~ A. B. C. F. M ~
1854-1902

Official No. 12978

Built for the lumber trade in 1854 by Capt. Geo. Barber at Milwaukee as the schooner J & A. STRONACH, for owners of the same name residing at Manistee,MI.

A typical little lumber hooker of the era her measurements were: Length, 89.5 ft; beam, 23.58 ft; depth, 7.83 ft; 146.30 gross tons. Note the piles of lumber stacked on her deck and in the background of the photo. (click on photo for a larger view)

Normal day-to-day business was rough on these boats.
1855, October - Capsized in a storm, no loss of life.
1856 - Collision with schooner TELEGRAPH on Lake Michigan.
1864 - Owned by M. S. Tyon & Co., of Milwaukee and given a B rating.
1869, June - Captain struck by lightning while on Lake Michigan; October, sustained damage in collision at Milwaukee.
1871 - Dismasted during a gale on Lake Michigan.
1872 - Damaged by collision at Manitowoc. April 4, leaking at Ludington
1874 - Leaking at Milwaukee.
1877 - Ashore at Manistee.
1878 - October, collision with schooner TRANSIT
1881 - Run into by prop. WISSAHICKON at South Manitou, heavily damaged. October, renamed A. B. C. F. M.
1897 - Owned by John Saveland, of Milwaukee.

In July, 1900 the A.B.C.F.M. sprung a leak and sunk in the Kinnickinnie river at Milwaukee. Pumped out and temporarily patched, she was deemed unfit for further service. In May, 1902, after 48 years of service, her final enrollment was surrendered as "abandoned" at Milwaukee. A undeserved ending for a hard working girl.

Sources:

- Buffalo Democracy, September 1854

- Register of Great Lakes Ships, 1864

- Report of the Secretary of War, 1872 - p. 688

- Chicago Inter Ocean, 8 October 1878

- Detroit Post & Tribune, 17 August 1881

- American Blue Book of Shipping, 1897

- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes Online Index