Gallinipper

Originally named Nancy Dousman, the ship was built in 1833[2][3] by Augustus Jones and G. W. Cochran on the Black River in Ohio,[2][3] for Michael Dousman, the western agent for John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company.[2] Named for Dousman's daughter Nancy,[2] Nancy Dousman carried goods from the eastern United States to the Wisconsin Territory frontier and returned with furs from the frontier for markets in the eastern United States.[2][3] Nancy Dousman also carried employees of the American Fur Company and other passengers, including immigrants who settled the Wisconsin Territory's frontier.[2] In addition to his work for the fur company, Dousman established a warehouse, gristmill, and sawmill at Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, in 1835, and he used Nancy Dousman to bring supplies to Milwaukee and transport grain to markets in the eastern United States.[2]

Nancy Dousman was sold to new owners a number of times.[3] She ran aground at least twice, but was refloated each time.[3]

In 1846, shipwright Henry Gibson rebuilt the ship at Milwaukee, increasing her cargo capacity.[3] Renamed Gallinipper, she returned to service, based at Milwaukee and engaged in transporting cargoes of lumber.[3] She again was sold and resold,[3] and experienced a number of mishaps, sinking at Beaver Island in Lake Michigan on July 7, 1848, running aground at Milwaukee in 1850; and sinking at the mouth of the Milwaukee River in May 1851.[3] She was refloated and returned to service each time.

During a voyage from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Bay de Noque, Michigan, to pick up a cargo of lumber and carrying a crew of seven and two passengers, Gallinipper capsized in Lake Michigan 8 to 10 nautical miles (15 to 19 km; 9.2 to 11.5 mi) off the coast of Wisconsin between Manitowoc and Sheboygan during a rain squall on July 7, 1851.[3][4] She righted herself, but then capsized again, and her crew and passengers abandoned ship and were rescued by the schooner Cleopatra.[3] Waterlogged, Gallinipper became mostly submerged, but did not sink.[3] The schooner Crook sighted her on 9 July 1851 and reported her to be nearly underwater.[3] The schooner Convoy later made an unsuccessful attempt to take her under tow 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) from Manitowoc, but gave up and abandoned her 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) southeast by east of Manitowoc after salvaging her mainsail, main boom, and main gaff.[3] Despite a search for her by her captain, she was not found again and was presumed to have sunk.[3] Valued at USD$3,000 and insured for USD$2,000, she was declared a total loss.[3]