Identification & Site Information

  • Name(s): Robert B. Campbell
  • Official Number: 21178
  • Year Built: 1853
  • Built At: Grand Traverse, Michigan
  • Vessel Type: Schooner
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Decks: 1
  • Final Disposition: Wrecked in a storm
  • Final Location: 2 miles north of Muskegon Piers, Lake Michigan
  • Date Lost: 16 October 1876
  • Final Cargo: Shingles

Vessel Type

A two-masted wooden Schooner, Robert B. Campbell was constructed specifically for the booming lumber trade in the mid-19th century between Michigan and Illinois ports. She featured a shallow Draft ideal for the shoal-prone harbours of Lake Michigan’s eastern shoreline.

Description

  • Length: 95.6 ft (29.1 m)
  • Beam: 23.3 ft (7.1 m)
  • Depth: 9.3 ft (2.8 m)
  • Tonnage: 179 72/95 (Old Style Register)

Built by Cole & Campbell in Grand Traverse, Michigan, her design reflected the utilitarian form of cargo schooners from the period: broad beam, high foredeck, and rigged for ease of cargo access and sail handling.

History

  • 1853, Dec 10: Completed at $8,500 cost; entered Grand Traverse–Chicago lumber route.
  • 1854, Oct 14: Grounded at Point Betsey; later raised.
  • 1855–1863: Ownership changed several times; significant repairs made in 1860 and 1863.
  • 1867: Rebuilt, likely extending her career into the 1870s.
  • 1868, Oct 24: Aground in Chicago, released by Tug TIGER.
  • 1874: Again reported ashore on Lake Michigan.
  • 1876, Oct 16: Wrecked in a fall gale north of Muskegon; crew rescued by Tug James McGordon.

Final Disposition

She was driven ashore during a gale and became a total wreck. The crew was saved, but the ship and cargo of shingles were lost. No recovery or salvage beyond basic equipment is documented.

Located By & Date Found

Not rediscovered; remains presumed scattered or buried near the shoreline 2 miles north of Muskegon, Michigan.

Notmar & Advisories

None noted for this wreck site today, but the shoreline north of Muskegon remains vulnerable to storm surge and wave action.

Resources & Links

  • [Steamboat Era in the Muskokas – Richard Tatley]
  • Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
  • Newspaper Clippings (19th century)
  • C. Patrick Labadie Collection
  • Peter J. VanderLinden Vessel Files

Conclusion

Robert B. Campbell is a classic example of a mid-century Great Lakes lumber Schooner — durable and heavily travelled, yet ultimately vulnerable to Lake Michigan’s fierce autumn gales. Her loss in 1876 underscores the inherent risks of the era’s freight trade, particularly for lightly laden vessels in late-season operations.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Schooner, Lake Michigan, lumber trade, Muskegon, storm wreck
  • Categories: Wooden sail vessels, lumber schooners, Michigan wrecks, 19th-century Great Lakes Ships
  • Glossary:
    • Schooner: Sailing vessel with two or more masts, fore-and-aft rigged
    • Grounded: A vessel that has run aground or become beached
    • Ashore: Driven onto shore by storm or mechanical failure