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THE SINKING OF THE ERIE WAVE
EIGHT LIVES LOST
October 4, 1889 - TILSONBURG OBSERVER
Nearly two weeks ago while the schooner "Erie Wave" owned by W. V. Emery of Port Burwell and captained by Thos. Stafford was loading off shore a little below Clear Creek, she was driven ashore in a gale.
By September 30th, after ten days of work, there were some signs that progress was being made. Captain Stafford was expecting a wind and was optimistic that the "Erie Wave" could be winched off in a rising sea.
Last Monday a gang of men under Capt. D. Foster of Port Burwell succeeded in getting the stranded vessel off the first sand bar, about 20 rods from shore, where they decided to leave her 'till morning. However, some time during the night the men on board decided to haul her off to her anchor, when she filled and capsized, drowning Captain Stafford, Robert Marlatt, Edward Soper, George Bell of Port Burwell and Lewis Stephens, James Stephens, Charles Crawford and Lewis Hilkey (Lewis Helka) of Clear Creek. Three men only swam ashore and were saved - Thomas Baker, Ayarish Vaughn Jr. of Port Burwell and Joseph Crawford of Clear Creek. Most of the unfortunate victims have families and it is one of the saddest affairs that have occurred in many a year in this neighbourhood.
This statement appeared in a paper shortly after Lewis' death - "October 28, 1889 - Mr. Hulkey (Helka) of Clear Creek, one of the men who drowned off the 'Erie Wave' left a wife and family in rather destitute circumstances. A subscription was taken up in Port Rowan for the family and $50 was raised. One of the sportsmen of the Point sent over twenty dollars."
From:
MEMORIES
A History of Port Burwell
By Frank and Nancy Prothero
ERIE WAVE
One of the best known vessels to be built at Port Burwell earned a reputation on the Great Lakes as a jinx ship. Tragedy followed the ERIE WAVE throughout her short career.
Hymenas Haskins, of Port Burwell, had always wanted to own the fastest schooner on the lakes. By 1881 the best of the schooner days were over and steam was rapidly replacing sail on the Great Lakes. The Port Burwell ship yards, which had once resounded to the pounding and sawing of dozens of ships carpenters, had now fallen quiet. Hymenas was no longer a young man and in the fall of 1881 he decided to make his dream come true. He commissioned a large schooner to be built, one of the largest ever constructed in the port, 160 feet on the keel. During the winter of 1881-82, the vessel took shape on the banks of the Otter Creek. She was, however, very different from the schooners that had been built her for decades. She was very narrow and her masts were much too high for her narrow beam. Friends and neighbours shook their heads in disbelief and warned that she would be a dangerous vessel, but Mr. Haskins persisted.
The ERIE WAVE made her maiden voyage in 1882, carrying a cargo of elm bolts to Buffalo. On the face of it, it appeared that Hymenas Haskins was right all along, for the trip was made in record time. Complaints were heard from those who sailed her. They said she was too tender and only quick action by the crew saved her from being capsized. She was already earning a reputation. Fearful that her critics might be right, Hymenas sold her to Youell and Emery.
The firm of Youell and Emery, shipbuilders, millers and merchants placed the ERIE WAVE under the command of Captain Thomas Stafford. Under his command several trips were made to Lake Huron and Lake Ontario as well as on Lake Erie but her reputation with the community of working sailors did not improve.
In 1885, James MacPherson joined the roster of the ERIE WAVE at Port Burwell. His mother was the cook and he signed on as the schooner left Port Burwell for Buffalo. MacPherson completed the voyage but asked to be paid off in Buffalo. She was much too tricky a vessel for him, he explained. He also tried to persuade his mother to leave the ERIE WAVE but she elected to stay aboard.
A few days later, a large schooner rounding Long Point in a gale, came across a vessel upside down in the water, with three men clinging to her. A rescue was soon effected and it was learned that the capsized schooner was the ERIE WAVE. Her cook and an unnamed crew member were lost.
The ERIE WAVE was righted and pumped out. After some minor repairs, she was put back into service.
In September of 1889, the ERIE WAVE was off Clear Creek when a gale blew her in on the beach, grounding her on the clay bottom. Getting her off was going to be no easy task, and Captain Stafford hired an extra crew to help with the work. He ballast was removed and some repairs were made to her hull. Her anchors were taken out into deep water and firmly hooked on the bottom so she could be kedged off, and a crew was kept busy at the pumps.
By September 30th, after ten days of work, there were some signs that progress was being made. Captain Stafford was expecting a wind and was optimistic that the ERIE WAVE could be winched off with her own windlass in the rising surf.
Charlie Crawford was one of the Clear Creek boys that had been hired to help free the grounded schooner. His sixteen year old brother, Joe, came along to visit but stayed to help as the wind began to freshen out of the south. As predicted, the waves began to lift the ERIE WAVE and she moved into deeper water. The crew was immediately ordered to set sail.
As she moved forward, the big schooner pitched violently. The pumps had been abandoned in order to raise sail and water was pouring in her split seams. Her movement forward was too rapid to allow the ground tackle to be lifted and somewhere off shore she tripped, fell off into the trough and capsized. In the darkness and confusion the crew shouted to each other as they clung to the rigging and pieces of wreckage.
Azariah Vaughn, of Port Burwell, decided to strike out for shore and bring help. He didn't know how far out they were but he calculated that it was less than a mile. He was a young man and a good swimmer and felt this might be the only chance the men on the ERIE WAVE had to survive. His swim to shore was a long and exhausting one and once there he was confronted with the steep clay banks. After pulling himself above the pounding surf, he had to rest for half an hour before he was in any condition to reach higher ground.
Meanwhile Joe Crawford and Tom Baker had also come ashore. The residents were aroused and lamps were lit to be carried along the brow of the cliffs by those who kept an anxious vigil throughout the night.
There was no harbour at Clear Creek, and it was impossible to launch a boat in the pounding surf. A rider was sent to Port Rowan to summon help.
When dawn arrived the twisted and broken wreckage of the ERIE WAVE could be seen about a half mile off shore. Waves continued the destruction that had begun the night before. Not a living soul was to be found. In all, the ERIE WAVE claimed eight victims that night. Captain Tom Stafford left a wife and three children at Port Burwell. Captain George Bell, of Port Dover, who sailed as mate was also lost. Edward Soper of Vienna and Robert Marlatt of Port Burwell lost their lives. Charlie Crawford, Jim Stevens, Len Stevens and Lew Pelky [Helkey], representing much of the younger generation of the little village of Clear Creek were also victims of the ill-fated ERIE WAVE.
Azariah "Ki" Vaughn returned to Port Burwell. In later years, after the schooner days were long gone, his sons entered the fishing industry and became known all along the north shore of Lake Erie. He never forgot the tragic voyage that ended the short career of the ERIE WAVE.
The news of the tragedy of the ERIE WAVE spread quickly along the north shore to Port Burwell and was the topic of conversation in many homes where the loss was deeply felt. In hemlock, just east of Port Burwell, Mrs. Peter Mercer's 13 year old son asked, "Who will pay the cost of all the wreck?" Mrs. Mercer was a teacher and she penned the following reply to her son.
Hark! What mean these awful tidings?
ERIE WAVE was wrecked last night,
Wrecked, My God? and eight men have perished,
Never more to see the light.
Loving fathers, sons and brothers,
Tender husbands, all were lost,
Who can estimate their value?
Who can calculate the cost?
Friends and neighbours vainly searching
For those bodies since the storm,
Little brothers, hot tears streaming,
Looking for their loved one's form.
Grieving fathers, mourning mothers,
Some with hair like winter's frost,
Many hearts are bleeding for you,
But they cannot count the cost.
But remember in your sorrow,
He who walked upon the Sea,
He hath said in every trouble,
"I will surely comfort thee."
Wives and mothers, do not weep so
For the loved ones tempest tossed,
Look to Jesus, he can help you,
He can sum up all the cost.
He will gather up those bodies,
Though you never see them more,
He will keep His eye upon them,
Though they toss from shore to shore
Though their dust may strew the lakebed,
Not one atom will be lost,
For he knoweth all their value,
Yes, and He can pay the cost.
Who can tell what prayers were offered
Clinging to that stranded ship?
When death stiffened tongue and lip?
He who prayed for those who pierced Him
Saved the thief upon the cross
He will hear all cries of mercy
For he died to pay the cost.
A NIGHT OF TERROR - Aylmer Sun
Wreck of the "Erie Wave" as related to the "Aylmer Sun' by survivor Joe CRAWFORD
Clear Creek October 12, 1889
I was on board the Erie Wave when she capsized. The night was intensely dark and chilly, a heavy gale had sprung up and the waves raged furiously, rocking the schooner to and fro so violently that all on board became terribly sea-sick. About midnight the storm grew worse and the captain said to Bell & Soper, "I will out the cable and let her go on shore." They answered, "No let her ride it out." Scarcely had the words left their lips when she capsized. Being pretty full of water, for the pump had refused to work all night, she failed to right herself and lay rocking on her side, the heavy billows rocking over her until her spar went out. I expected every minute to receive a death blow, as I struggled in the darkness and chilling waves to secure a clinging position. After I had succeeded I asked the captain if all were on board. He shouted back he was. I asked "Is Charlie there?" He replied that he was just ahead of him. Just then I heard a cry for help beneath. It came from Geo. Bell who was suffering from rheumetism and unable to help himself. I aided him to a secure position and was about to go to help my brother when a wave swept me off. Fearing being struck or rocked under if I returned to the schooner, I resolved to make to shore. Then came a struggle which no words can describe. Only those who have had a similar experience know how much the mind is capable of thinking, the heart feeling and the body of enduring in a watery combat. Nerved with energy that desperation gives and buoyed by the hope of saving my brother and comrades, struggled fiercely in the raging waves. My heavy overcoat and woolen clothing burdened me, but I dared not pause a moment to strip. Over and under the water swimming in every imaginable way to save strength I at last began to get near shore. Even then had mine been the only life at stake, I would have gone down. Every nerve and muscle was straining to the utmost to resist the angry waves thar receded from the clay cliffs. Several times I almost succumed, but a strong determination got me ashore. There a precipitous clay cliff met me which I began to climb by digging one hole after another with my feet. I had almost reached the top when exhaustion overcame me and I fell back some 15 feet and laid a moment stunned. A cry for help reached me from the perishing ones and seemed to give me supernatural strength for immediately I scaled the cliff that I could not have climbed in daylight. Then I climbed up another gentle slope and met another steep projection from which I again reeled and fell another few feet. Making a mighty effort I again gained the lane. In my eagerness to find a dwelling I took no precautions and in the darkness violently ran into a fence, knocking me almost senseless. Rallying, however, I followed the fence and soon reached Daniel Moore's residence. No time was lost in spreading the news. Light soon came, the lifeboat was sent for, but all was in vain, for nothing dared face the turbulent seas. When morning dawned, it was plain to see that none were aboard. My brothers, brother-in-law and myself immediately began to search for the bodies. We searched the beach day and night until we recovered six; deep grief wringing our hearts, as one by one we lifted them from their watery grave.
On the 1871 Census of Woodhouse, Norfolk South, Ontario are:
Helkey Lewis, Male, Aged 27, Born Ontario, W. Meth., Prussian, Labourer, Married
Helkey Charlott, Female, Aged 28, Born Ontario, W. Meth., Prussian, Married
Helkey Dortha, Female, Aged 3, Born Ontario, W. Meth., Prussian, Married
On the 1881 Census of Walpole, Haldimand, Ontario are:
Lewis Helka, Married, Male, German, aged 40, born Ontario, Farmer, C. Methodist
Charlotta Helka, Married, Female, German, aged 40, born Ontario, C. Methodist
Dortha Helka, Female, German, aged 13, born Ontario, C. Methodist
Annabell Helka, Female, German, aged 9, born Ontario, C. Methodist
Josephas Helka, Male, German, aged 8, born Ontario, C. Methodist
Wellington Helka, Male, German, aged 6, born Ontario, C. Methodist
Loranna Helka, Female, German, aged 4, born Ontario, C. Methodist
William Helka, Male, German, born July * Ontario, C. Methodist
Norfolk Deaths, Houghton - Lewis Helkie, October 1st, 1889, Male, 40 years, Labourer, Born Township of Walpole, Drowned, Religion None, H. J. Mitchner, Clear Creek, March 4th, 1890, None, A. P. Shapley
On the 1891 Census of Houghton, Norfolk South, Ontario are:
Helkas Sharlot, Female, Aged 47, Widowed, Head, Born Ontario, Father Born U. S., Mother Born Ontario, Disipel, Farmer
Helkas Joseph, Male, Aged 18, Single, Son, Born Ontario
Helkas Wellington, Male, Aged 16, Single, Son, Born Ontario
Helkas Emma G., Female, Aged 14, Single, Daughter, Born Ontario
Helkas William O., Male, Aged 10, Single, Son, Born Ontario
Helkas John H., Male, Aged 7, Single, Son, Born Ontario
On the 1891 Census of Houghton, Norfolk South, Ontario are:
Bates Charles C., Aged 32, Male, Married, Head, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontaril, Methodist, Fish Dealer
Bates Nancy J., Aged 31, Female, Married, Wife, Born Ontario, Father Born New Brunswick, Mother Born Ontario, Methodist
Bates Agnus, Aged 11, Female, Married(sic), Daughter, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario, Methodist
Bates Mark, Aged 9, Male, Single, Son, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario, Methodist
Bates William H., Aged 5, Male, Single, Son, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario, Methodist
Bates Ida B., Aged 3, Female, Single, Daughter, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario, Methodist
Barie William, Aged 35, Male, Married, Domestic, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario,
Hulkee Hanna B, Aged 19, Single, Domestic, Born Ontario, Father Born Ontario, Mother Born Ontario, Baptist, Cook
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Rainham Builders
1841 - 1889 (48 years)