Revisiting the Christmas Tree Ship

I love Christmas and the Advent season leading up to December 25th. The month of December is full of Christmas concerts, parties, colorful decorations, and--of course--celebrating the "Reason for the Season" the birth of Jesus Christ. Back in 2017, I posted about the Christmas Tree Ship that was an annual event in historic Chicago. We're in Advent season right now, what more appropriate time than now to revisit this unique occurrence and the man who started it? 

Since moving to the Chicago area, I’ve heard many stories about large schooners that wrecked during wild storms on Lake Michigan. I thought the most dangerous storms only occurred in spring and summer, but I've since heard about one wreck that occurred during a late November snowstorm.

Captain Schuenemann (center) & Crew
Public Domain

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Sail-powered ships, or schooners as they were called, populated the Great Lakes. One of the ships, the Rouse Simmons, was built in Milwaukee and made its inaugural passage into service in 1868. In 1870, it became part of a fleet belonging to Charles H. Hackley that hauled lumber from various ports along the shores of Lake Michigan to the port of Chicago. Later, the ship changed owners several times until Herman E. Schuenemann, a native of Wisconsin and a well-establish lake captain, became a part owner.

At the same time, people had begun decorating evergreen trees to display inside their homes to celebrate Christmas. With each year, the demand for evergreens grew, and during December, a small group of lake schooners, loaded with Christmas trees, began making runs from northern Michigan to Chicago. After arriving at the port in Chicago, they sold the trees directly off the ships. One of those ships was the Rouse Simmons. 

Captain Schuenemann loved making the tree run every year, and people soon started calling the Rouse Simmons, the Christmas Tree ship.  And every December, with Captain Schuenemann at the helm, the ship pulled into port loaded down with evergreen trees. By 1912, he had been making the trip for nearly thirty years.

Last Known Photo of the Rouse Simmons (public domain, 
Wikimedia Commons)

Known as Captain Santa, he found great joy in donating many of the trees to needy families. Over the years, his reputation of generosity grew as the ship was eagerly awaited at the port.

By 1912, the Rouse Simmons was 44 years old and showing wear and tear from its years of service as a cargo ship. Still, she was kept in service, and on November 22, 1912, carrying close to 5,000 trees in the cargo hold and on its decks, the ship left for Chicago. Some who witnessed the 

schooner, as it sailed for Chicago, said the vessel looked like a floating forest.

Without the luxury of today’s radar and satellites, there was no way to know about approaching storms and their proximity to the lake. During that trip, a very dangerous winter storm came out of the northwest and caught everyone by surprise. Several known ships sank that day, but no one had seen the Rouse Simmons since it left for Chicago. As word traveled up and down the Wisconsin shoreline, people watched for the missing vessel. Finally, a life-saving station in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, reported a schooner had been spotted heading south, its flag at half-mast—a sure sign of distress. But with poor visibility and no identifying marks on the ship, no one could be sure it was the Rouse Simmons. Rescue boats were immediately summoned, and as soon as they were able, they headed for the spot where the vessel had been sighted. But, when they arrived in the area where the ship was last seen, there was no trace of a schooner.

Schuenemann’s wife remained hopeful that her husband had taken the ship into a safe harbor to ride out the storm and that he would show up in Chicago a few days past schedule. Sadly, the schooner never appeared. However, through the spring and summer of that year, signs of the schooner’s destiny showed up as pieces of Christmas trees began washing up on shore.

Mrs. Schuenemann and her daughters continued the tree business, first bringing the trees to the city by schooners and later by train. After the widow died, the daughters sold the business, and by 1920, the deliveries to Chicago by rail and water ended.

Then in 1924, fishermen found Captain Schuenemann’s wallet wrapped in oilskin, which protected its contents from water damage. The wallet was returned to his wife.

Fast forward to 2006, during an underwater archaeological survey, divers found the ship’s anchor chain, masts, and spar along with the schooner's bow, where many of the trees were stored below and surprisingly still intact. Pictures of these artifacts can be seen on various websites detailing the Christmas Tree ship’s story.

A picture of the wreck that remains at the bottom of Lake Michigan near Two Rivers, WI, is at left. Every year, divers place an evergreen tree on the wreckage.

Although new to me, the legend of the Christmas ship has been around for years, mixed in with ghost stories and sightings of ships once lost to the waters of the lake. There is even a children’s book about the ship. 

Many publications about the Christmas Tree Ship can be found on Amazon.com. But the most interesting one to me is the account described on the Wisconsin Historical Society's website (link is below) that states a snowstorm didn't cause the schooner to go down at all. You can read the text at the website link and decide for yourself. Was it a storm or something else?

Every December, the final voyage of the Rouse Simmons is remembered by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw as it travels the same route and delivers a load of trees to the needy in Chicago.

Have you ever seen a ship wreckage in person? Did you read the Wisconsin Historical accounting of the wreck? Do you think that theory is more plausible? Either way, the ship got into trouble enough that a seasoned ship captain couldn't escape it. 

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES:

You can find many books and documentaries on the Christmas Tree Ship at the following link: 

https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/winter/christmas-tree.html

One of the most colorful and interesting websites to learn more about the history and lore of what came to be called the Santa Claus ship can be found at this link. http://halfpuddinghalfsauce.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-rouse-simmons-christmas-tree-ship.html

Another link will take you to a site that includes more detail than the others. Not sure how much is from known fact, though still interesting to read: http://www.lakeeffectliving.com/Lake-Effect-Guide/Shipwrecks-Rouse_Simmons.html

The photo of the Rouse Simmons wreckage: Image ID: 120451; Creator: Tamara Thomsen. The photo and other similar photos, along with an accounting of what really happened to the Rouse Simmons can be found at https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM120451

Pamela has written most of her life, beginning with her first diary at age eight. Her novels include Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva and her four-book series called the Newport of the West, all set in historic Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She lives in northeastern Illinois with her two rescue cats and is active in her church.

The Legend of the Christmas Tree Ship--Fact or Fiction?

Since coming to the Chicago area over 30 years ago, I’ve heard many stories about large schooners that wrecked during wild storms on Lake Michigan. I thought the dangerous storms only occurred in spring and summer, but I recently heard about a wreck that occurred during late November snowstorm.

Captain Schuenemann (center) & Crew - Public Domain

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Sail-powered ships, or schooners as they were called, populated the Great Lakes. One of the ships, the Rouse Simmons, was built in Milwaukee and made its inaugural passage into service in 1868. In 1870, it became part of a fleet belonging to Charles H. Hackley, that hauled lumber from various ports along the shores of Lake Michigan to the port of Chicago. Later, the ship changed owners several times until Herman E. Schuenemann, a native of Wisconsin and a well-establish lake captain, became a part owner.

At the same time, people had begun decorating evergreen trees to display inside their homes to celebrate Christmas. With each year the demand for evergreens grew, and soon, during December, a small group of lake schooners, loaded with Christmas trees, began making runs from northern Michigan to Chicago. After arriving at the port in Chicago, they sold the trees directly off the ships. One of those ships was the Rouse Simmons. 

Captain Schuenemann loved making the tree run every year, and people soon started calling the Rouse Simmons, the Christmas Tree ship.  And every December, it was Captain Schuenemann at the helm when the ship pulled into port loaded down with evergreen trees. By 1912, he had been making the trip for nearly thirty years.

Last Known Photo of the Rouse Simmons (picture in public domain,
Wikimedia Commons)

Known as Captain Santa, he found great joy of giving many of the trees to needy families. Over the years , his reputation of generosity grew as the ship was eagerly awaiting at the port.

By 1912, the Rouse Simmons was 44 years old and showing wear and tear for its years of service as a cargo ship. Still, she was kept in service and on November 22, 1912, carrying close to 5,000 trees in the cargo hold and on its decks, the ship left for Chicago. Some who witnessed the schooner as it sailed for Chicago, said the vessel looked like a floating forest.

Legend has it that without the luxury of today’s radar and satellites, there was no way to know about approaching storms and their proximity to the lake. During that trip, a very dangerous winter storm came out of the northwest and caught everyone by surprise. Several known ships sank that day, but, no one had seen the Rouse Simmons since it left for Chicago.  As word traveled up and down the Wisconsin shoreline, people watched for the missing vessel. Finally, a life saving station in Kewaunee, Wisconsin reported a schooner had been spotted heading south, it’s flag at half-mast—a sure sign of distress. But with poor visibility and no identifying marks on the ship, no one could be sure it was the Rouse Simmons. Rescue boats were immediately summoned and as soon as they were able, they headed for the spot where the vessel had been sighted. But, when they arrived in the area where the ship was last seen, there was no trace of a schooner.

Schuenemann’s wife remained hopeful that her husband had taken the ship into a safe harbor to ride out the storm and he would show up in Chicago a few days past schedule. Sadly, the schooner never appeared. However, through the spring and summer of that year, signs of the schooner’s destiny showed up as pieces of Christmas trees began washing up on shore. Then in 1924, fishermen found Captain Schuenemann’s wallet, wrapped in oilskin, which protected its contents from water damage. The wallet was returned to his wife.

Mrs. Schuenemann and her daughters continued the tree business, first bringing the trees to the city by schooners and later by train. After the widow died, the daughters sold the business and by 1920, the deliveries to Chicago by rail and water ended.

In 2006, during an underwater archaeological survey, divers found the ship’s anchor chain, masts and spar along with the bow of the wreck where many of the trees were stored below deck and surprisingly still intact. Pictures of these artifacts can be seen at various websites detailing the Christmas Tree ship’s story.

A picture of the wreck that sits at the bottom of Lake Michigan off the shores of Two Rivers, WI is at left. Every year divers place an evergreen tree on the wreckage.

Although new to me, the legend of the Christmas ship has been around for years, mixed in with ghost stories and sightings of ships once lost to the waters of the lake.  There is even a children’s book about ship. 

Many publications about the Christmas Tree Ship can be found on Amazon.com. But the most interesting one to me is the account described on the Wisconsin Historical Society's website (link is below) that states that a snow storm didn't cause the schooner to go down at all. You can read the text for yourself at the website link and decide for yourself. Was it a storm or something else?


Every December the final voyage of the Rouse Simmons is remembered by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw as it travels the same route and delivers a load of trees to the needy in Chicago.

Have you ever seen a ship wreckage in person? Did you read the Wis. Historical accounting of the wreck? Do you think that theory is more plausible? Either way, the ship got into trouble. Trouble enough that a seasoned ship captain couldn't escape. 

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES:

You can find many books and documentaries on the Christmas Tree Ship at the following website where I obtained the information for this article. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/winter/christmas-tree.html

One of the most colorful and interesting websites to learn more about the history and lore of what came to be called the Santa Claus ship can be found at this link. http://halfpuddinghalfsauce.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-rouse-simmons-christmas-tree-ship.html

Another link will take you to a site whose narrative includes more detail than the others. Not sure how much is from known fact though. Still interesting to read: http://www.lakeeffectliving.com/Lake-Effect-Guide/Shipwrecks-Rouse_Simmons.html

The photo of the Rouse Simmons wreckage: Image ID: 120451; Creator: Tamara Thomsen. The photo and other similar photos, along with an accounting of what really happened to the Rouse Simmons can be found at https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM120451

Pamela has written most of her life, beginning with her first diary at age eight. Her novels include Thyme For Love, Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (a reissue of Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin), a 1933 historical romance set in her hometown, and Second Chance Love, a contemporary romance set at a rodeo in rural Illinois. Her novellas, What Lies Ahead, and  If These Walls Could Talk are included in separate collections Future novels include Safe Refuge, a 19th Century historical romance set in  Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (March 2018), and Whatever is True, a sequel to Second Chance Love (Publish Date TBA). She lives in northeastern Illinois with her two rescue cats.

Christmas Tree Ships

 

A few years ago I wrote a short story called The Christmas Tree Schooner for Guidepost Book's A Cup of Christmas Cheer and enjoyed learning all about Christmas tree ships on the Great Lakes. The great age of sail occurred on the Great Lakes following the Civil War with an unprecedented amount of schooners as its main type of vessel. Over 12,000 sailors worked aboard about 1,800 ships, mostly male, carrying up to 300,000 tons annually. Often their masters would have full or part ownership of the vessel and steam power eventually took over the seas, able to haul about a million tons using less vessels. Schooners that continued into the early 20th century, hauled grain, fish, lumber, and Christmas Trees.

Christmas Tree Schooner by Charles Vickery

By the mid 19th century, decorating Christmas trees at Christmas time was a well established tradition brought to America by German immigrants. Many Germans settled around the Great Lakes, in cities like Chicago, and looked forward to the balsams and firs that would be brought to the cities from Michigan's Upper Peninsular. Fisherman and short-haul sailors would risk venturing across the choppy, ice-laden waters to the lumber camps and load up their schooners full of trees, purchased for a few cents each. They would dock their ships along the Chicago River and other ports, setting up make-shift shops. Eager citizens purchased the Christmas trees at seventy-fives cents a piece, garnering a tidy profit from one of the last hauls of the season.

Hauling Christmas trees in late Novemeber and early December on the Great Lakes was risky business. Schooners such as Arendal, Actor, Experiment, Ida, and George L. Wrenn engaged in the hazardous Christmas tree trade during the period of 1876-1920. The schooners F. H. Williams and Coaster are among many who had to be towed into port looking like floating ice bergs, the captain of the F. H. Williams face frostbitten. On the Lady Ellen's first haul her master could not sell her cargo to the Chicago market already laden with Christmas trees. The Caledonia and S. Thal are among those which sank. 

Capt. Scheunemann

The Rouse Simmons is perhaps the most famous of the Christmas tree ships. It was one of the first Christmas ships, and one of the last. Christened in 1868, the schooner spent most of its life hauling lumber. But on November 23, 1912 while transporting its Yuletide cargo of evergreens it was caught in a ferocious storm on the Wisconsin shore. It, too, sank. Captain Herman Scheunemann perished with all of his crew, the same fate of his brother, captain of the S. Thal, several years earlier. The community was saddened by the loss of Capt. Scheunemann, who sold his Christmas trees from the deck of his schooner, tied to Chicago's Rush street bridge, for thirty years. They had Affectionately called "Christmas tree Scheunemann" he was admired for delivering good cheer to his neighbors. Some called him "Santa," as he was said to give some of his trees to the poor. His wife, and three daughters continued to sell trees and wreaths into the 1930's. In 1971, the sunken Rouse Simmons was discovered in Lake Michigan, its hull still filled with Christmas trees.

Today, the tradition is continued by Makinaw, a Coast Guard Cutter. Volunteers unload its cargo of Christmas trees and deliver them to deserving families throughout the Chicago area. After all, what's Christmas without a Christmas tree?

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY OF VOLUME 3 of A CUP OF CHRISTMAS CHEER, featuring my story "The Memory Shop." (Sorry, I'm all out of volume 2 with The Christmas Tree Schooner. Both complete sets can be ordered at Guideposts: see link below.) Please leave your email addy in a comment to be eligible.

Carla Olson Gade's "Upon a Christmas Tree Schooner" is included in Vol. 1 & 2 of A Cup of Christmas Cheer from Guideposts Books and "The Memory Shop" is featured in Vol. 3 & 4. Her novella, "'Tis the Season," is from bestselling Mistletoe Memories. From Carla's heart to yours, Merry Christmas!