Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Schooner/Steamship V. H. Ketchum

The V H Ketchum was built as a schooner in 1874 at Marine City Michigan and was the largest vessel on the Great Lakes when built. She was repowered in 1889 with a triple expansion steam engine and rebuilt again as a schooner (or barge; depending on the source) at Algonac, Michigan in 1904.
   She was enroute from Duluth to Cleveland with a load of iron ore on Sept 16 1905 when she caught fire off Parisien Island in Lake Superior. One report says she was towed by steamer William Nottingham and beached where it burned to the waterline. Another report says two of the crew were lost as they took to the life boat which capsized, the ship drifted off and sank. Apparently her anchor and chain are now on the grounds of Lake Superior State University at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.
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2 comments:

  1. Graham ClaytonJanuary 24, 2019 at 2:12 AM

    On October 14, 1899, the VH Ketchum collided with the three masted schooner Typo, six miles east-southeast of Presque Isle, Lake Huron. The Typo sank and sits upright and intact in 155 feet of water.

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  2. Mister GJanuary 24, 2019 at 8:10 AM

    Hmmm, different info than I found! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete