Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. 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. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Anna Tomine OTHER NAME(s): sometimes seen as ANNIE or ANNE Tomine OFFICIAL NO: 1900 (also seen with #29630) REASON: Storm DATE OF LOSS: 4 Oct 1885 LOCATION: Lake Michigan, six miles off Grand Haven RIG TYPE: Scow-schooner HULL TYPE: Wooden BUILDER: Soren Anderson, Green Bay, WI., 1867 OWNER(S): Mizner & Jones MASTER: Capt. John Rowland Disbrow TONNAGE: 127.71 gt LENGTH: 103 ft BEAM: 23 ft DEPTH: 9 ft CASUALTIES: 0 SURVIVORS: 6 Owned 1871 - Nelson, Chicago, rated B2 1879 - C. Michelson, Chicago 1884 - W. S. Williams, Chicago 1885 - Mizner & Jones Sept. 1871 - Ashore at Grosse Point, MI., got off Nov . 1871 - Towed the waterlogged and abandoned schooner ILLINOIS into harbor. Apr . 1872 - Struck pier at Sheboygan & drifted against dock. June. 1874 - Collision with LORNIE A. BARTON off Chicago lost her jib-boom Nov . 1875 - Damaged by storm on Lake Michigan Sept. 1877 - Libeled by Charles H. Coot for $80 and Siezed at Chicago Capt. Disbrow and his five man crew left Muskegon in the early morning hours of October 4th, 1885, with a cargo of lumber and lath bound for Michigan City. As the wind increased, and with the seas running high, the ANNA TOMINE devoloped a serious leak and soon began laboring heavily. The crew manned the pumps as Capt. Disbrow attempted to make harbor. The pumps proved no match for the rapidly gaining water and, within 15 min- utes the vessel was waterlogged. Now unmanageable she slid into the trough and, with a sudden lurch, rolled onto her side only partly righting before another vicious wave struck, rolling her onto her beam ends. Her six man crew clung helplessly to her sides as the seas beat against her and the frigid wind sapped away their strength. The lookout from the Grand Haven Life-Saving Service had spotted the ANNA TOMINE, in obvious distress shortly before 8 A.M., about six miles west. The alarm had already been given and the surboat had pulled out about four miles when the TOMINE rolled over. At about 10:45 A.M. they suc- ceed in reaching the vessel, along with the tug ARTIC, which had been summoned. The high winds and heavy seas prevented any attempt to save the vessel. The numbed crewmen were taken off, one at a time, with Capt. Disbrow being the last to leave the ill-fated vessel, and taken back to the Grand Haven Life-Saving Station. Later that afternoon the Life-Saving Service made another attempt to save the ANNA TOMINE, but had to give up the effort as the storm was still too intense and lines run to her parted. By the morning of the 5th the vessel had come ashore seven miles south of the harbor, but had broken up and was a total wreck. Captain Disbrow wrote an open letter to the Commander and crew of the Grand Haven Life-Saving Station, printed in the Grand Haven Venture on October 14th, highly praising their actions on that day and expressing his gratitude for the rescue and the kindness shown to them afterward at the station. It seems his life was only spared for a short time. Capt. Disbrow later took command of the small schooner ADA, carrying lumber from Muskegon, much like the ANNA TOMINE had done. On October 8, 1888 the ADA left Musk- egon, bound for Chicago with her usual cargo of lumber. After unloading Captain Disbrow told the crew that he was going ashore to purchase provisions for the return trip and was never seen again, his widow later stating that she felt he had been "foully dealt with." ======================================================================== Sources: "Descendants of Thomas & Mercy (Holdbridge) Disbrow" Vol 2, pp. 88-89 Correspondence with Michael S. Disbrow, 19 March 2013 "History of the Great Lakes", Mansfield, Vol. 1 Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1872, p. 688 Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1875, p. 811 Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1876, p. 387 Oswego Daily Times, 17 September 1877 Oswego Palladium, 25 September 1877 Annual Report of the Trade & Commerce of Chicago, 1884 R. L Polk Marine Directory, 1884 Annual Report of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, 1886 Great Lakes Maritime Database, Library of Michigan =========================================================================== If you arrived here from a "SEARCH" you will find other interesting information about Great Lakes maritime history at the following link: http://www.us-data.org/mi/glm/ ===========================================================================