SSFrancis Hinton

TheFrancis Hintonprior to her sinking
History
United States
Name	Francis Hinton
Owner	George G. Oliver
Operator	Marine Navigation Company
Builder	Hanson & Scove
Launched	1889
In service	1889
Out of service	November 16, 1909
Identification	U.S. Registry #120754
Fate	Wrecked
General characteristics
Tonnage	417.34GRT 331.07NRT
Length	152.16 ft (46.38 m)
Beam	30.75 ft (9.37 m)
Depth	10.66 ft (3.25 m)
Installed power	385hp(287kW)Steeple compound engine
FRANCIS HINTON (steamer)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Off the coast ofManitowoc, Wisconsin
Nearest city	Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Coordinates	44°06.67′N087°37.876′W
Built	1889
Architect	Hanson & Scove
Architectural style	Steam barge
NRHP referenceNo.	96001457
Added to NRHP	December 16, 1996

TheSSFrancis Hintonwas a wooden-hulled steambargethat sank in a gale off the coast ofManitowoc, Wisconsin,onLake Michiganin 1909 while heavily laden with a cargo of lumber.On December 16, 1996, the wreck of theFrancis Hintonwas listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.

History

TheFrancis Hinton(Official number 120754) was built in 1889 byDanishimmigrants Jasper Hanson and Hans Scove (collectively known as Hanson & Scove) in Manitowoc for Horatio Truman and George Cooper of Manitowoc.Her wooden hull was 152.16 feet (46.38 m) long, her beam was 30.75 feet (9.37 m) wide, and her hull was 10.66 feet (3.25 m) wide. She had agross register tonnageof 417.34 tons, and anet register tonnageof 331.07 tons.She was powered by a 385-horsepower(287kW)Steeple compound enginethat was built by the Manistee Iron Works ofManistee, Michigan,and a single boiler.Her listed capacity was 550.000 board feet (1.29786 m³). She had an Inland Lloyd's rating of A1, and was valued at $35.000 in 1890.

In 1891 theFrancis Hintonwas sold to the Wisconsin Dredge & Dock Company of Manitowoc. In 1897 theFrancis Hintonwas sold to James A. Calbick ofChicago,Illinois. In 1899 theFrancis Hintonwas sold to Ausin A. Canavan of Chicago. In 1902 she was sold to Marine Navigation Company ofMarine City, Michigan.On April 18, 1904, theFrancis Hintonhad her tonnage changed to 397 gross register tons, and 273 net register tons.On August 25, 1905, theFrancis Hintonhad a collision with the steamerBinghamtonnearPeche Islandin theDetroit River.

Final voyage

On November 16, 1909, theFrancis HintonleftManistique, Michigan,for Chicago, heavily laden with a cargo of lumber. After encountering a gale, her crew discovered that she was taking on water and decided to try and get her to the safety ofTwo Rivers Harbor.After the water that leaked into her hull extinguished the fire in her boiler, theFrancis Hintonwas left immobile.Her crew dropped her anchor, but the large waves kept on pounding her hull and letting water in. Eventually, her captain ordered her anchor line cut, and she drifted ashore. The Two Rivers Lifesaving determined that the seas were too rough to attempt to rescue theFrancis Hinton'screw. Her crew eventually deployed ayawland made it to shore safely. Eventually, theFrancis Hintonbeached in Maritime Bay, about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) northeast of the Manitowoc River. A day after she wrecked, theFrancis Hinton'screw, and the lifesaving crew stripped her of everything of value on board.

TheFrancis Hintontoday

The remains of theFrancis Hintonwere rediscovered by sports divers in 1987. Her remains lie broken, and partially scattered in about 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. The wreckage consists of her bilge, her boiler, her four-bladed propeller. Also on the site are the remains of her Steeple compound engine. Visibility at the site is usually about 10 feet (3.0 m). Due to her shallow depth, her wreck has received a lot of damage from ice and waves.The wreck of theFrancis Hintonlies near the wreck of the tugboatArctic.