Vessel
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- maritimeshippinglumberingheritage
Summary
The July 1961 Beaver Beacon calls the Rouse Simmons the Christmas Tree Ship and reports a Beaver Island connection through John Manus Bonner, who allegedly bought and refitted the vessel after its 1903 scuttling and operated it until its 1912 loss.
Evidence and limits
This is a source-qualified vessel record based on a retrospective newspaper article. The vessel’s registry, ownership chain, and wreck location require independent maritime records.
Sources
- Beaver Beacon, July 1961, “Rouse Simmons Story.”The retrospective says the schooner was built in 1868, entered the lumber trade, was scuttled in Torch Lake in 1903, was bought and refitted by John Manus Bonner of Beaver Island, and foundered in 1912 after a final charter to the Schuenemann family. These details are preserved as claims reported in the 1961 article; no registry or wreck record is held here.