Overview[]
The Sea Wing disaster occurred on July 13, 1890 when a strong squall line overturned the excursion vessel Sea Wing on Lake Pepin near Lake City, Minnesota. Over 200 people were aboard the vessel when it was overturned, and as a result 98 people drowned. An excursion barge that was being towed by the Sea Wing was unharmed. It is one of the worst maritime disasters that has occurred on the upper Mississippi River.[1]
Tornadoes had occurred earlier in the evening farther north in the Twin Cities area,[2] but it is believed that downburst winds from a thunderstorm caused the event.[1]
Ships Information[]
- Ship name = Sea Wing
- Ship completed = 1888
- Ship length = 110 ft
- Ship beam = 20.8 ft
- Ship draught = 4.5 ft
- Ship power = 2 steam engines, 10 in diameter, 6 ft stroke
- Ship propulsion = Sternwheel paddleboat
- Ship notes = Former towboat turned excursion boat
List of dead[]
Those killed were identified as:
Belmont, North Dakota[]
- Alexander O. Anderson (Unknown-1890) Grave
Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin[]
- William Jorgensen (1877-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Millie Kremer (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Leon Kremer (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Roderic L. Mero (1839-1890) Grave
- Austin Mero (1871-1890) Grave
- Myrtle Mero (1876-1890) Grave
- Millie Niles (1874-1890) Grave
- Florence J. Smith (1862-1890) Grave
- Mrs. (David) Nellie Wethern (1859-1890) Grave
- Perley Wethern (1882-1890) Grave
Graysville, Ohio[]
- Eliza J. Crawford (1862-1890) Grave
Hay Creek, Minnesota[]
Hartland, Wisconsin[]
- John Adams (1870-1890) Grave
Red Wing, Minnesota[]
- Phoebe Bearson (-1890)
- Dorothea Behrens (1856-1890) Grave
- John Behrens (1857-1890) Grave
- Dell W. Blaker (1875-1890) Grave
- Sarah M. Blaker (1872-1890) Grave
- Louis Brenn (1863-1890) Grave
- Chas. D. Brown (-1890) Grave
- Joseph Carlson (1869-1890) Grave
- Frederick A. Christ (1867-1890) Grave
- Phoebe Anna Dash (1855-1890) Grave
- Catherine C. Daily (1868-1890) Grave
- Charles C. Dinslage (1857-1890) Grave
- Ira M. Fulton (1853-1890) Grave
- Minnie Fisher (1872-1890) Grave
- Peter Gerken (1845-1890) Grave
- Martha Marie Gerken (1851-1890) Grave
- Henry Gerken (1875-1890) Grave
- Emil J. Gerken (1877-1890) Grave
- Alvina H. Gerken (1880-1890) Grave
- Amandus Gerken (1884-1890) Grave
- George Gerken (1887-1890) Grave
- Ida Green (1872-1890) Grave
- Melissa A. Harrison (1973-1890) Grave
- George Hartman (1851-1890) Grave
- Frederick W. Hattemer (1865-1890) Grave
- Mary Hempftling (-1890) Grave
- Fred E. Hempftling (1870-1890) Grave
- Lizzie Hempftling (1873-1890) Grave
- Herman Hempftling (1866-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Herman Hempftling (1869-1890) Grave
- Mabel Holton (1876-1890) Grave
- Theodore Horwodel (1863-1890) Grave
- J.M. Johanna Humpert(1866-1890) Grave
- Edward Ingebritson (1872-1890) Grave
- John Ingebritson (-1890) [ Grave]
- Thomas Leeson (1873-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Edward Larson (-1890) [ Grave]
- Mrs. Merritt Green Grave
- Gustaf Lenus Lillyblad (1880-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Mary (Ole) Nelson (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Emma Nelson (1872-1890) Grave
- George Washington Nelson (1861-1890) Grave
- W. Henry Newton (1872-1890) Grave
- Randina Olson (1866-1890) Grave
- Mary Olson (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Peter Olson (1860-1890) Grave
- Oren T. Oskey (1873-1890) Grave
- Julia M. Persig (1860-1890) Grave
- Annie Persig (1862-1890) Grave
- Charles Peterson (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Knute E. Peterson (1860-1890) Grave
- Henry Rehder (1882-1890) Grave
- Rosa Rehder (1879-1890) Grave
- John Schoeffler (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Kate (John) Schoeffler (Unknown-1890) Grave
- John Schoeffler, Jr. (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Frederick Schoeffler (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Sophia Schulenberg (1849-1890) Grave
- W Ch. Minna Schulenburg (1887-1890) Grave
- Ch. J. Heinrich Schulenburg (1879-1890) Grave
- D.M. Johanne Humpert Schulenburg (1866-1890) Grave
- Annie Schneider (1870-1890) Grave
- Annie Staiger (1869-1890) Grave
- Francis Staiger (1872-1890) Grave
- John F. Straub (1875-1890) Grave
- Fred M. Seavers (1840-1890) Grave
- Ida Seavers (1874-1890) Grave
- Mrs. Mary F. Scherf (1848-1890) Grave
- Harriet "Hattie" Scherf (1872-1890) Grave
- Mary Skoglund (-1890)
- Henry Steffenson (1872-1890) Grave
- Rikka Vieths (1880-1890) Grave
- Bertha Winter (1878-1890) Grave
Trenton, Wisconsin[]
- Sarah Ella Adams (1876-1890) Grave
- Mamie Adams (1870-1890) Grave
- William Adams (1874-1890)Grave
- Mattie Flynn (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Corden Johnson (1865-1890) Grave
- Nettie Palmer (-1890)
- Alice Palmer (Unknown-1890) Grave
- Adda Way (1869-1890) Grave
- Edna Way (1876-1890) Grave
- James Wilson (-1890)
Welch, Minnesota[]
- Martin Thomas O'Shaughnessy (1863-1890) Grave
Original newspaper reports[]
References[]
- ^ a b Budig, T.W.. "Day-long excursion on Lake Pepin turns into one of the deadliest disasters on Upper Mississippi". EMC. http://www.hometownsource.com/features/SeaWingDisaster/SeaWing.html. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
- ^ Seeley, Mark (2006). Minnesota Weather Almanac. Minnesota Historical Society press. pp. 185–186. ISBN 0-87351-554-4.