W. B. Phelps (Wooden Schooner – Built 1873, Lost November 19, 1879)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: W. B. Phelps
• Built: 1873
• Type: Wooden two-masted Schooner
• Cargo at Loss: 17,000 bushels of wheat and 600 cases of beer
• Date of Loss: November 19, 1879
• Route: Bound from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Oswego, New York
• Location: Near Glen Arbor, Michigan, on the western shore of Lake Michigan

Circumstances of Loss

• Departed Milwaukee laden with wheat and beer.
• Caught in a violent November gale, W. B. Phelps was driven onto a bar near Glen Arbor late on the 19th.
• The frigid conditions caused her sails and rigging to freeze, stranding the Schooner on the shoal.
• Crew took refuge in the rigging as the Hull began breaking apart in the icy waves.

Casualties & Rescue

• The crew of seven were left exposed to the bitter cold while aloft.
• Details are unclear on rescue operations, but given the era and setting, survivors were presumably recovered by the next morning—though the ordeal likely induced severe freezing injuries or hypothermia.

Final Disposition

• The Schooner broke up on the shoal; no record of vessel salvage exists.
• Remains were likely stripped by locals or wreckers before being completely destroyed by the elements.

Significance

• The W. B. Phelps exemplifies the vulnerability of heavily laden sailing freighters in late-season storms on Lake Michigan.
• The extreme cold and ice presented deadly hazards even without direct fatalities—highlighting weather as a secondary but significant threat to 19th-century Great Lakes shipping.

Sources & References

• Local reporting and maritime historian accounts noting her sinking on Nov 19, 1879, near Glen Arbor, MI, and detailing frozen rigging conditions.
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Recommended Research Steps

• Newspaper Coverage: Investigate November 1879 issues of Milwaukee Sentinel, Chicago Tribune, and Michigan-based papers for rescue reports and crew condition.
• Port Logs: Consult maritime records from Milwaukee and Oswego for logbooks noting her departure, cargo manifests, and any rescue dispatches.
• Maritime Diaries: Review personal journals of mariners or lifesaving station logs near Sleeping Bear Bay for mentions of the Schooner and her frozen crew.

Quick Facts