The Vessel

The Daisy Day was a small bulk freight steamer built in 1880 by Jasper Hanson of the shipbuilding firm of Hanson & Scove. She had a length of 103.4 feet, with a beam of 20.7 feet, and a depth of 7.6 feet. Her gross tonnage was 146, and net tonnage 124. She was built specifically as a lumber hooker, so called because they would stop at small ports and camps with no docking facilities, requiring the vessel to use her “hook” or anchor to hold her in place. The Daisy Day was built for Captain John Jacobs and George B. Guyles of Manitowoc and was initially used for lumber cargoes at numerous Lake Michigan ports. She was first enrolled at the Milwaukee Customs House on May 18, 1880 and had a short but tumultuous career, making the newspapers at least three times a year for one mishap or another. Despite her regular accidents, the concept of a shallow draft lumber steamer proved wildly successful and many vessels of her type quickly followed in her wake.

She spent her early career running between Manistee & Ludington and Wisconsin ports, carrying lumber and shingles to Wisconsin and taking hay, flour, lime or stone back to Michigan. She later ran on the west shore of Lake Michigan between Chicago, Milwaukee & Ahnapee in the lumber trade and on October 20, 1881 she was damaged at Sturgeon Bay when she was struck by the schooner J.H. Stevens. She was repaired but in October of 1881 found herself ashore at Two Rivers, Wisconsin, requiring the US Lifesaving Service to pull her free. In April of 1882 she found herself in trouble again when she lost her deck load in an early season gale and that September she broke her shaft off in Chicago, again requiring the services of the Lifesavers and incurring a $400 repair bill. In May of 1883, business on the lakes was slow and she was briefly converted into an excursion boat, taking vacationers on day trips around northern Lake Michigan. In February of 1884 she was sold to John Anderson of Chicago, who also served as her captain, with her hull classed as A2. In June of 1885 the Daisy Day nearly foundered after springing a leak and in July she was libeled for the cost of a grain cargo that was thrown overboard to release her from a stranding. In 1885 she was sold to G.A. Wagar, of Mears, Michigan and was nearly lost on November 25, 1887 when she stranded near Little Sable Point. She was initially reported a total loss, and only through quick work of salvors, she was freed before the winter storms broke her up.

The life of a lumber hooker was a rough one, as the hookers visited many small ports where other vessels didn’t venture in search of a myriad of cargoes, often striking bottom and stranding. In 1889 the beleaguered little steamer was sold to E. Sant of Montague, Michigan who continued to use her in the lumber trade. She was nearly lost in November of 1889 while stranded in a creek near Mears, Michigan. A nearby mill caught fire and the flames nearly claimed her before she could be freed.

That Fateful Day

On October 11, 1891, the Daisy Day met her end in an unremarkable accident when she anchored of Lees Pier near Little Sable Point for a cargo of lumber. A stiff wind was blowing and the Daisy Day was blown aground where the waves quickly breached her full and placed her beyond salvage. This newspaper account appeared in the Pentwater News October 22, 1891:

“The Daisy Day that left this port 10 days ago, lies at the bottom of Lake Michigan, off Lee’s Pier, 10 miles north of Whitehall. Mr. Wagar sold the barge at a good figure to a Milwaukee party, and she was to be delivered after the trip upon which she had started. The boat was loaded with lumber at Lee’s Pier and when ready to get out it was found a small bar had formed outside. Mr. Wagar claims that the captain let go the wrong line, pulling the bow of the barge around, she stranded. In this condition she lay for a day and Wednesday night’s gale blew her against the pier, raking off her upper works. The hull was so racked that it was worthless and she weaved about, cutting a hole in the sand where she sank, until nothing but the rail is now visible. Mr. Wagar will have the machinery, which is good, removed as a soon as possible. The salvage will amount to about $1,000 after expenses are paid. This is a bad blow for Mr. Wagar, as the cash for the boat was awaiting him, in a bank at Milwaukee, had he made the trip safely. She was insured.”

The Wreck Today

Researcher Dave Miesch located the remains of the Daisy Day about 50 yards off Clay Banks Township Park in April of 2003. Examination by the author as well as Ross Richardson and Craig Rich of Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, reveals that the vessel’s remains are completely disarticulated and are buried under the first sandbar. The remains occasionally become uncovered revealing most of the vessel’s keel, partial ribbing, her 5’ diameter propeller and a large boiler with a steam condenser. Further north of the site, swimmers have reported a large wood stock anchor, which is likely the Daisy Day’s. Please do NOT steal any remains from this vessel. They are part of Oceana County’s cultural history and should be available to all area residents. They are also protected by law from illegal salvage.

By Brendon Baillod