Piracy on the Great Lakes: True Tales of Freshwater Pirates

For over forty years, writer and photographer Mikel Classen has immersed himself in the rich history and culture of Northern Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP). His latest work, Piracy on the Great Lakes: True Tales of Freshwater Pirates, uncovers the fascinating and lesser-known stories of pirates who sailed the vast freshwater seas of the Great Lakes. In this article, we dive into the unique maritime history of the region, explore some notorious pirates, and uncover how piracy shaped this rugged frontier.

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The Unique History and Culture of the Great Lakes Region

Because of the nature of the Great Lakes, a culture was created through the mix of Native Americans, French trappers, miners, loggers, and maritime sailors that can be found nowhere else. Like many places, the Michigan frontier was rough and lawless. It was a perfect mix for piracy to flourish.

Living in the UP, one quickly realizes how deeply rooted this history is, but few realize that piracy was also part of this story. It is a mysterious part of our past, shrouded in secrecy as a pirate’s deeds were those that could get a man hung. Renegade sailors and captains preying on ships and settlements across the lakes were not uncommon.

Freshwater Pirates: Who Were They?

Contrary to the romanticized image of Caribbean pirates in flamboyant costumes, Great Lakes pirates were practical and ruthless, wearing wool and flannel. They were often ordinary men who turned to crime—stealing cargo, raiding ships, and resorting to violence to maintain silence. No witnesses are the best witnesses.

The USS Michigan was the only law enforcement vessel patrolling the entire Great Lakes region, pirates had plenty of opportunities to strike when it was out of sight. With thousands of miles of waterway to patrol, The USS Michigan had a bigger job than it could handle. Pirates exploited this gap by stealing goods from docks or ships and quickly reselling them at different ports, making piracy a lucrative and low-risk venture during the 19th century.

 

Notable Pirates and Piracy Stories of the Great Lakes

Dan Seavey: The Escanaba Pirate

“Roaring” Dan Seavey stands out as one of the most notorious pirates in Great Lakes history. Originally from Maine, he migrated westward and found the Great Lakes region a perfect place for his illicit activities due to its rugged, lawless frontier. Seavey led a fleet of schooners, raiding ships and shore settlements. He poached and smuggled venison along with women for brothels.

James Jesse Strang and the Beaver Island Pirates

James Jesse Strang was a unique figure—a Mormon leader who declared himself king of his followers on Beaver Island. Strang and his band of pirates, often polygamous and enforcing strict religious laws, raided settlements across northern Lake Michigan, claiming the islands as their own territory. Their tactics included stealing livestock, ships, and supplies, often intimidating locals with public punishments for dissenters.

Strang’s reign ended violently when he was assassinated by his own followers, after which non-Mormon residents banded together to expel the Mormons from the island in what became known as one of the darkest episodes in Michigan history.

The Apostle Islands Pirates

Another intriguing tale comes from the Apostle Islands near Bayfield, Wisconsin. A group of pirates named themselves after the apostles—Mark, Luke, and John—with a leader called “Chief.” They operated during the fur trade era, raiding French shipments and even robbing payrolls. It is told that the Apostle Islands received their name from the Apostle pirates. Piracy during the fur trade years was rampant with wars between the fur trade companies resulted in massacres.

Bully Hayes: From the Great Lakes to the South Seas

Bully Hayes began his pirate career on Lake Erie but eventually sailed to the South Seas, where he became a legendary figure featured in dime novels and pulp fiction. While his exploits in the Great Lakes were typical raiding and theft, his South Seas adventures elevated his notoriety far beyond the freshwater seas.

Wreckers, Timber Pirates, and Prohibition-Era Smugglers

Piracy on the Great Lakes wasn’t limited to raiding ships. “Wreckers” deliberately caused shipwrecks by manipulating lighthouse signals or using fake lights to lure vessels onto rocks, then looted the wreckage. Both James Strang’s followers and Dan Seavey employed these tactics, especially in treacherous areas like the Beaver Islands.

Timber piracy was another major problem in the 1800s, with pirates stealing logs and lumber from federal lands. Interestingly, many settlers supported these pirates because they wanted the forests cleared to make way for farming. This led to the “Timber Rebellion” of 1853, where pirates even rammed the USS Michigan in defiance of federal law enforcement.

During Prohibition, piracy took on a new form with bootleggers smuggling vast quantities of alcohol across the Detroit River. One infamous figure known as the “Gray Ghost” wore gray clothing and a mask, running booze between Detroit and Windsor. The sheer volume of alcohol moved—valued at over $200 million in one year along just one stretch of water—made this era a golden age for Great Lakes piracy.

The Legacy and Mysteries of Great Lakes Piracy

Most Great Lakes pirates were motivated by profit rather than treasure, stealing commodities rather than gold or jewels. However, legends of lost treasures persist, such as the rumored Civil War gold lost near Poverty Island in Lake Michigan and possible hidden riches left behind when the Mormons were expelled from Beaver Island.

These tales, along with the rugged and often brutal reality of piracy on the freshwater seas, paint a vivid picture of a frontier region where lawlessness and survival intertwined. The stories of these freshwater pirates remind us that piracy was not just a Caribbean phenomenon but a part of the American heartland’s history as well.

Continuing the Exploration of Upper Peninsula History

Mikel Classen continues to explore the rich and sometimes dark history of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula through his writing. His upcoming works promise to uncover more wild and surprising stories from this rugged and fascinating region. Keep following for more.

To learn more, check out my book: Piracy on the Great Lakes – True Tales of Freshwater Pirates.

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