In the middle of the nineteenth century a lot of people from the East of Holland emigrated to the US. One of the most popular destinations was Wisconsin. In 1847 a group of those emigrants were on the propellor Phoenix, which would bring them from Buffalo to Sheboygan and beyond. In the early hours of November 21, 1847 the propellor burnt. About 25 people rescued themselves using two lifeboats, while a few other were saved by another ship, the Delaware.

The passengers of the Phoenix consisted almost exclusively of Dutch emigrants. Most of them came from Afgescheiden (seceder) backgrounds, following in the footsteps of Van Raalte. They came mostly from the eastern part of the Netherlands.

The trip was the last scheduled trip for the Phoenix that year, since the winter was already setting in. The Phoenix would take the passengers to Milwaukee and Chicago.

Only a few hours after the Phoenix departured from Manitowoc the fireman discovered the pumps of the steam engine didn't work properly. They should pump water in the boilers to cool them down. However, the level of the cool water was far too low.

While the Phoenix was burning, some of the lifeboats try to get to shore. Around half past three in the morning, people in Sheboygan saw the light of the fire.

During the disaster, over 200 people lost their lives while less than 25 people survived. This page lists the names of the people who were or board or who might have been on board.

There are many other people who have researched the Phoenix disaster and written about it. This page gives an overview of online and paper resources with more information about this tragic event.