John F Miller, 107 foot, two-masted schooner of 179 tons, was built at San Francisco in 1882 by Ludwig Mortensen for B. H. Hanson, her master and managing owner, and others of that port. After many years Hanson sold her to the Pacific States Trading Co., which operated her in the cod fishery. On January 8, 1908, she was blown ashore in Unimak Pass while trying to salvage the wrecked schooner Glen of the same company. A rescue party sent out from Eagle Harbor found 10 of the crew frozen to death, and only one man, a fisherman known as Contrary Gus, still alive. He was frozen to two dead men, from whom he had to be separated with axes. Contrary Gus was carefully thawed out and later went to work for the Pacific Trading Co. in Northwest Harbor.

John F Miller was wrecked with the loss of ten lives in either East Anchor Cove or Bear Harbor (sources disagree) on the coast of Unimak Island in the Aleutian Islands after her anchor chains broke during a gale that struck while her crew was attempting to salvage the 127 ton cod schooner Glen which had been wrecked there on 30 September 1907 under similar conditions. Survivors were picked up by boats from the fishing station after daylight. 10 perished in the disaster. The John F Miller was valued at $6,000 and was carrying a 220 ton cargo of salt and provisions valued at $4,000. All was lost. The insurance on the vessel was $1,500 and there was none on the cargo.

News of Contrary Gus Whom, the Dead Saved From Freezing

The schooner Ivy, Captain Lindquist, of the Union Fish company, arrived in port yesterday morning, 23 days from Bear harbor. The Ivy brings news of the schooner John F. Miller, which went ashore on Unimak Island, near Bear harbor. The John F. Miller drifted from its anchorage January 8 to a perilous berth on the rocks of Unimak Island. A rescue party set out at once from Eagle harbor and the first news of the only survivor, a man known as Contrary Gus, was brought in yesterday by the Ivy. Ten men of the crew were “found frozen to death. Three were frozen together and it required that work, of two men to chop Contrary Gus, who was still alive, from the two who were already stiff in death. Contrary Gus was carefully thawed out and is now working as a fisherman for the Pacific trading company in Northwest harbor. The mate of the Ivy states that the man did not suffer at all. He owes his life to his having sense enough to get between the two other men when he found out that the weather was” getting colder. What remains of the John F. Miller is still on the rocks. The Ivy brought down’ 100,000 codfish, consigned to the Union fish company. None of the severe weather which has been felt on the southern coast for the last week was experienced by the Ivy. May 16, 1908

The San Francisco Call from San Francisco, California Page 15

Juneau Empire November 29, 1934 Contrary Gus