By James Heinz
The birchbark canoes of the Great Lakes fur trade ranged in size from about 24 feet to 40 feet in length and could carry between 3,000 and 9,000 pounds. Fur traders had to pay between four and fourteen of the famous voyageurs to paddle each canoe, which was expensive.
Photo at top of page: The GRIFFON by Karl Kuttruff
The French explorer LaSalle had recognized this and in 1679 he constructed the famous Le GRIFFON (The Griffin) above Niagara Falls. The GRIFFON could carry 12,000 pounds of cargo with a crew of only 5 men, resulting in considerable savings in manpower and money.
GRIFFON model located in Milwaukee’s Central Library. Photo by Sarah Finn.
WMHS files show that British fur trader John Askin came to the same conclusion and in 1777 he launched the single masted sloop WELCOME at Michilimackinac (Mackinac). She had a length of keel of 47 feet and displaced 30 tons empty and could carry 30,000 pounds. WELCOME could carry 50 barrels or 90 people total with as few as 5 crew.
She was similar in size, carrying capacity, and crew to the first ship to visit Milwaukee, HMS FELICITY, also built by Askin: https://wmhs.org/the-first-european-ship-that-visited-milwaukee/
Building even such a small ship in such a remote wilderness location was a challenge. Although there was plenty of wood with which to construct a ship, nothing else required for a sailing ship was available in the immediate vicinity. All iron, sails, cordage, and tackle had to be brought to the site with great expense. Construction had to be suspended in the winter due to the cold.
In 1779, His Majesty’s Government felt the need for more firepower on the Lakes and bought the ship from Askins. The booklet THE SEVERAL LIVES OF THE SLOOP WELCOME says that during that time WELCOME patrolled the Lakes and transported supplies. At least one of her crew was an African slave named Pomp. WMHS files contain her log book for a couple of years and show no major incidents.
WELCOME replica
She remained property of the King until at least 1782, although she is last mentioned in 1781. Then she just disappeared from government records. The most common explanation is that she was scuttled after suffering ice damage or she was lost in a storm in Lake Huron.
But the WELCOME would rise again. And disappear again.
1976 was the year of the American Bicentennial and people in Traverse City, Mich., decided to build a full size replica of the WELCOME. To me, building a replica of a British ship to commemorate a revolution against Britain is like building a replica of a Japanese warship to commemorate Pearl Harbor. It took until 1980 to complete
The replica sailed the Mackinac Straits area for many years until the owners realized something that WMHS member Chuck Sterba once told me: A boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into. The owners discovered that a replica 18th century wooden ship is like a small child or a Great Dane puppy: they are cute at first but cost a lot more money as they grow older.
The WELCOME was eventually pulled out of the water and turned over to a local businessman when she proved too expensive to repair. Then she disappeared again.
The ship was on display for many years behind a Mackinac area restaurant but the internet now says that she is on display next to a Harley Davidson store in Mackinac City. If you know where the ship is now, please let me know.
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James Heinz is the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s acquisitions director. He became interested in maritime history as a kid watching Jacques Cousteau’s adventures on TV. He was a Great Lakes wreck diver until three episodes of the bends forced him to retire from diving. He was a University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee police officer for thirty years. He regularly flies either a Cessna 152 or 172.
