The Cecelia (US No. 5548) was originally built in White Lake, MI as a three-masted Barquantine.1 John Gregory built her in Chicago on September 16, 1868. She was a tidy 118 feet long and had a gross weight of 176 tons. She was first owned by James Larsen & Co., of Chicago, Mr Larsen was also her captain. In April 1879 she was rebuilt as a schooner.
The Cecelia had a mishap in May of 1871 when she collided with a Chicago bridge and lost her mizzenmast and outfit.
Capt. Evans of the U.S. Treasury Department revenue cutter Andrew Johnson (US No. U.S.R.C.S.) recently rescued the barque Cecelia, of Chicago, stranded on the south end of Manitou Island on October 14, 1872. The vessel and cargo were valued at $40,000 or more. This makes the 20th vessel rescued within two years by Capt. Evans .
During September 1873, the schooner Prince Alfred (Canada No. 7406) received serious damage from a collision with the schooner Oriental, about 3 miles below Port Colborne, in the Welland Canal, and came to this city for repairs. She arrived Sunday evening, and is receiving attention at the hands of Messrs. Mills & Welch. The Oriental is the same craft that collided with and sunk the bark Cecelia at the head of the lake a few days since. Wreckers are engaged in raising the schooner Cecelia sunk a few days since at Pt. Pelee. The Cecelia had on board a cargo of wheat and was owned by Michelson of Chicago. She was valued at $14,000. The Coast Wrecking Co., which for the past few days has been engaged in raising the schr. Cecelia, sunk at Pt. Pelee passage, has accomplished that undertaking in a brief space of time. She was brought to the surface on Thursday and arrived at the drydock the next day.
The locations of Cecelia’s wrecks.
Inter Ocean, , September 11, 1885
THE CECELIA LOST.
Messrs. Ripley & Son received a dispatch yesterday stating that the old schooner Cecelia, of Chicago, had gone on the reef at Jacksonport, and would be a total loss. She was taking on cordwood at the pier when the first storm came up, and she was hauled out into the lake and anchored for safety. The northeast wind Wednesday night was so severe that she dragged her anchors until the vessel was thrown upon the reef, when she was quickly pounding to pieces.. Over 150 cords of wood were also lost by the disaster.
Captain Smith telegraphed that the crew were all safe and that they would assist him to strip the wreck as soon as the sea went down. The Cecelia was owned by John Longs and Captain Smith, both of this city. She was valued at $4,000, and was uninsured, although the cargo was insured for its full value, in the America Insurance Company. The Cecelia was built in 1868 by Gregory, at White Lake. Her’s has been an unfortunate career since she began to run in the Jacksonport pier trade. In the fall of 1883 she ran on the same reef, and again last fall, but each time tugs went promptly to her assistance, and saved her from being wrecked.
Chicago, Sept. 11.—After she had finished loading starves at Wheatley’s dock below Point au Pelee, Ontario, a storm started and began dragging her anchors and was hurled by the wind and waves against the dock, damaging her quarter. Her bulkwards and cabin were washed away by the shifting of the astves and in order to prevent further damage she was scuttled and sunk in about nine feet of water. An agent of the Cecilia was at this port the day before negotiating for a tug and a pump. Her owner at the time was William Johnson of Chicago and he had her raised immediately.
After taking on a load of wood at Reynold’s Pier (Jacksonport) on September 9, 1885, the Cecelia anchored offshore to weather out a storm. Her anchors did not hold, and she was blown ashore just south of Reynold’s pier. Attempts to remove her were unsuccessful. The Cecelia was also owned by John Long, who now had two vessels wrecked in the same location. Hailed from Chicago. Stranded and wrecked in one of the most powerful storms of the decade. Her three anchors would not hold her against the gale. Hailed from Chicago and owned by Capt. John Long. Ashore in almost exactly the same spot on 24 Sep, 1884 – almost exactly a year earlier. She was valued at $4,000.
On September 8, 1885 the schooner Cecelia was at Reynold’s pier at Jacksonport, Wisconsin loading wood. Because of prevailing storm she moved offshore and anchored to weather out the storm. Her anchors dragged and she was thrown onto the beach on the south side of Reynold’s pier.
Door County Advocate, September 17, 1885
Capt. B. Smith, one of the owners of the schooner Cecelia wrecked at Jacksonport, went to Chicago on Friday and returned today (Wednesday) for the purpose of removing everything of value from the vessel and conveying it to Chicago. He says he has tried to get a wrecking outfit to go to the Cecelia from Chicago and Milwaukee for the purpose of getting her off, but no one would undertake the job for much less than the vessel’s worth. Captain Smith has not yet decided whether he will purchase another vessel or not, but it is quite certain that nothing will be done toward releasing the Cecelia.
Door County Advocate September 24, 1885
The wreck of the schooner Cecelia lies on the south side of Reynold’s pier, about ten feet of her bow being under the pier. In case a strong southerly wind should set in, it is believed that the wreck will be driven through the pier, causing much damage thereto. An attempt was made to save the schooner’s masts by pulling them out, but it being found impossible to remove them in that manner, they were cut away.
There are two shipwrecks in front of the park just offshore at Jacksonport. The two wrecks can be identified as the Perry Hannah (US No. 11178) and the Cecelia. Trying to determine which wreck is which is a problem since what is left is very broken up there was only six feet difference in length between the two vessels. Further archaeological investigation is needed to determine their identities.
The wrecks of the Cecelia and Perry Hannah (US No. 11178) were found near Door County, WI at Reynold’s Pier in eight feet of water. An attempt was made to save the schooner’s mast by pulling them out, but it being impossible to remove them in that manner, they were cut away.
Cecelia and Perry Hannah Wrecks
NOTES:
1 A barquentine is a sailing ship of three or more masts with the atmost mast fore-and-aft rigged, and the others square-rigged.
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