The wooden hull, steam powered, fish and tow tug Fred and Will was built in 1867 at Buffalo, New York by Samuel Carroll.
"The steam tug Fred and Will was enroute to Outer Island, running between Sand Island and the mainland about a mile off shore when fire broke out neat the boiler. Her crew worked to put out the the flames, but they spread quickly, fanned by a fresh northwest wind. The tug was headed for shore at first notice of fire. As the fire gained, the wheelsman was forced to leave his post and the tug came about on its own, heading more toward the open lake. The crew managed to work the tiller manually and again headed the tug toward the mainland. The Fred and Will ran up up on a reef about 80 rods or a quarter mile from shore. Her three crewmen jumped overboard and swam ashore. They walked toward Bayfield, approximately 16 miles, before reaching a lumber camp, then moved on to Red Cliff from where they were taken into Bayfield. Although described as a total wreck, it was speculated that some of the her machinery could be saved. No record of salvage of any kind was found throughout the study in the Bayfield Press. Captain McKaren thought the fire had started in the starboard coal bunker when a spark from her stack landed there unnoticed by the fireman. The tug was valued at about $3,500 with insurance for only $1,500. About a month later the firm purchased the tug Siskiwit or Siskowit as a replacement for the lost Fred and Will." Apostle Islands Shipwreck Survey List: An Historical Survey of Shipwrecks and Major Marine Casulaties, 1870-1940, Listing Those With Indications of Potential For Discovery and Archeologiacl Survey In the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Region of Lake Superior by Thom Holden.