AH-WR-1826

J.A. Travis

Schooner · United States · Lost November 1893; institutional heading gives November 17, while the reproduced account describes Friday–Saturday and was printed November 25. · Door County & Lake Michigan

A three-masted cargo schooner grounded near North Bay while seeking shelter in November 1893; her crew was rescued.

Become Captain of Record

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

J.A. Travis was built by W. Arnold at Pentwater, Michigan, in 1867 for the Graham Brothers. The wooden three-masted schooner survived earlier capsizing, lightning damage and collisions, and was rebuilt in 1874 and 1885. In November 1893 Captain Albert Icke sought shelter at North Bay while carrying wood, potatoes and farm products from Ellison Bay to Milwaukee. The vessel missed stays and grounded on a reef off North Point. A life-saving crew brought by tug Evenson rescued the captain and his men; vessel and cargo were declared total losses.

Vessel

Built: 1867
Registry: US registry no. 13862
Builder: W. Arnold
Yard: Pentwater, Michigan
Material: Wood
Length: 106 ft
Beam: 20.6 ft
Tonnage: 101.28 gross tons
Propulsion: Sail; three-masted schooner
Owners: Graham Brothers (original); Albert Icke (final)

Loss

Date: November 1893; institutional heading gives November 17, while the reproduced account describes Friday–Saturday and was printed November 25.
Cause: Grounding
Location: Reef off North Point, east side of Door County, approaching North Bay
Water: Lake Michigan
Voyage: Ellison Bay, Wisconsin → Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cargo: Wood, potatoes and other farm products
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 0
Master: Albert Icke

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Declared a total loss on the reef; present condition and verified site not established.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: Not established
Accuracy: Position not established
Nearest: North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin
Region: Door County & Lake Michigan

Institutional inventory coordinates are not independently verified as final wreck positions; omitted.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (88/100)

The exact casualty day, unambiguous total aboard, depth and verified modern wreck position are not established.

Wisconsin Shipwrecks — Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Sea Grant
Full construction table, registry number, builders and rebuilds; complete November 1893 grounding and rescue narrative, cargo and total loss; December 5 enrollment surrender distinguished from casualty day.