Crime & Safety
Ohio: Sheriff Among Victims of Deadly 1865 Ship Disaster Shocked Great Lakes
Akron, OH – A tragic chapter in Summit County history is receiving renewed attention after the Sheriff's Office shared the story of a former Ohio sheriff who died in one of the Great Lakes' deadliest
By Cameron Hayes · 2026-10-23T20:01:55.617Z
Akron, OH – A tragic chapter in Summit County history is receiving renewed attention after the Sheriff's Office shared the story of a former Ohio sheriff who died in one of the Great Lakes' deadliest shipwrecks more than 160 years ago.
According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Lewis M. Janes, the county's second sheriff, was among those aboard the SS Pewabic when the vessel sank in Lake Huron on August 9, 1865, just months after the Civil War ended.
From Ohio Sheriff to Historic Tragedy Janes was elected Summit County sheriff in 1844, four years after the county was established from portions of Portage, Medina and Stark counties.
He won reelection in 1846 and later continued serving as a deputy sheriff under subsequent administrations.
In 1863, Janes became justice of the peace for Portage Township, which included portions of present day Akron.
His life ended tragically two years later while traveling aboard the SS Pewabic with his son Edward.
Deadly Collision on Lake Huron The Pewabic, a 200 foot package freighter, was traveling southbound from Sault Ste. Marie toward Detroit, carrying more than 100 passengers and over 1,000 tons of cargo.
Around sunset, the vessel approached its sister ship, the SS Meteor.
According to the historical account, the ships came within approximately 20 feet before the Pewabic unexpectedly veered into the Meteor's path.
The Meteor struck the Pewabic's port side, tearing a massive hole in the vessel.
Passengers were crushed during the collision, while others drowned as the ship sank.
Sheriff's Office Revisits Forgotten History The sinking remains among the ten deadliest shipwrecks in Great Lakes history, according to the sheriff's office.
The department recently highlighted Janes' life and death in its quarterly newsletter, The SHIELD, bringing renewed attention to the county's connection to the maritime disaster.
The story preserves the legacy of an early Summit County public servant whose life ended far from the Ohio community he served.