The GRECIAN was one of six sister ships. All but one were lost, the SAXON which was sold and renamed the ANNE JENSEN. The BRITION wrecked on Point Abino in Lake Erie during 1929, the GERMAN (renamed YANKEE) sunk in collision off Fire Island, New York in 1919, the NORMAN lost 20 miles north off Presque Isle in Lake Huron following a collision in 1895, and the ROMAN (renamed LIBERTAS) foundering east of Sandy Hook, New Jersey in 1919.

The sinking of the GRECIAN started when she ran aground, in a heavy fog, while entering the St. Mary's River to deliver a load of coal to the Detour fueling station. Emergency patchwork was completed and she left DeTour in the tow of the steam tug, Henry Bessemer. The plan was to have the work completed in a Detroit Shipyard. She left DeTour with 4 of her water bottoms full but without a cargo she seemed to float well enough. On June 15, 1906 while off Thunder Bay Island in rough weather, her tank tops gave way flooding her cargo holds and the building air pressure blew the hatches right off. All of her 20 member crew made it to the Str. Bessemer safely as she settled to the bottom 108 feet below.

A salvage attempt was made by a Dr. Stroud who had bragged publicly that he would have her tied up in Alpena within 10 days. His plan was to use canalons, a pair long steel cylinders, to lift her from her grave. The use of canalons on a wreck so deep was questionable. When filling them with air one burst sending a quantity of air to the surface large enough to threaten the salvage ships. No further attempts were made to raise her and her loss was valued at $200,000 by her owners the U.S. Steel Corporation.

Approximately 4.6 miles, 199 degrees from Thunder Bay Island Light

Sources: Bedford 2000; Hoagman 1999; NOAA 1999; Stonehouse 1992; Swayze 1999; McConnell; Kauffman; Barker