The Active was a wooden schooner built in Green Bay in 1845. She often carried a cargo of lumber, typically shingles. In June of 1855 she had struck a bar off of Manitowoc, but she got off in slightly damaged condition even though her cargo was considerably damaged.
The schooner Active was loaded with shingles bound for Chicago, from Manitowoc, when she capsized during a gale off Port Washington. The crew was taken off by the schooner Thorton. Vessel and cargo were owned by Chas. Esslinger of Manitowoc.

The Manitowoc Herald 10/20/1855 contains the following notice of the accident: "She upset in the squall of Tuesday night. The crew, consisting of three men, held on to the rigging, and were taken off about 7 o'clock on Wednesday morning, nearly exhausted, by Captain White, of the schooner Thorton, and brought to this city. At the time Capt. White came to their relief, they were ten miles from the shore, and still drifting further into the lake."

"Capt. Corbit, of the schooner Stronach, reports having seen a boat bottom uppermost off Oak Creek yesterday afternoon (10/18/1855), which proved to be the schooner Active". MS 10/19/1855 p.2 c.2

There are no entries after 1855 for Active until late in 1872 and a few entries show up for a schooner named Active in the Manitowoc Pilot which likely is not the same vessel as the earlier one.
The "Active" was last seen floating capsized 15 miles off of Milwaukee. After the 13th of October 1855, there is no record of the vessel.