Mary B. Hale (1857)
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Service History

The wooden two masted schooner Mary B. Hale was built in 1857 by Eli Peck & Irvine Masters at the Peck & Masters Shipyard in Cleveland, Ohio at the mouth of the Cuyahoga. Her official registry number was 16313 and in 1861 she was rated A1, valued at $12,000 and was rated B1 and valued at $8,500 in 1874 by the Board of Lake Underwriters.

"Another old-timer has passed in her checks and gone to Davy Jones. The schooner Mary B. Hale was driven ashore near the entrance to Manitowoc harbor last Sunday morning and soon after striking bottom began going to pieces, which was perfectly natural inasmuch as the old hulk was put together thirty-five years ago last winter at Cleveland, O. Twenty-five or thirty years ago the Mary B. Hale was one of the largest craft that traded in these water while today she would hardly make a respectable tender for some of the big fellows that have superseded her." Door County Advocate 10/8/1892.


Oswego. No damage.

1860: Received major damage after colliding with the bark S.B. Pomeroy off Colchester, Lake Erie.

1870, September: Collided with the bark William Sturges went ashore to prevent sinking and was later released by the tug Leviathan.

1871, August: Went aground during a storm on Lake Erie. Later released and repaired.

1886, September: Is at the dry dock yard receiving some pieces of new plank and having her top sides calked.

Last Document of Enrollment Surrendered: Milwaukee: 9/12/1894: "Abandoned".
Final Voyage

"Sunday morning brought us the first fierce storm of the fall...The Mary B. Hale in attempting to make the Manitowoc Harbor after midnight mistook the pier and went on the beach near the south pier. She grounded so near the pier that the crew had no difficulty in getting on shore. She had a cargo of posts and was bound for Racine from Alpena. She was leaking on Saturday and the pumps were manned from 6 o'clock until she went on the beach... The Felicitous took the cargo on to Racine. The Hale broke in two soon after grounding. The rope and sails were purchased by Charles Beers." Manitowoc Pilot 10/6/1892

The schooner Mary B. Hale, en route from Alpena to Racine, tried to enter Manitowoc harbor on Sunday morning 10/6/1892 while seeking shelter from a heavy gale. The crew apparently "mistook the pier" and "went on the beach near the south pier". The Hale broke in two shortly after running aground. The Manitowoc Pilot noted on 10/6/1892 that her rope and sails had been purchased and the Door County Advocate of 10/8/1892 reported that the schooner had begun to go to pieces soon after it was beached.
Today

"Her remains, along with those of the C.S. Davis and a large scow were located in 11/1908 and removed." "Wisconsin's Lake Michigan Shipwrecks" Brendon Baillod
 
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