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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== JOHN OWEN OTHER NAME(s): - REASON: disappeared in storm DATE: November 12, 1919 LOCATION: Lake Superior TYPE: propeller, steamer HULL TYPE: composite BUILDER: Detroit Dry Dock, Wyandotte, MI - 1889 OWNER: Richardson & Co. MASTER: George E. Benham TONNAGE: 2,127 gross LENGTH: 281 ft BEAM: 41 ft DEPTH: 20 ft CASUALTIES: 22 SURVIVORS: 0 LAKE STEAMER JOHN OWEN IS STILL MISSING --------- Other Ships Reported to Have Weathered Superior Storm --------------------- Cleveland, Nov. 16 - Owners of the steamer John Owen, several days over- due at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., from Duluth, with a crew of twenty-two, now hold out little hope for the missing steamer caught in a terrific storm on Lake Superior last week. A wireless message from the captain of the steamer Westmount said to-day he passed through wreckage this morn- ing twenty miles southwest of Caribou Island in Lake Superior, including part of a ship's cabin, but could not identify the wreckage as that of the Owen. Two tugs left Sault Ste. Marie to-day to search this vicinity for trace of the Owen ------- Steamer John Owen Missing Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Nov. 16 - With boats that have been lying in shelter at out of the way points along the south shore of Lake Superior, during the gale of the past week, arriving here and at other ports, only the steamer John Owen remains missing. Vessel captains reach- ing here report having seen nothing of the ship, although additional unidenti- fied wreckage has been reported. A tug left here to-day for the Caribou and Michipicoten island districts to iden- tify if possible wreckage reported by wireless by the steamer Westmount and the steamer Colonel which passed up late yesterday will assist with the search. It will not be absolutely certain that the Owen is lost until wreckage that has been sighted by several steamers on Lake Superior is identified. Wreckage Not Identified The captain of the Westmount report- ed that the wreckage he saw consisted of a white cabin but that he was unable to identify it. The steamer Griffin, long over due and for time thought possibly to be wrecked, was at Sault Ste. Marie to-day, according to reports received here. The steamer Od****, which passed up Lake Superior Tuesday at noon and which was due at Duluth Wednesday after- noon was also heard from to-day. She was in shelter at Portage and left there this afternoon with several other boats which were waiting for favorable weather. The steamer Wilpen which was the first to report sighting wreckage off Manitou Islands, docked at Ashtabula to-day. Several other over due steamers also reported. OWEN CARRIED BARLEY The Owen which was built in 1880 was 281 feet long, 41 feet beam and registered 2,217 tons. She left Duluth Tuesday with a cargo of barley. The crew of the Owen when she reached Duluth from Buffalo on its last trip follows: ROSTER OF HER CREW George E. Benham, captain, Cleveland Ira Falconer, chief engineer, Cleveland Horace Fisher, mate, Cleveland John L. Furnch*er, engineer, Cleveland W. J. Riley, engineer, Cleveland W. H. Evans, mate, St. Joseph, Mich John Jarrow, wheelsman, Chicago Hustin Kilborn, wheelsman, Washington, D.C. Harold Mack, watchman, Buffalo Andy Miller, watchman, Buffalo Frank Kelley, deckhand, Cleveland Edward Bol*er, deckhand, Buffalo Raymond Kearn, deckhand, Buffalo Charles Whitemen, deckhand, Buffalo David Larsen, fireman, Hamilton, Ont. John Knieir*a, fireman, Buffalo Horace Rody, fireman, Chateaugay, Canada Harry Hallran, coal passer, Ladysmith, Wis. Patrick Murphy, coal passer, Waterloo, IA Magmus Peterson, and wife, stewards, Sweden Before leaving Duluth for the down trip Captain Benham wired the local owners that two of the crew had left the boat when it reached Duluth and that he had replaced them with two other men but did not give their names. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Monday, Nov. 17, 1919 ------------------------------------------ Capt. George E. Benham was the son of Capt. Charles Edward Benham and Mary J. Prescott. ======================================================================== Sources: Stonehouse, "November: The Cruelest Month" Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Nov. 17, 1919 William R. Coates, "A History of Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland" - 1924