Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Lucinda Van Valkenburg OTHER NAME(s): - OFFICIAL NO: 14614 DATE OF LOSS: 1 June 1887 REASON: Collision LOCATION: Lake Huron, near Thunder Bay Island RIG TYPE: Schooner HULL TYPE: Wooden BUILDER: Albert Little, Tonawanda, N.Y., 1862 OWNER(S): T. Hood MASTER: TONNAGE: 301 gt DIMENSIONS: 128.5 x 26.3 x 12.6 CASUALTIES: 0 SURVIVORS: - Oct. 1884 - Thirty-five days out from Buffalo the LUCINDA VAN VALKENBURG arrived at Milwaukee after a most eventful passage, including an entire change of crew. When she was at the foot of the lake, her main gaff was broken and her mainsail split during a northerly gale. She lay at the Manitous while the rest of the fleet came along, as the crew protested against the captain tak- ing her out in the gale and endangering their lives, as they claimed she was overladen, bogged, and un- seaworthy. The VAN VALKENBURG left Buffalo on the night of October 16th with 555 tons of coal for Mil- waukee. She was in tow of the tug A. J. SMITH, with the schooners J. G. MASTEN, G. M. CASE and A. BOODY. The tow broke up the following morning when above Long Point, in a heavy blow from the west, and the VAN VALKENBURG ran back to Port Colborne. She left that place on the following Sunday, October 19th, and no- thing was heard from her for many days. She was given up for lost, and was believed to be the vessel sunk off Mohawk Island. Twelve days after leaving Port Colborne, she reached Detroit River. There she got a new master and a new crew. 6 Dec. 1886 - En Route from Ludington, MI to Chicago loaded with lumber when she got caught up in a storm. Lost her rudder when off Racine. The next morning found her covered with ice about 5 miles off St. Joseph, MI. Foul weather prevented a rescue until the next day when the life-savers took off the 7 exhausted and half frozen crew. Towed into port the next day. 1 June 1887 - Bound for Chicago with coal in thick weather when she was struck on the port side by the propeller LEHIGH about 3 miles above Thunder Bay Island. The crew was taken aboard the LEHIGH as the VAN VALKENBURG sank inside four minutes. Her masts were removed by the revenue cutter FESSENDEN a few weeks later as they were an obstruction to navigation. ======================================================================== Sources: Engineering and Mining Journal, Vol. 38, 1884 - p. 371 Merchant Vessel List, 1885 Marine Record, 15 December 1887 Annual Report U.S.L.S.S. - 1887