Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2017 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and 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. =========================================================================== PENTWATER NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1872 VOLUME II, NUMBER 99. [extracts of marine news] The Loss of the SOUVENIR Gone was summer with its sunshine With its mild and favoring gales, And the chilling blast of autumn With its snow and sleet prevails; Fierce and still more fierce the west wind Beat against our wave-washed shore; And the lake gave fearful warning None must tempt its dangers more. But the gallant hardy seamen, Used to toil, to dangers bred, Laughing at the winds and billows, Viewing storms with naught of dread, Heeded not the warning given, Manned their gallant craft once more, Bade adieu to friends and kindred, And prepared to quit the shore. While, as if to lure them onward, Milder blew the winds that day, And the raging, restless billows Sunk again to sportive play; And to those who watched and waited For their loved ones came no fear, When by brave men manned and guided, Sailed the gallant SOUVENIR. But no man can read the secrets Nature chooses to withhold; Winds and waters scorn man's prowess And refuse to be controlled; And before the night was ended, Ere they reached their destined port, Winds and waves in all their fury Made the fated bark their sport. What those brave boys met and suffered Through that long and fearful night, When the mad sea came upon them In its wild resistless might, How they toiled, till, chilled and helpless, Powerless to combat the waves, They were swept from off their vessel, And consigned to watery graves. Whether all went down together, Or were swept off one by one; Whether in the night they perished, Or held out to rise of sun; God in mercy only knoweth, It is not for us to know, Best it is we may not fathom Every fearful sight of woe. All we know is, that ere midday, Torn, dismantled, tempest-tossed, At the sport of winds and billows, There was thrown upon our coast, All that evermore might greet us, Of that vessel staunch and true, Which but yester night departed, With the SOUVENIR from view. Of the seven brave men who manned her, Only one now trod the deck, When, upon the shore she drifted, An unsightly, shapeless wreck; And he, too, when home seemed nearer, When the help of man seemed nigh, Bruised and crippled, chilled and helpless, He could only gasp and die. Mourn we for the loved departed, Taken in their pride away; Mourn we with the stricken kindred Who are with us here to-day. May we be by grace enabled, As our hearts with anguish swell, To take home the warning given, Knowing "God doth all things well." - Pentwater, November 30th, 1872. * * * * * * * * Lines to those Parents Who Lost their Sons on the SOUVENIR. Weep not, fond parents, for your sons Have entered into rest; E'en though they met a watery grave, They're now among the blest. Altough no wreath may deck their brow, - No coffin hold their form, They're landed in a heavenly port, And safe from every storm. S. E. H. * * * * * * * * THE SCHOONER SOUVENIR. Further Particulars - Funeral of Frank Whitcomb - No More Bodies Found. Capt. Calbrick, of the MINNIE CORLETT, returned soon after our paper went to press last week, and he is probably the last one who ever saw the schooner SOUVENIR afloat. He says that on leaving Pentwater harbor, the SOUVENIR took a southerly course, while the CORLETT steered as near west as possible. When the squall arose, driving him back, he kept off as long as he could, but finally went on the beach north of Lincoln, about four o'clock in the morning. He saw the SOUVENIR running back about ten o'clock, apparently under a press of canvas, and is confident that she struck the beach before midnight. Capt. D. B. Craine, of the NORTH STAR, has visited the wreck of the SOUVENIR, and thinks that she capsized when she lost her deck load, and that her captain and crew were lost at this time. Frank Whitcomb, being at the wheel, remained on board, but perished in sight of land. Had those who idly stood on shore possessed one-half the courage and bravery shown by Wm. Gerard, poor Frank might have been saved. His body was brought to Pentwater on Thursday morning, and his funeral was attended in the M. E. Church on Sunday after- noon. Excepting Capt. Craine, we are not intimately acquainted with any of the lost, but they were universally regarded as a model crew, strictly temperate, moral and trustworthy, and their sud- den loss has cast a gloom over our entire village. No more bodies have yet been found, although a careful search has been made. Should we never be permitted to perform for them the last sad rites, or drop the sympathiz- ing tear as we lay them in their quiet resting- place on the hillside, yet their memory will ever be cherished in our hearts, until we all leave the shores of time to embark on the ocean of eternity. * * * * * * * * A bridge has just been completed across Pentwater Lake by old Boreas, sufficiently strong to accommodate foot passengers, if they do not go too near the channel. LATER - The tug MESSENGER has completely destroyed the same. * * * * * * * * The tug RUBY still plies across the channel, running up alongside the depot building, and will probably continue her trips until the lake is sufficiently frozen to bear up a team. * * * * * * * * The tug B. W. RICE has already been laid up, and the MESSENGER goes into her winter quarters this week. * * * * * * * * Forty-two vessels are reported ashore between Michigan City and the Manitou islands. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PENTWATER NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1872 VOLUME II, NUMBER 100. [extracts of marine news] (Poem "The Loss of the SOUVENIR" repeated) The schooner HOME left this port for Manitowoc Wednesday morning. The NORTH STAR has laid up for the winter at Chicago. Payson Roberts, Mate, returned on Tues- day by rail. The schooner D. R. OWEN, formerly running to this place, is reported lost on Lake Superior with all hands. The schooner SOUVENIR is so covered with ice that no attempt to get her off the beach will be made until next spring. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PENTWATER NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1872 VOLUME II, NUMBER 101. The Ludington Record has the following in relation to the rescue of the crew of the MINNIE CORLETT: "No little credit is due to the citizens of Lincoln for the energy and courage manifested in their successful though hazardous attempt to save the crew of the MINNIE CORLETT. A gentleman who chanced to come down the beach from Hamlin, saw the ill- fated vessel, and brought word to Lincoln of the disaster, when a yawl was procured and a party of citizens went to the aid of the men on board. The sea was sweeping the deck of the vessel, drenching the helpless sufferers and threatening destruction to anything which should attempt to leave the shore. Capt. Fay, and the captain of the BLACK HAWK, with another gentleman, entered the yawl, and the men went to their arms into the freezing water to launch her. After the most desperate efforts they succeeded in reaching the vessel and rescuing the crew from their dangerous posi- tion, in which they must otherwise have speedily perished. Had a like courage been exhibited by those who first discovered the lone man upon the deck of the SOUVENIR, or had they sooner notified Wm. Gerard and his brave comrade, who so promptly went to the wreck when they learned of the disaster, another life might have been saved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PENTWATER NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1872 VOLUME II, NUMBER 102. (No marine items in this issue.) ==========================================================================