Lake Erie Monthly Facts

January

5th, 1776- Daniel Dobbins was born in Lewiston, PA.
9th, 1789- The conference which led to the Iroquois ceding the Erie Triangle to Pennsylvania was held.
14th, 1906- Erie resident, Rear Admiral Stephen Jones, was born.
22nd, 1814- 300 militia were sent to Erie from Meadville to protect Perry's squadron.
24th, 2003- Erie native Captain Robert Detzel, U.S. Coast Guard, died.

February

6th, 1813- S.S. Caledonia was purchased for Perry's squadron.
7th, 1812- Usher Parsons was certified as a "Practitioner of medicine."
20th, 1912- Earl Sandt became the first person to fly across Lake Erie.
22nd, 1886- The Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home was dedicated.
27th, 1813- The blockhouse was finished for garrison and protection of Perry's fleet.
29th, 1856- Captain Daniel Dobbins died.  His grave is located in the Erie Cemetery

March

6th, 1913- Niagara was raised from Misery Bay for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Lake Erie.
7th, 1907- Rear Admiral Denys Knoll was born in Erie.
19th, 1901- Rear Admiral John Johannesen was born in Erie.
23rd, 1813- Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry arrived in Buffalo on his way to Erie.
27th, 1813- Perry arrived in Erie to take command of the squadron.

April

1st, 1943- Rear Admiral Robert Ellis Frick was born in Erie.
8th, 1911- Rear Admiral Charles Curtze was born in Erie.
9th, 1813- Usher Parsons was suspended from duty for a short period due to "instigations" by Dr. McReynolds.
10th, 1973- Gale force winds pushed Lake Erie's water level to 7.4 feet above normal.
15th, 1878- The Erie Fisherman's Association was formed.
19th, 1913- The Steamer Uganda, from Erie, foundered in the ice while in the Straits of Mackinac.
28th, 1880- Eighty-five year old M. Spencer fished from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM, catching 65 large herring.

May

1st, 1898- Erie resident Captain Charles Gridley was given the order to "Fire when ready" at the Battle of Manila Bay.
3rd, 1753- A French detachment arrived at Presque Isle to establish a fort.
4th, 1971- The 1,000 foot ore carrier Stewart J. Cole was christened in Erie.
5th, 1814- Usher Parsons was commissioned as a "Surgeon of the Navy."
14th, 1814- Perry's squadron sailed for Long Point (Canada) with 900 soldiers to burn "public property."
16th, 1762- Colonel Thomas Forster, Erie resident and captain in the militia guarding Perry's squadron, was born.
18th, 1826- S.S. William Penn, the first steamboat built in Erie, was launched.
19th, 1959- The first overseas ships reached Erie through the St. Lawrence seaway.
24th, 1813- The brigs Lawrence and Niagara were launched in Presque Isle Bay.
25th, 1813- Perry arrived in Niagara, NY to find men for his crews.
27th, 1921- Presque Isle was designated a state park.
29th, 1897- S.S. Niagara was launched at West Bay City, Michigan.

June

1st, 1961- Charles Curtze was commissioned as a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy.
4th, 1901- The Steamer City of Erie, a steamer, outraced the Tashmoo from Cleveland to Erie by 45 seconds.
5th, 1898- Captain Charles Gridley died in Japan.
12th, 1826- Niagara, Lawrence, Detroit, and Queen Charlotte were sold to a Rochester businessman.
13th, 1813- U.S.S. Ohio was commissioned for Perry's squadron.
15th, 1947- A Lake Erie storm flooded the highway and trapped 3,000 people on the Peninsula.
18th, 1869- A boat race was held between the Undine club and the crew of the U.S.S. Michigan.

20th, 1898- America, built for the Erie Tug Line, was launched.
21st, 1949- U.S.S. Wolverine was towed across Presque Isle Bay to be scrapped.

22nd, 1763- The English Fort Presque Isle was surrendered to Pontiac's Indian warriors.

24th, 1909- The Erie Public Dock was dedicated by Governor Edwin S. Stuart.
26th, 1972- The city cleaned up from tropical storm Agnes which dropped 4.5 inches of rain on Erie.
28th, 1921- One week's cruise on the Great Lakes aboard the S.S. North American was advertised for $72.50.

July

1st, 1873- The Presque Isle Lighthouse was completed.
2nd, 1913- The U.S. Brig Niagara was celebrated in "Perry Week."
3rd, 1873- LeGrand Skinner, founder of the Skinner Engine Company, established a small plant in Erie to produce portable steam engines.
4th, 1838- Captain Daniel Dobbins performed the ground breaking for the Erie Extension Canal.
6th, 1913- The Perry Centennial was observed in Erie.
8th, 1813- Marines in Erie were ordered to Fort George, leaving Perry's squadron undermanned and unprotected.
10th, 1813- Perry's squadron was completed, although it was undermanned.
12th, 1873- The Presque Isle Lighthouse was lit for the first time.
13th, 1913- The Niagara voyaged the Great Lakes on display.
14th, 1782- U.S. Brig Niagara commander James D. Elliott was born in Hagerstown, Maryland.
20th, 1782- Benjamin Fleming, an African-American sailor in the battle of Lake Erie, was born. Fleming later made Erie his permanent residence and worked as a commercial fisherman.
26th, 1956- Mr. and Mrs. Neil Gebhardt, of Erie, were rescued after the sinking of the Andrea Doria.
29th, 1927- Captain Robert Detzel, U.S. Coast Guard, was born in Erie.

August

4th, 1814- Perry's squadron aided in an attack on Mackinac Island.
6th, 1813- Perry's squadron crossed the sandbar into Lake Erie.
7th, 1896- The first regatta was held at the Erie Yacht Club.
9th, 1841- The Steamship Erie burned between Erie and Buffalo killing 249 people.
11th, 1813- Perry sailed his squadron from Erie to Put-in-Bay, Ohio.
12th, 1814- The U.S. sloops Porcupine and Somers were captured in the Niagara River.
18th, 1788- Surgeon Usher Parsons was born in Alfred, Maine.
20th, 1975- Pat Bundy completed the first swim across Lake Erie, finishing at Presque Isle.
23rd, 1785-1819- Oliver Hazard Perry was born and died exactly 34 years later.
24th, 1812- Daniel Dobbins returned to Erie after being captured and paroled by the British.

September

2nd, 1872- Building began on the Presque Isle Lighthouse.
3rd, 1812- Daniel Dobbins arrived in Washington to secure a squadron on Lake Erie.
6th, 1814- Scorpion was captured on Lake Huron.
10th, 1813- Commodore Perry won a great naval victory over the British at the Battle of Lake Erie.  The victory helped turn the tide of the War of 1812.
13th, 1873- The three masted schooner, Allegheny, was launched by W.W. Loomis.
15th, 1812- Daniel Dobbins was sent to build a squadron at Presque Isle by the Department of the Navy.
17th, 1876- Five fishermen drowned when their boat swamped less than one half mile from the harbor entrance.
19th, 1942- Erie Sand and Gravel ship S.S. Richard Reiss launched at River Rouge, Michigan.
21st, 1813- General Harrison arrived at Put-in-Bay to join with Perry's fleet.
23rd, 1813- Lawrence returned to Erie.
25th, 1869- Israel Ball, battle of Lake Erie veteran, died of "consumption."
26th, 1812- Work started at Lee's Run, between modern Peach and Sassafras Streets, to build Perry's squadron.

October

1st- Cranberry Day on Presque Isle.
4th, 1759- The French abandoned and burned Fort Presque Isle and Fort LeBoeuf.
6th, 1841- The first Tuesday in October was deemed Cranberry Day at the Peninsula.
22nd, 1813- Perry returned to Erie after the Battle of Lake Erie.
27th, 1889- Adm. George Lowry, Erie native and commander of the rebuilt Niagara, was born.
28th, 1812- Fort Niagara was captured.

November

4th, 1939- Adm. Byrd's snow cruiser arrived in Erie for repairs.
11th, 1939- The Soldiers and Sailors monument was dedicated in Perry Square.
14th, 1894- The Erie Yacht Club was founded.
18th, 1814- James Bird was executed on the deck of Niagara.
20th, 1973- The 1,000 foot barge Presque Isle was christened.

December

5th, 1844- The first two boats carrying passengers and coal reached Erie from the new Erie Extension canal.
6th, 1843- U.S.S. Michigan was launched in Erie.
10th, 1845- Niagara commander Jesse Elliott died.
11th, 1753- George Washington arrived at Fort LeBoeuf.
15th, 1796- General Anthony Wayne died at the Erie Blockhouse.
16th, 1753- Washington departed Fort LeBoeuf for Virginia.
21st, 1917- Vice Admiral Thomas Weschler was born in Erie.
24th, 1814- The Treaty of Ghent was signed, ending the War of 1812.
26th, 1899- The last light was extinguished at the Erie Land Lighthouse.
29th, 1813- U.S.S. Little Belt, previously H.M.S, was burned by the British.
31st, 1812- Commodore Chauncey, commander of U.S. naval forces, visited Erie.