View source for SS Francis Hinton

{{Short description|Wooden-hulled steam barge sunk in Lake Michigan}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Francis Hinton.jpg
|Ship caption= The ''Francis Hinton'' prior to her sinking
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|merchant}}
|Hide header=
|Ship registry=
|Ship name=''Francis Hinton''
|Ship owner=George G. Oliver
|Ship operator=Marine Navigation Company
|Ship ordered= 
|Ship builder=Hanson & Scove<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship yard number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=1889
|Ship christened=
|Ship maiden voyage=
|Ship identification=U.S. Registry #120754
|Ship acquired=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship in service=1889
|Ship out of service=November 16, 1909<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship fate=Wrecked
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=* {{GRT|417.34}}<ref name="BGSU"/>
*{{NRT|331.07}}<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length={{convert|152.16|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|30.75|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship depth={{convert|10.66|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="BGSU"/>
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship draft=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power={{cvt|385|hp|lk=on}} [[Compound steam engine|Steeple compound engine]]<ref name="GLS"/>
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship crew=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| embed        = yes
| name         = ''FRANCIS HINTON (steamer)''
| nrhp_type    = NRHP
| image        =
| caption      =
| nearest_city = [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin]]
| coordinates  = {{coord|44|06.67|N|087|37.876|W|display=inline,title}}
| location     = Off the coast of [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin]]
| locmapin     = Wisconsin#USA
| area         =
| built        = 1889
| architect    = Hanson & Scove
| architecture = Steam barge
| added        = December 16, 1996
| refnum       = 96001457<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/96001457|title=FRANCIS HINTON (steamer)|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref>
| mpsub        = 
}}
|}

The '''SS ''Francis Hinton''''' was a wooden-hulled steam [[barge]] that sank in a gale off the coast of [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin]], on [[Lake Michigan]] in 1909 while heavily laden with a cargo of lumber.<ref name="F.H.">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/214?region=Index|title=Francis Hinton (1889)|work=Wisconsin Shipwrecks|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref> On December 16, 1996, the wreck of the ''Francis Hinton'' was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris"/>

==History==
The ''Francis Hinton'' (Official number 120754) was built in 1889 by [[Denmark|Danish]] immigrants Jasper Hanson and Hans Scove (collectively known as Hanson & Scove) in Manitowoc for Horatio Truman and George Cooper of Manitowoc.<ref name="Service History">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/214?region=Index|title=Service History|work=Wisconsin Shipwrecks|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref> Her wooden hull was {{convert|152.16|ft|m}} long, her beam was {{convert|30.75|ft|m}} wide, and her hull was {{convert|10.66|ft|m}} wide. She had a [[gross register tonnage]] of 417.34 tons, and a [[net register tonnage]] of 331.07 tons.<ref name="BGSU">{{cite web|url=http://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessel/view/002591|title=Hinton, Francis|publisher=[[Bowling Green State University]]|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref> She was powered by a {{convert|385|hp|lk=on|adj=on}} [[Compound steam engine|Steeple compound engine]] that was built by the Manistee Iron Works of [[Manistee, Michigan]], and a single boiler.<ref name="GLS">{{cite web|url=http://greatlakeships.org/2905577/data?n=2|title=Hinton, Francis (1889, Steambarge)|publisher=Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref> Her listed capacity was {{convert|550.000|board feet}}. She had an Inland Lloyd's rating of A1, and was valued at $35.000 in 1890.<ref name="Service History"/>

In 1891 the ''Francis Hinton'' was sold to the Wisconsin Dredge & Dock Company of Manitowoc. In 1897 the ''Francis Hinton'' was sold to James A. Calbick of [[Chicago]], Illinois. In 1899 the ''Francis Hinton'' was sold to Ausin A. Canavan of Chicago. In 1902 she was sold to Marine Navigation Company of [[Marine City, Michigan]].<ref name="GLS"/> On April 18, 1904, the ''Francis Hinton'' had her tonnage changed to 397 gross register tons, and 273 net register tons.<ref name="BGSU"/> On August 25, 1905, the ''Francis Hinton'' had a collision with the steamer ''Binghamton'' near [[Peche Island]] in the [[Detroit River]].<ref name="GLS"/>

==Final voyage==
On November 16, 1909, the ''Francis Hinton'' left [[Manistique, 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 of [[Two Rivers, Wisconsin|Two Rivers Harbor]]. After the water that leaked into her hull extinguished the fire in her boiler, the ''Francis Hinton'' was left immobile.<ref name="Final Voyage">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/214?region=Index|title=Final Voyage|work=Wisconsin Shipwrecks|access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref>  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 the ''Francis Hinton''{{'s}} crew. Her crew eventually deployed a [[yawl]] and made it to shore safely. Eventually, the ''Francis Hinton'' beached in Maritime Bay,  about {{convert|1.9|mi|km}} northeast of the Manitowoc River. A day after she wrecked, the ''Francis Hinton''{{'s}} crew, and the lifesaving crew stripped her of everything of value on board.<ref name="Final Voyage"/>

==The ''Francis Hinton'' today==
The remains of the ''Francis Hinton'' were rediscovered by sports divers in 1987. Her remains lie broken, and partially scattered in about {{convert|15|ft|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 {{convert|10|ft|m}}. Due to her shallow depth, her wreck has received a lot of damage from ice and waves.<ref name="Today">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/214?region=Index|title=Today|work=Wisconsin Shipwrecks|access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref> The wreck of the ''Francis Hinton'' lies near the wreck of the tugboat {{ship||Arctic|1881|2}}.<ref name="Arctic">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/34?region=Index|title=Arctic (1881)|work=Wisconsin Shipwrecks|access-date=January 2, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{NRHP Lake Michigan shipwrecks of Wisconsin|state=collapsed}}
{{1909 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis Hinton, SS}}
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1909]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United States]]
[[Category:Great Lakes freighters]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:1889 ships]]
[[Category:Steam barges]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Wisconsin coast]]
[[Category:Ships built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Wreck diving sites in the United States]]
[[Category:Ships sunk in storms]]