A list of a few articles found in the Door County Advocate give an idea what the life of the Thomas C. Wilson was like: "Ashore at head of the bay." "In for Christmas trees." "To Chicago with Christmas trees." "Slipped cables at Milwaukee." "Member of Sheboygan winter fleet." ""Helped through ice in L. Erie." "Loaded wood." Last Document Surrendered Milwaukee 5/18/1903: "Vessel Lost"
"After leaving Egg Harbor on 11/02/1902 with a cargo of 27 cords of wood bound for Sturgeon Bay, the schooner Thomas C. Wilson capsized in a "heavy gale" off Egg Harbor, and was blown ashore north of Horseshoe Bay. Her crew had taken refuge in the rigging, and were rescued the next morning. The schooner was towed back to Egg Harbor, righted and tied to "the dock". The vessl owner, Capt. John Devine, planned to have her towed to Sturgeon Bay to be repaired. Before this could be accomplished, however, she broke away from the pier on 11/21/1902, went on the beach and became a total loss." Capt. John Devine has given up hopes of saving his schooner, the Thos. C. Wilson which became waterlogged off Egg Harbor and afterwards broke away from the dock where she had been tied and went on the beach. Inability to procure assistance at the proper time is the cause of his failure to save the craft, which has since been exposed to the severe northwesters on the rocky shore where she has laid all fall."