Station Grand Point Au Sable
USLSS Station #6, Eleventh District
Coast Guard Station #279
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Location:
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1 mile south of light, Lake Michigan
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Date of Conveyance
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1875
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Station Built:
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1876 (?)
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Fate:
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Turned over to the GSA in 1954
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Remarks:
Establishment of a complete life-saving station at "Grand Pointe au Sable" was authorized by the act of June 20, 1874. This station was built "one mile south of light" and opened for service on May 15, 1877. The station is listed with various names such as Big Sable Point (1923) and Grand Point Sable (1925). The station was listed as inactive in 1937. It does not appear in the records after World War II other than that it was turned over to the GSA in 1954.
Keepers:
The name of the first keeper was Thomas Welch, who was appointed at the age of 42 on September 27, 1876, and was removed on May 5, 1877. He was followed by Sanford W. Morgan, who was appointed at the age of 48 on May 5, 1877, and who resigned effective October 3, 1883. Then came James Beauvais (October 3, 1883, until reassigned to the Grand Haven station on January 29, 1885), John Lysaght (January 29, 1885, until reassigned to the Racine station on March 19, 1886), James Flynn (from the North Manitou Island station on March 19, 1886, he drowned on November 29, 1886), John Strain (January 11, 1887, he served here until he resigned on October 12, 1888), George Morency (born in Canada, he was appointed keeper on October 17, 1888, and served until he was reassigned to the Frankfort station on February 1, 1892), George Wilson (February 1, 1892, until his resignation on February 1, 1893), Augus G. Morrison (born in Scotland, he was appointed keeper on February 27, 1893, and served here until being reassigned to the South Chicago station on February 17, 1896), John A. Nelson (February 28, 1896, until reassigned to the Muskegon station on February 15, 1902), Berndt Carlson (February 15, 1902, until being reassigned to the White River station on November 16, 1903), Charles Lysaght (from the White River station on November 16, 1903, he remained here until retiring with thirty or more years’ service on June 26, 1915), Sam J. Carlsen (acting until his appointment on February 10, 1916, and serving until he was reassigned to the St. Joseph station on March 25, 1919), and Abram Wessel (appointed on December 1, 1919, he went to the Point Betsie station on November 10, 1920). The station was carried as "discontinued as an active unit" from 1922 forward; nevertheless, in 1927, Chief Petty Officer F. D. Straubel is listed as being in charge--he went to the Point Betsie station in 1929.
Keeper James Flynn, and Surfmen Oren Hatch and John Smith perished in attempting to go to the assistance of the schooner A. J. Dewey, flying a signal of distress, on November 29, 1886.
Sources:
Station History File, CG Historian’s Office
Dennis L. Noble & Michael S. Raynes. “Register of the Stations and Keepers of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.” Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.
Ralph Shanks, Wick York & Lisa Woo Shanks. The U.S. Life-Saving Service: Heroes, Rescues and Architecture of the Early Coast Guard. Petaluma, CA: Costaño Books, 1996.
U.S. Treasury Department: Coast Guard. Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers and Cadets and Ships and Stations of the United States Coast Guard, July 1, 1941. Washington, DC: USGPO, 1941.