
  • Builder: John B. Martel, South Haven, Michigan
  • Construction: Wooden screw Steamer
  • Original Dimensions: 140 ft (length) × 28 ft (beam) × 10.3 ft (depth)
  • Post-Rebuild Dimensions (1897): 170.8 ft × 35.2 ft × 11.5 ft; 692 gross tons
  • Propulsion: High pressure steam engine (24 x 28 in), later upgraded to compound engine (375 hp); single screw propeller
  • Technological Upgrades: Dynamo and wireless telegraph installed in 1910

Ownership and Service History

  • 1888-1910: Operated as H.W. Williams by Henry and Charles Williams, South Haven, Michigan
  • 1910-1913: Renamed Tennessee; modernized for passenger service
  • 1913-1927: Renamed Pere Marquette No. 8 under Pere Marquette Line Steamers
  • Service Routes: South Haven to Chicago, and later Pentwater, Frankfort, Ludington, Manistee, Onekama, Arcadia (Lake Michigan)

Final Disposition

  • Date of Loss: October 25, 1927
  • Location: Manistee Lake, Manistee, Michigan (moored)
  • Cause of Loss: Fire; vessel burned while idle in harbor
  • Casualties: None reported
  • Outcome: Total Loss; vessel destroyed

Evidence & Verification

  • Confirmed by:
    • Facebook post from Manistee historical group: “Burned Manistee 10-25-1927.”
    • Post from Sun ‘n Sand Resort: “91 years ago the PERE Marquette 8 caught fire while idling in the harbor of Manistee, MI.”

NOTMARs & Advisories

  • None noted

Resources & Links

Historical and Archaeological Significance
The Pere Marquette No. 8, originally launched as H.W. Williams, is representative of the late 19th-century wooden screw steamers that evolved through successive rebuilds to meet changing industrial and passenger demands on Lake Michigan. Its destruction by fire in 1927 marked the end of an era for many wooden-hulled passenger freighters.

Glossary and Keywords

  • Region: Lake Michigan, Manistee
  • Vessel Type: Wooden screw Steamer
  • Cause of Loss: Fire
  • Material: Wood
  • Period: 1888–1927
  • Dive Difficulty: Not applicable (burned while moored)
  • Hazards: None currently known