The wooden three masted schooner M.R. Warner was built in Toledo, Ohio by the J.E. Shipbuilders in 1873 and launched on March 30th. She was built as a consort for the bulk steamer Fred Kelly . These vessels were primarily used in the iron ore trade between Escanaba, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio. In October of 1881 she sustained damage in a collision on Lake Michigan and in May of 1881 she had struck ice on Lake Superior causing serious leaks. She was lightered of 300 tons and taken to Soo for repairs.

Last Document of Enrollment Surrendered: Cleveland: 6/15./1889: "Loss Of Vessel and Documents".
After loading a cargo of squared lumber in Duluth, the schooner-barge M.R.Warner proceeded as consort to the steamer Superior. On Friday, November 3, 1893 her towing hauser was cut or parted in the heavy weather, and the Warner was blown aground on the west end of Sand Island. Her crew was saved and taken back to Duluth, but she was broken amidships, heavily damaged on the starboard side and half of her deck load of lumber was gone. Salvage operations began immediately. The tugs Simpson and Smith, along with the schooner Austin, were able to salvage some 250,000 feet of the lumber, but the Warner was reported going to pieces in late November.