COUCH, JAMES (1871, Schooner)

Description

Identification

Construction and Ownership

Built at:: Port Huron, MI
Vessel Type:: Schooner; Note: Experimented with lee boards, failed; centerboard case add 1872.
Hull Materials:: Wood
Number of Decks:: 1
Builder Name:: Muir, Livingston & Co.
Original Owner and Location:: Capt. Thomas L. Parker, Chicago, IL.

Power

Hull Dimensions

Final Disposition

Final Location:: 3 miles SW of SE Shoal Light, Pelee Passage.
Lake Erie.
Date:: 20 Oct 1905
Final Depth:: 42''
How:: Foundered in storm.
Final Cargo:: Iron Ore.
Notes:: Bound Escanaba, MI - Cleveland, OH, struck bottom, tow line cut from steamer BULGARIA, sank quickly; 8 lost. 1905, Oct 23 Documents surrendered at Cleveland. 1906, Jul Wrecked, blown up as menace to navigation.

History

Chronology:

1871, Apr Launched.

1875 Owned Merrill & Skeele, Chicago, IL.

1879 Repaired.

1890, Mar 20 Rebuilt as 4 mast schooner-barge; 221 x 35 x 16.4; 979 gross / 930 net tons; renamed TASMANIA; owned Corrigan Bros., Cleveland, OH.

1890, Aug Collided with & sank by steamer J. H. WADE, Lake George Flats, St. Mary's River.

1890, Sep 30 Raised Moran Wrecking Co; coal removed; towed to Cleveland for repairs.

1891, Jul Collided with & damaged by steamer CITY of LONDON in Lake Superior.

1894, Oct 11 Driven ashore Cleveland, OH; crew rescued.

1905, Oct 20 Foundered.

Notes

From the Collection of:: C. Patrick Labadie
Sources:: Donald V. Baut; Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory; Dossin Great Lakes Museum; Newspaper Clippings; Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley; Loudon G. Wilson