Lake Erie Shipwreck Map "D" and Index

The following is a numerical index to the "D" section of the Lake Erie shipwreck map. For a complete listing of all major shipwrecks on Lake Erie, see the alphabetical index. Please note, this index does not include every accident and collision, nor does it mention the innumerable incidents involving small pleasure boats and private yachts, but rather those disasters which befell commercial vessels resulting in total or near total loss.

We have included losses involving boats which were subsequently removed. Wherever possible salvage of the wreck will be noted. The reason for these inclusions is to dispel the many myths which arise concerning lost shipwrecks, where the vessels involved were in fact raised and removed and sometimes repaired and returned to service.

Also, it must be noted that many of these wrecks involved vessels running ashore where they broke up. In these cases little if anything of the wreck would survive considering the nature of the weather along these coasts. Any remains on a beach or sandbar would likely be pulverized over time by wave action. Portions of remains in deeper water which protruded from or reached near the surface would eventually be ground off by the action of winter ice flows. Only those vessels which sank in relatively deep water and away from harbors and shipping lanes are likely to remain in place and be somewhat intact.

117 Rochester: Freight barge of 472 tons sank 11/?/1852 8 miles East of North Girard, Pennsylvania. Seven crewmen died in the incident.

117 St Louis: Wooden 2 mast brig of 114 ft caught in a squall on 8/30/1860, driven onto the beach and wrecked just West of Erie, Pennsylvania.

118 Adam Shuman: Barge broke in half and sank in rough weather on 11/5/1926 off Erie, Pennsylvania while in tow of the steamer Barryton.

119 British Lion: Wooden 3 masted schooner of 85 ft sank in a gale 10/27/1891 1/2 mile off Erie, Pennsylvania.

119 Detroit: Armed sloop of 50 tons sank ?/?/1797 3 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. The Detroit carried a cargo of military supplies. This was the first American flagged vessel on the lake.

119 Chenango: Wooden propeller passenger steamer of 176 ft burned and sank 4/11/1890 off Erie, Pennsylvania. The wreck was later raised and rebuilt as the steamer Lizzie Madden.

119 Howard S Gerken: Steel sandsucker of 241 ft Sank in a gale 8/21/1926 off Erie, Pennsylvania in 80 feet of water. The Gerken had just finished taking on a load of sand when it was wrecked. According to Mary Howard "We found the wreck in 1994, before leaving Lake Erie. DGPS: N 42 16.415 W 080 03.360 / 7.74 miles @ 11 degrees off Erie can buoy 79' depth The wreck is totally turned turtle, with bow S. This is not an interesting wreck to dive as it is entirely upside down and sunken well into the lake bottom, but it is a new wreck location for most divers. The wreck lies N/S. The two props are visible at the stern (N). There is some machinery (a derrick or crane as I remember, well off the West side of the wreck). There is a hole in the hull about midship on the West side where the suction hose was attached. (This was removed during the unsuccessful attempt to raise the ship). The anchor was well south of the wreck. There was some wooden debris off the West side of the hull near the stern. Since it has been over a decade since we dived this wreck, the wooden debris and hole in the hull might now be below the lake bottom."

119 Hunter Wills: Wooden steam tug of 89 ft burned 10/22/1931 in the harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania.

119 John Grant: Wooden schooner of 75 ft capsized and sank in a storm 5/?/1845 off Erie, Pennsylvania.

119 Sandy Pat: Fishing tug of 11 tons sank on 11/3/1969 while being towed to harbor by its sister tug the Donna F. Two crewmen died in the incident. This vessel may in fact have gone down off of Erieau, Ontario. Any information in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

Institute For Great Lakes Research, Bowling Green State University

119 Tempest: Wooden freight steamer of 159 ft sank on 8/27/1918 in a storm. While 20 miles off shore the vessel was discovered to be leaking badly and steamed for port, but sank 4 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. One crewman died in the incident.

119 Tracy: Armed snow of 53 tons ran aground and wrecked in a storm ?/?/1809or1812 near Fort Erie.

119 William Penn: Side wheel steamer of 214 tons stranded and broke apart in a storm 5/28/1836 near Erie, Pennsylvania.

120 Aimie: Steamer of 10 tons stranded 11/20/1880 off Presque Isle, Pennsylvania and broke apart.

120 Bay City: Steam freight barge of 450 tons sank on 11/20/1880 5 miles East of Erie, Pennsylvania. The Bay City carried a cargo of coal.

120 Eldorado: Schooner of 489 tons sank on 11/20/1880 East of Presque Isle at the mouth of the harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania.

120 Francis Mills: 2 masted brig of 76 ft ran aground and broke in two 10/12/1847 on the Erie, Pennsylvania peninsula while running for shelter in a storm. The vessel carried a cargo of flour, butter, meat, oats, and staves at the time.

120 George Frost: Steam freighter burned 9/?/1879 in the harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania.

120 Isolde: Wooden steam freighter of 298 ft ran aground and sank on 4/27/1933 2 miles East of Erie, Pennsylvania and 400 yards offshore. The Isolde was being towed at the time and broke loose leading to the wreck.

120 Rob Roy: Schooner barge of 144 ft sank 9/17/1912 in a storm four miles off Erie, Pennsylvania.

120 Troy: Wooden passenger and package freight propeller steamer of 163 ft damaged by fire 2/?/1850 at Erie, Pennsylvania. The vessel was repaired.

120 U S S Niagara: Wooden 2 masted naval brig of 480 tons sank in Misery Bay at Erie, Pennsylvania ?/?/1833 due to hull failure. The wreck was due to neglect. The vessel, Perry's flagship at the battle of Lake Erie, was eventually raised and rebuilt and now sails out of Erie on tours of the lakes.

152 S K Martin: Wooden freight steamer of 153 ft sank 10/12/1912 off Harbor Creek, New York.

154 Salina: Schooner of 80 tons burned by its captain late in the winter of 1813 while trapped in ice 9 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. Captured by the British in 1812 at Fort Macinac from Captain Daniel Dobbins, the Salina was being used as a supply boat. Captain Dobbins later escaped and helped the US establish the shipyard at Erie, PA. During the winter of 1813 the British at Amherstburg were desperate for masts, spars, sails, and other marine supplies needed to complete the HMS Detroit. The Salina was sent to Port Dover, Ontario to retrieve these. On its return to Amherstburg, the Salina became trapped in ice flows and was abandoned by its crew. Later after drifting Southward with the flows, the vessel was spotted off Erie by Captain Dobbins who mounted an over the ice salvage operation. Everything of value was removed and the hull was torched to prevent its recapture. The marine supplies were used by the Americans in the construction of the brigs Niagara and Lawrence.

155 Oneida: Steamer of 345 tons sank 11/11/1852 5 miles West of Ripley, New York. Swayze claims the Oneida capsized and sank in a gale while Ackerman states the wreck was due to a collision. Both agree that nineteen lives were lost in the incident. The wreck supposedly lies just offshore. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 27.476', 80deg 01.021'.

156 La Jean Florin: Frigate sank 7/?/1721 approximately 5 miles offshore between Erie, Pennsylvania and Barcelona, New York according to Ackerman. However, we are unable to find confirming documentation. Swayze suggests that the Florin more than likely sank off Barcelona Spain, since no vessels of its type were reported to have sailed the upper lakes at this date. We recently received word from Brendon Baillod which I have quoted as follows: "I wanted to let you know that I did find reference to a vessel by the name of Le Jean Florin that was lost off Barcelona, Spain. It was just a casual reference in a recent treasure hunting book, but along with the obvious historical contradictions, it does pretty much exclude this vessel from serious consideration as a Great Lakes wreck. I tried to track down the unscrupulous researcher who first propagated this myth and I traced it back to the late 1960s and one of the many obscure, low budget treasure books that were produced without references or footnotes. The authors (who aren't named) try to list possible sources for treasure in the Great Lakes and mistakenly placed Le Jean Florin off Barcelona, New York. I suspect it was done purposefully to sell books. I am relatively sure that this is the source of the myth because the wreck does not appear in any Great Lakes materials before the late 1960s."

156 Wyandot: 2 masted schooner of 79 ft sprang a leak and sank in a storm 10/20/1853 15 miles East of Erie, Pennsylvania in 75 feet of water. The crew escaped in a small boat. The vessel carried a cargo of coal at the time of the wreck.

157 City Of Rome: Wooden freight steamer of 268 ft caught fire and sank 5/6/1914 just offshore. Supposedly the Rome's keel and machinery is still visible just below the surface.

157 Helen Strong: Passenger steamer of 253 tons stranded and broke up on 11/2/1846 just below a 60 ft cliff near Barcelona, New York. Two people died in the wreck while sixty others were hoisted up the cliff face to safety.

157 Mautenee: Schooner barge of 200 ft driven ashore and broken apart on 10/20/1905. Ackerman claims 9 miles West of Barcelona New York, while Swayze states the Mautenee sank in Lake Ontario! Both give the same tonnage, length and date of sinking. We shall investigate and post the correct information.

157 Ollie Neville: Wooden schooner or stern wheel steamer of 93 ft, wrecked 1/3/1905 off Ripley, New York.

158 Dean Richmond: Propeller freighter of 238 ft sank 10/14/1893 in a terrific storm off Dunkirk, New York with its entire crew of 23. The Dean Richmond was last seen afloat badly damaged, without power and in the trough of the waves by another damaged steamer as it made for shore. For a century the Richmond was one of the most sought after lost ships of the lake. The vessel carried a valuable cargo of zinc ingots and assorted merchandise. The wreck was recently discovered by Garry Kozak after a nearly ten year search, inverted 5 miles off the Pennsylvania/New York border in 95 feet of water. The Niagara Diver's Association originally gave a GPS location of 42deg 17.95', 79deg 59.99'. Their web site currently lists a position of 42deg 17.421', 79deg 55.859'.

159 John J Boland: Steel freighter of 253 ft capsized and sank quickly on 10/5/1932 7 1/2 miles Northwest of Barcelona, New York in a terrible storm. Four crewmen died in the wreck. The vessel carried a cargo of coal. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 22.794', 79deg 43.929'.

160 Charles H Burton: Schooner of 158 ft driven ashore and broke apart on 10/10/1905 4 1/2 miles East of Barcelona, New York. The Burton carried a cargo of coal.

161 American Scout: Barge of 422 tons sank on 11/2/1937 in a storm 15 miles North Northwest of Barcelona, New York while in tow of the tug Ballenas along with two other barges the American Sailor, and Betty Hedger. The Scout carried a cargo of sulphur.

161 Betty Hedger: Barge of 460 tons sank in a storm along with the barges the American Scout and the American Sailor on 11/2/1937 while being towed off Barcelona, New York. The Hedger carried a cargo of Sulphur. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 25.110', 79deg 36.528'.

161 Brandywine: Sloop capsized and sank ?/?/1846 off Barcelona, New York with the loss of three crewmen.

161 Chief Justice Marshall: Wooden 2 mast schooner of 105 ft ran ashore and broke to pieces on 11/1/1862 between Dunkirk and Barcelona, New York. The entire crew died in the wreck.

161 Lizzie Harvey: Barge of 426 tons sank on 11/11/1937 approximately 6 miles North of Barcelona, New York. The Harvey carried a cargo of Sulphur and was likely in tow of the Ballenas along with several other barges which were also wrecked 9 days earlier. See entries 161 and 169 for more information.

161 New Connecticut: Wooden schooner of 60 tons sprang a leak and capsized in a storm, autumn 1833 off Portland, New York. This was one of the more bizarre incidents in the history of Lake Erie shipwrecks. The vessel was bound from Conneaut, Ohio to Buffalo, New York when it sprang a leak in a storm. It began to roll and was quickly abandoned by its crew. The aunt of a Captain Appleby, one of the owners of the vessel, was in her cabin when the New Connecticut capsized. Three days later her nephew arrived on the steamer William Peacock to search for her body. A diver was sent down and probed the cabins with a pike, but found no one. Two days later the wreck was towed into port, pumped out and righted. As soon as the vessel was upright, Captain Appleby's aunt staggered out onto the deck and collapsed. She had survived five days in her inverted cabin in water up to her shoulders.

161 Pennsylvania: Wooden schooner capsized in a storm on 10/18/1844 off Barcelona, New York. The vessel was down bound with a cargo of flour. The entire crew of ten perished in this wreck.

162 E P Dorr: Schooner of 216 tons sank on 11/15/1881 10 miles North of Barcelona, New York after striking Tecumseh Reef 20 miles East of Long Point. Seven of the crew died in this incident.

163 Columbus: Wooden side-wheel steamer of 39 tons struck a pier in a storm and sank 3/28/1848 at Dunkirk, New York.

163 Annie P Dorr: Wooden propeller steam tug of 76 ft sank in a storm 11/26/1888 outside the harbor at Dunkirk, New York while attempting to rescue the tug Edward Maytham. The crew of the Dorr was in turn rescued by the tug James Adams.

163 Anthony McCue: Wooden canal barge of 114 ft stranded in a storm on 11/8/1925 2 mi off Dunkirk, NewYork after breaking loose from the tow of the steamer Barryton.

163 Dayton: Wooden 2 mast schooner of 69 ft capsized and sank in a powerful gale on 10/20/1844 near Dunkirk, New York.

163 Dewitt Clinton: Wooden side-wheel passenger steamer of 413 tons hit a pier and sank with a cargo of bricks 5/1/1851 at Dunkirk, New York. The Clinton was repaired and ran as a cattle transport until 1869 when it was scrapped.

163 George J Whelan: Steel sandsucker of 220 ft capsized and sank suddenly on 7/29/1930 6 miles off Dunkirk, New York. The wreck was due to the cargo of stone shifting. Fifteen crew members died.

163 Good Intent: Wooden schooner of 30 tons wrecked in a storm ?/?/1825 2 miles Northeast of Dunkirk, New York.

163 Manzanilla: Wooden 3 mast schooner of 137 ft driven ashore by a Southwest gale and wrecked 10/13/1887 at Van Buren Point 6 miles West of Dunkirk, New York. The crew made their way ashore. The Captain was later rescued by the fishing boat Beecher. The Manzanilla carried a cargo of either lumber or stone block at the time of the wreck.

163 M Dousman: Wooden schooner of 86 ft sank off Dunkirk, New York.

163 Missouri: Schooner while bound for Buffalo 10/16/1854 lost its masts in a sudden gale off Barcelona, New York, drifted onto a bar just off the harbor mouth and broke in half. The vessel carried a cargo of coal at the time of the wreck.

163 Pacific: Wooden schooner of 80 ft while bound from Oswego, New York to Cleveland, Ohio was caught in a gale on 10/18/1844 and was blown ashore near Dunkirk, New York and broken apart. The vessel carried a cargo consisting of barrels of salt.

163 Paugasset: Wooden propeller of 140 ft caught fire on 8/23/1856 while docked at Dunkirk, New York. When the fire threatened the dock, the vessel was cut loose and drifted to the breakwater where it burned to the water line.

163 Princeton: Propeller Freighter blown aground and wrecked ?/?/1854 near Van Buren Point, New York. The Princeton carried a cargo of agricultural implements.

163 Sachem: Steel propeller tug of 72 ft sank due to unknown causes on 12/18/1950 off Dunkirk, New York. The entire crew of twelve died in the wreck. The vessel was later raised and was found to be completely intact.

Institute For Great Lakes Research, Bowling Green State University

164 Golden Fleece: Schooner of 161 ft blown onto the beach on 10/14/1890 or 93 and broken apart 7 miles West of Dunkirk, New York.

164 Sciota: Wooden propeller steamer of 155 ft while bound from Toledo to Buffalo on 9/2/1864 the Sciota collided with the steamer Arctic and sank rapidly by the bow just East of Dunkirk, New York. The vessel carried a cargo of 12,000 bushels of wheat at the time.

165 Colonial: Propeller steamer of 215 ft caught fire and sank 9/2/192(5or6) off Barcelona, New York. Four people died in this incident. The wreck was later recovered for scrap.

165 Passaic: Steamer of 196 ft sank on 11/1/1891 either 1 or 4 1/2 miles Northwest of Van Buren Point, New York. The Niagara Diver's Association gives a GPS location of 42deg 28.760', 79deg 27.782'. We have not yet verified this location.

166 Annabell Wilson: Schooner barge of 174 ft sank on 7/12/1913 approximately 1/2 mile off Dunkirk, New York in 42 feet of water. Two crewmen died in the wreck. The Wilson carried a cargo of coal.

167 Robert Fulton: Wooden side wheel passenger and package freight steamer of 139 ft went on the rocks in a gale on 10/25/1844 and broke apart 14 miles East of Dunkirk, New York near Evans, New York. Four lives were lost in the wreck. The Fulton carried a cargo of general merchandise at the time of the wreck.

168 Chicago: Wooden side-wheel package and passenger steamer of 105 ft lost its fires when its stacks were broken in a gale on 11/8/1842. The Chicago ran aground and wrecked 3 miles East of Silver Creek, New York. The vessel may have subsequently been salvaged.

168 Derrick: Wooden salvage schooner sank in a gale over the wreck of the steamer Erie 9/29/1854 off Silver Creek, New York. The Derrick had just arrived at the site of the Erie after a salvage attempt over the Atlantic.

168 H F Merry: Wooden 3 mast schooner of 121 ft Blown ashore in a storm on 11/12/1883 Near Silver Creek, New York 16 miles from Buffalo. The crew escaped in a yawl. The cargo of wheat became soaked, swelled, and broke the vessel apart at the seams.

168 George Washington: Side-wheel passenger steamer of 609 tons burned on 6/15/1838 off Silver Creek, New York with the loss of the lives of from 30 to 50 passengers.

168 Osceola: Brig driven ashore and wrecked ?/?/1846 near Silver Creek, New York. The Osceola was well known on the lakes for having been the first vessel to carry a cargo of grain directly from Chicago to the East.

168 Young Zion: Steamer sank on 6/13/1881 2 miles off Walnut Creek, New York. The Zion carried a cargo of railroad iron and supposedly also had a great deal of cash on board. The wreck lies in 60 feet of water.

169 American Sailor: Barge of 429 tons beached on 11/2/1937 in a storm at Barcelona, New York while in tow of the tug Ballenas. See the two other barges the American Sailor, and Betty Hedger for more information. The Sailor carried a cargo of sulphur.

169 City Of Detroit: Wooden propeller steamer of 652 tons sank in a gale 9/10/1873 4 miles off Barcelona, New York. The vessel carried a cargo of copper, silver, and gold at the time of the wreck. This was eventually recovered.

170 Brunswick: Iron freight steamer of 228 ft sank on 11/12/1881 in a snow squall after ramming the schooner Carlingford 20 miles offshore. The Brunswick's bow was damaged in the collision and while running for shore the vessel took water and sank 8 miles North Northeast of Dunkirk, New York. For more information see the Carlingford entry number 186 below. The Niagara Diver's Association originally gave a GPS location of 42deg 35.431', 79deg 24.558'. Their web site currently lists a position of 42deg 35.510', 79deg 24.527'.

170 Comet: Schooner sank 11/11/1835 off Dunkirk, New York. The entire crew perished. The Comet carried a cargo of iron at the time of the wreck.

170 Ohio: 2 masted schooner capsized and sank in a gale 9/18/1856 10 miles off Dunkirk, New York. The entire crew of four got away safely in a yawl, but the captain later drowned when the boat rolled in the surf. The vessel carried a cargo of staves at the time.

171 Columbian: Schooner of 131 ft sank in a storm 9/4/1913 off Dunkirk, New York. The Columbian carried lumber.

171 Dacotah: Wooden steam freighter sank on 11/24/1860 in the worst autumn blizzard on Lake Erie recorded up until that time. Swayze, Boyer and other sources claim the vessel went down with all 24 crewmen in mid lake. The Dacotah carried a valuable cargo of copper ingots. Ackerman places the wreck aground and salvaged 3 miles South of Sturgeon Point, New York. A local diver named Dave Gorbett has provided us with the following information. The wreck now lies approximately one mile South of Sturgeon Point, New York. The Dacotah was steering for shelter in a bay off Angola, New York when it struck a submerged rock tearing open its hull. The vessel immediately began breaking apart in the surf. The entire crew reached shore alive and climbed a steep bank to take shelter from the blowing snow in a nearby ravine Several days later their frozen bodies were discovered by the Erie County coroner named William Bennett while he was inspecting his property for storm damage. Ironically Bennett owned a fully stocked lodge and cabins just beyond the ravine! Dave goes on to report that the remains of the wreck including the capstans and rudder are in place while the rest is scattered and covered with zebra mussels. A great deal of cargo such as pottery, stove parts, and other household and farm goods may also be found.

171 Erie "City Of": Side-wheel passenger steamer of 176 ft caught fire, burned to the waterline and sank with a great loss of life on 8/9/1841 off Silver Creek, New York. This was the first of Lake Erie's three great passenger steamer tragedies. Just prior to leaving Buffalo the Erie had been largely repainted. The six painters remained on board to finish the job at the next lay over. Unfortunately they left their paint and turpentine in a pile on the deck where around 9:00pm it was ignited by sparks from the boats stacks causing an explosion. Three vessels, the steamers DeWitt Clinton, Lady, and Chatauque, all over 20 miles distant saw the flames and turned to attempt a rescue. The Erie carried over 200 passengers, mostly immigrants and all but one of the life preservers were aflame before the crew reached them. This was given to a Mrs. Lynde of Milwaukee who was the only woman to survive the disaster. The vessel's engines were stopped and two of the three small lifeboats aboard were successfully launched. These were quickly swamped and capsized in the waves. As the flames spread the passengers and crew jumped into the choppy water. When the Clinton arrived after the passage of over an hour it found a few badly burned survivors still clinging to the flaming hull. The Clinton picked up 27, most of whom had hung onto the overturned lifeboats. The Lady arriving shortly afterwards rescued two more, bringing the total number of survivors to 29. Among these were the Captain, most of the senior crewmen, and one of the painters. Early the next morning the remains of the burned hull sank in 66 feet of water while the Lady and Clinton were attempting to tow it to shore. Although considered impossible at the time, this vessel was raised and removed in 1852 by divers working for Johnny Green. Prior to this, dives of over 45 feet were considered suicidal. A great deal of melted gold and silver (supposedly worth over $200,000.00) was recovered making Johnny Green both rich and a local legend. For more information in this regard see the Atlantic number 174 below.

171 Otter: Schooner of 105 ft driven ashore and broken apart on 10/10/1895 in a gale. Swayze places the wreck in Lake Michigan at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, while Ackerman states Sturgeon Point, New York as the site.

172 E Cohen: Brig of 265 tons stranded ?/?/1877 18 miles due South of Buffalo. This vessel was refloated and repaired and later sank in Lake Huron in 1890.

173 Ada Medora: Schooner of 137 ft blown ashore in a gale on 10/6/1906 and broken apart.

173 International: Steam ferry burned to a total loss 12/3/1854 while docked in Buffalo, New York.

173 Jefferson: Passenger schooner blown ashore in a gale 11/18/1842 near Buffalo, New York and broke apart. Nine people died in the wreck.

173 J M Lee: Wood schooner scow of 124 tons driven ashore 6/18/1866 and broken to pieces in a surprisingly widespread and violent Spring storm

173 Tecumseh: Wooden side-wheel steamer of 139 ft stranded and wrecked in a storm on 11/14/1850 near Buffalo, New York.

173 William Peacock: Wooden side-wheel passenger steamer of 120 tons burned on 9/17/1830 after a boiler explosion while docked in Buffalo harbor. Several crewmen and passengers died in the accident. The Peacock was the first vessel on Lake Erie to be destroyed in this manner.

173 Wiltranco: Steel bulk freight barge of 585 tons stranded 10/26/1967 near Hamburg, New York after breaking away from the tug Francis Small. After two years the remains of the vessel were recovered and scrapped.

Institute For Great Lakes Research, Bowling Green State University

174 Atlantic: Side-wheel passenger steamer of 267 ft sank on 8/20/1852 after colliding with the propeller steamer Ogdensberg in a heavy fog 4 miles due East of the tip of Long Point. This was the third of Lake Erie's three great passenger steamer tragedies. The ship was carrying far in excess of its usual number of passengers and anywhere from 150 to 250 drowned in this disaster. The Atlantic had a freight cargo and $36,000 of American Express gold (in 1852 dollars) in its safe. For this reason it became the focus of the most famous, long running, and unprofitable salvage operation in the history of Lake Erie. The wreck lies in 165 ft of water and Johnny Green the diver who was hired to raise the safe spent years developing new pumps and hoses capable of withstanding the pressures involved. For more information in this regard see the Erie number 171 above. In 1855 after many attempts over several seasons the safe was found and cut free. But on returning to the surface to obtain cables to hoist it Green suffered a near fatal attack of the bends. Elliott Harrington of a rival salvage company finally recovered the treasure on June 27th,1856. A subsequent court battle ensued and most of the money was returned to its original owners with only $7,000 going to Harrington and his backers. One of the later attempts to salvage the baggage and cargo involved the use of a submarine developed by a man named Philips. This sank while being tested and probably still rests near the Atlantic. In 1984 the wreck was rediscovered by Mike Fletcher with help from commercial fishermen out of Port Dover, Ontario. More recently the Del Mar dive Company of California obtained the title to the vessel and has been engaged in a court battle with the province of Ontario over the right to salvage the remaining cargo. WQLN-TV in Erie Pennsylvania produced and sells an excellent video history of the Atlantic. We shall post the order address and price as soon as we obtain it. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 30.620', 80deg 05.086'. For more information regarding the Atlantic try this link.

Photo courtesy of Steve Abraitis of Euclid, Ohio. This is actually a painting of the Hunley.

174 Philips: Submarine, built in 1851, sank while being tested prior to attempting a salvage dive on the Atlantic. Unless I am mistaken, this is the oldest surviving submarine in existence and is therefore the most historically valuable wreck in Lake Erie! Philips was a Chicago shoemaker who began building submarines with the intent of salvaging Great Lakes shipwrecks. He built his first submarine at age 20, but it was crushed on its maiden voyage. This is his second submarine and was a success during testing. He is reported to have used it to take his family on tours of the bottom of Lake Michigan. Apparently the depths encountered at the Atlantic were too much for the hull and it sprung a leak and quickly sank. Philips later built and sold at least one recreational submarine which led to the drowning of its purchaser and his dog in Lake Michigan. Rumor has it that the wreck of this vessel has been located very close to the Atlantic.

174 St Andrew: Schooner of 202 tons sank ?/?/1882 approximately 10 miles off Long Point, Ontario.

174 Stern Castle: The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 30.294', 80deg 02.379'.

175 Persian: Propeller steamer of 1,630 tons burned to the waterline and sank 8/23/1875 10 miles East of Long Point, Ontario. The Persian carried a cargo of grain. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 33.781', 79deg 54.696'.

175 Niagara: Freight steamer of 144 ft sank 12/5/1899 in a tremendous storm 10 miles East of Long Point, Ontario. Twelve crewmen died in the wreck. The Niagara carried a cargo of lumber and pig iron. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 44.310', 79deg 36.285'.

177 Cracker: The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 33.485', 79deg 51.649'.

177 J G McGrath: Schooner of 104 ft sank on 10/28/1878 20 miles Northeast of the tip of Long Point, Ontario.

178 George C Finney: Schooner of 136 ft sank on 10/22/1891 in a storm 20 miles West Southwest of Port Maitland, Ontario. Seven crewmen died in the wreck. The Finney carried a cargo of wheat.

178 Zephyr: 2 masted schooner of 101 ft ran into a gale out of Buffalo 6/10/1869 and after 18 hours sprang a leak and sank in 150 feet of water 15 miles East of Long Point, Ontario. The crew abandoned the vessel in a small boat and arrived safely in Grand River, Ontario. The Zephyr carried a cargo of 250 tons of coal.

179 Abyssinia: Schooner barge of 305 ft blown ashore and broken apart in a gale on 10/18/1917 on Tecumseh Reef 10 miles Southwest of Port Maitland, Ontario. The Abyssinia carried a cargo of wheat and was being towed by the steamer Maruba when its lines parted. This was one of the largest schooner barges ever built.

179 Clyde: 3 masted schooner of 136 ft stranded in a fog 7/7/1885 at Mohawk Island, Ontario and eventually broke apart. The vessel carried a cargo of lumber at the time of stranding.

180 Commerce: Wooden propeller passenger steamer of 134 ft collided with the steamer Despatch and sank 5/6/185(0 or 1) near Port Maitland, Ontario. Forty one persons lost their lives in this wreck. These were mostly soldiers of the 23rd Welsh Fusiliers and their families. The vessel was eventually raised and rebuilt as the Reindeer.

180 David G Thompson: Wooden propeller tug of 103 ft struck a reef in a storm on 3/26/1927, stranded and broke apart on Tecumseh Reef off Port Maitland, Ontario.

180 Florida: Wooden 3 mast schooner of 352 tons developed a leak in a storm and sank 8/12/1882 Southeast of Mohawk Island, 12 miles from Port Maitland, Ontario. The Florida was constructed from pine and tamarack.

180 George W Davis: Wooden schooner of 135 ft blown ashore in a storm on 10/26/1895 near Port Maitland, Ontario. The vessel later broke free, drifted two miles up the beach and sank. It carried a cargo of coal at the time.

180 Isabella: 2 masted schooner or brig of 180 tons ran aground on Long Point in a gale 8/29/1867. The next day the tug Harrison placed pumps on board and hauled the vessel off toward Buffalo. The pumps eventually failed on 8/31/1867 and the Isabella sank in deep water between Port Maitland, Ontario and Gravelly Bay 5 to 6 miles from shore. The salvage crew barely escaped. The vessel carried a cargo of coal.

180 New Dominion: Wooden schooner disappeared in a storm on 10/26/1884 after leaving Cleveland, Ohio for St Catharines, Ontario. The ship is believed to have gone down off Port Maitland, Ontario. The crew of four were all lost in this wreck. The Dominion carried a cargo of coal.

180 Wave: Wooden sidewheel steamer of 137 ft and 208 tons broke a drive shaft and stranded and wrecked in a storm on 11/7/1851 near the mouth of the Grand River at Port Maitland, Ontario.

181 Phil Sheridan: Wooden passenger and package freight propeller steamer of 782 tons caught fire on 11/30/1875 after leaving Buffalo for Detroit. The fire began in the boiler room and spread quickly. Part of the crew abandoned the Sheridan in a yawl and the rest were rescued by the steamer Turner. The hull was weakened by the fire and the engine, boiler and stack fell through the bottom of the vessel causing it to sink suddenly approximately 30 miles West of Buffalo, New York.

181 Washington Irving: Wooden 2 masted schooner of 81 ft, sank in a storm on 7/7/1860 off Dunkirk New York. The entire crew of six lost their lives in the wreck. The Washington Irving was carrying a cargo of coal and pig iron from Erie to Buffalo at the time of sinking. It currently lies in 120 feet of water. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 32.371', 79deg 27.636'.

182 Florida: Schooner of 352 tons sank on 8/21/1882 12 miles Southeast of Port Maitland, Ontario just off Mohawk Island.

183 George M Case: Schooner of 137 ft sank on 10/14/1886 or 88 8 miles Southwest of Port Colborne, Ontario. The vessel carried a cargo of corn.

184 C B Benson: Schooner of 137 ft stranded and wrecked on 10/14/1893 in a storm in Gravelly Bay just Southwest of Port Colborne, Ontario. The entire crew of seven lost their lives in the accident. The Benson carried a cargo of coal. R&AY'S Dive Charter has given us a GPS location of 42deg 46.249', 79deg 14.617'. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 46.262', 79deg 14.609'.

184 C L Hutchinson: Schooner of 341 tons sank on 10/3/1887 in a storm just Southwest of the harbor entrance at Port Colborne, Ontario.

184 Duncan Elliot McFarland: Wooden steam propeller tug of 41 ft sank in a storm on 8/8/1880 off Morgan Point, West of Port Colborne, Ontario.

184 E (J or T) Peters: Wooden schooner of 130 tons stranded in a storm and broken to pieces 11/17/1877 off Port Colborne, Ontario.

184 Emma Dietrich: Struck Sugar Loaf Reef off Port Colborne, Ontario and wrecked.

184 Euretta King: Wooden scow barge of 111 ft wrecked(?) on ?/?/1921 off Port Colborne, Ontario.

184 Henry A Kent: Wooden propeller steamer of 162 ft while bound from Buffalo to Chicago on 5/19/1854 caught fire in the cargo hold and was quickly destroyed. The wreck occurred off Port Colborne, Ontario. The Kent carried a cargo of 300 tons of mixed merchandise.

184 H S Walbridge: Schooner of 125 ft ran onto a reef in a storm 7/16/1896 2 miles West of Port Colborn, Ontario. The vessel was abandoned and later broke apart in place. The Walbridge was running empty at the time of stranding.

184 Marengo: Schooner barge of 648 ft blown on the beach on 10/12/1912 and wrecked on Morgan Point just West of Port Colborne, Ontario. The Marengo had broken loose from the tow of the steamer Lloyd S Porter.

184 N K Fairbanks: Wooden steamer of 205 ft damaged by fire ?/?/1885. The Fairbanks was refitted and steamed on for another ten years before stranding and burning to a total loss on Lake Huron.

184 U S 240: Steel bulk freight barge sank in a storm on 9/13/1923 off Port Colborne, Ontario near Windmill Point. Three members of the crew died in the wreck. The vessel carried a cargo of sulphur.

185 Home Rule: Wooden steam tug of 75 ft was crushed and sank on 12/6/1924 by the vessel it was towing, the 6,600 ton steel steamer Midland Prince. The Home Rule was towing the Midland Prince into the harbor at Port Colborne, Ontario when the larger vessel went out of control and pressed the tug onto a reef.

185 Osborne: Bark stranded and wrecked on 11/3/1873 on Cassidy's Reef 2 miles from Port Colborne, Ontario. The Niagara Diver's Association gives a GPS location of 42deg 51.23', 79deg 12.69'. We have not yet verified this location.

186 Carlingford: Schooner of 470 tons capsized on 11/12/1881 after colliding with the iron freighter Brunswick in a snow squall. The Carlingford drifted and eventually sank off the beach a few miles East of Port Colborne, Ontario. One crewman died in the wreck. For more information see the Brunswick entry number 170 above. The Niagara Diver's Association originally gave a GPS location of 42deg 39.343', 79deg 28.593'. Their web site currently lists a position of 42deg 39.288', 79deg 28.597'.

186 Edward Kelley: Wooden 3 masted schooner freight barge of 188 ft ran into the East break wall at Port Colborne, Ontario in a storm on 11/25/1911 due to the tow line to the tug breaking.

186 Pentland: Wooden bulk freight propeller steamer of 193 ft collided head on with the break wall at Port Colborne, Ontario on ?/?/1928 and was damaged beyond repair.

186 Raleigh: Wooden freight steamer of 227 ft blown ashore 5 miles East of Port Colborne, Ontario and pounded apart on 11/30/1911 after losing its rudder in a storm. The Niagara Diver's Association originally gave a GPS location of 42deg 51.893', 79deg 09.264'. Their web site currently lists a position of 42deg 51.926', 79deg 09.254'. The Buffalo Aqua Club gives a location of 42deg 51.94', 79deg 14.90'. We have not verified which of the previous locations is correct.

186 Stone Wreck: The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 40.076', 79deg 23.780'.

187 Honora Carr: Schooner of 95 ft sank on 9/4/1886 2 miles Southwest of Point Abino, Ontario. The Carr carried a cargo of coal.

188 Briton: Steel steamer of 296 ft ran aground in a storm and sank 11/13/1929 off Point Abino, Ontario due to a faulty navigation light on shore.

188 Comely: Wooden schooner of 194 tons driven ashore in a gale and broken apart 10/13/1869 at Point Abino, Ontario.

188 Dupuis #10: The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 49.095', 79deg 13.300'.

188 Helen Marr: Schooner bound for Buffalo from Sandusky via Cleveland sank to its upper spars in a violent storm 10/4/1840 off Point Abino, Ontario. All seven hands were lost in the wreck including Captain Judah Welles Ransom [1784-1840] who "was a captain and one of the pioneer navigators on the lakes, being the first to sail the upper lakes and return". Also on board were relatives of the captain, two cousins, Joseph and John Ransom. The vessel's galley, barnacle and compass were recovered from the Niagara River between Buffalo and the falls and identified before the rest of the wreck was located. The Helen Marr carried a cargo of 5,000 bushels of wheat at the time of the wreck. The vessel may have later been raised and rebuilt as a steamer. The above information was provided by Mike Ransom and Mike Spears.

188 Manhattan: Brig of 140 tons ran aground 11/?/1838 and broke apart on Point Abino, Ontario.

188 Sarah E Hudson: Schooner collided with the propeller steamer Eclipse at 4 or 5 AM 10/18/1863 and sank rapidly off Point Abino, Ontario in 108 feet of water. One crewman died in the wreck. The Hudson carried 18,000 bushels of wheat. The relatively new vessel may have been raised in the summer of 1871.

Illustration from a 19th Century (centennial) history of Cleveland

188 Walk-In-The-Water: Side-wheel passenger steamer of 132 ft blown on the rocks and broke apart in a Westerly gale on 10/31/1821 on Point Abino, Ontario. This was the first steam powered boat on the upper lakes, built in 1818 at Buffalo, New York under the supervision of Robert Fulton.

189 O W Cheney: Tug of 66 ft sank on 6/23/1903 4 miles Southeast of the tip of Point Abino, Ontario after colliding with the steamer Chemung. Captain John F Whelan, fireman Edward M Dugan, and steward Andrew Fistzenschaf, all of Buffalo, NY drowned in the incident. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 50.280', 79deg 00.460'.

190 Acme: Steam tug sank ?/?/1902 4 miles West of Buffalo after being rammed from behind by the steamer Wilkesbarre while breaking spring ice. The Niagara Diver's Association originally gave a GPS location of 42deg 50.70', 78deg 57.84'. Their web site now lists a position of 42deg 36.601', 79deg 29.842'.

190 Badger: Crane equipped barge of 140 ft struck bottom and sank ?/?/1929 off Point Abino, Ontario. The Badger was involved in the salvage of the steamer Briton at the time of the wreck. The Badger was later raised and removed.

190 John Wesley: Schooner of 135 ft blown ashore on 9/25/1883 on Windmill Point West of Buffalo. The Wesley was refloated and refitted and sailed on for another 18 years. This vessel actually stranded and wrecked two more times on Lake Huron before being abandoned in 1901.

190 W C Richardson: Steel freight steamer of 324 ft ran hard aground on Waverly Shoal in a storm on 12/9/1909 capsized and sank. Five crewmen died in the sinking. The Richardson carried a cargo of flax.

191 A H Newbold: Wooden 2 masted schooner of 93 ft turned back to Buffalo, New York in a gale on 11/11/1852 and was smashed to pieces on the breakwall.

191 Falmouth: Schooner of 234 ft struck a break wall in a storm and sank 11/21/1880 while attempting to enter the harbor at Buffalo, New York.

191 International: Wooden steam carferry of 226 ft burned 2/2/1874 while docked at Fort Erie, Ontario.

191 Mayflower: Wooden bulk freight propeller steamer of 185 ft stranded and pounded to pieces in a storm on 11/4/1883 at Point Abino near Buffalo, New York. The Mayflower carried a cargo of lumber at the time of the wreck.

192 Ariel: 4 gun armed schooner of 112 ft burned by the British 12/29/1813 after running aground in a storm at Buffalo, New York. The Ariel had served in Perry's fleet.

192 B B McColl: Steel tanker of 210 ft burned on 7/27/1928 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York. The vessel carried fuel at the time of the fire. The McColl was later salvaged and converted into a tanker barge.

192 Cambria: Wooden side-wheel steamer of 175 ft struck rocks and wrecked beyond repair 7/16/1902 at Reid's Island in the Welland Canal.

192 Chicago: Steamer burned burned 8/1/1849 while docked in Buffalo, New York.

192 City Of Buffalo: Wooden propeller steamer of 340 ft burned to a total loss 7/30/1866 at Buffalo, New York.

192 Daniel D Perry: Wooden unrigged scow of 289 tons stranded and wrecked in a storm on 8/24/1916 at the North end of Strawberry Island near Buffalo, New York.

192 Dalhousie Rover: Propeller tug of 47 tons sank 6/29/1946 in the first lock of the Welland Canal.

192 Dauntless #12: Diesel tug destroyed along with the barge it was towing in a gasoline explosion 10/29/1951 in Buffalo, New York harbor. The Dauntless was pushing the gasoline barge Morania #130 which was rammed by the freighter Penobscot. The 800,000 gallons of gasoline on board the Morania exploded killing two of its crew and seven more men aboard the tug Dauntless.

192 Ellen O'Brien: Propeller tug of 27 tons destroyed by a boiler explosion on 5/22/1866 off Shearwater Grand Island in the Niagara River. One crew member lost his life in the wreck.

192 Embury: Wooden propeller freight steamer of 159 ft burned and sank on 12/4/1903 at Grand Isle in the Niagara River off Tonawanda, New York. The vessel carried a cargo of lumber at the time of the wreck.

192 Europe: Wooden passenger and package freight propeller steamer of 136 ft burned in the Welland Canal 4/?/1884. The hull was later salvaged and converted into the barge Regina.

192 George King: Wooden propeller freighter of 176 ft burned to a total loss on 9/20/1926 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York.

192 George W Dole: Wooden schooner of 162 tons sank near Buffalo ?/?/1856. This vessel was also reported to have sunk at Buffalo on 10/18/1844.

192 Governor Cushman: Wooden passenger and freight propeller steamer of 152 ft destroyed by a boiler explosion on the night of 5/1/1868 in the harbor at Buffalo. Eleven lives were lost in the explosion. The remains of the vessel were removed during dredging operations in 1901.

192 Guiding Star: Wooden side wheel steamer of 108 ft burned in the winter of 1845 at the dock in Buffalo, New York.

192 Gulielma: Wooden 2 mast schooner of 95 ft struck and stranded on the break wall while inbound to the harbor at Buffalo, New York on 11/3/1863. The vessel was eventually pounded to pieces by the surf. The Gulielma carried a cargo of lumber at the time of the wreck.

192 Hazel R Knight: Barge of 236 tons collided with the sidewheel steamer F W Sargent 11/17/1927 and sank at Buffalo, New York.

192 Idle Hour: Wooden passenger excursion boat of 140 ft burned to a total loss 12/8/1901 while docked at Grand Island in the Niagara River.

192 John W Cramer: Wooden propeller steam tug of 53 ft grounded on Horseshoe Reef in a storm and broke apart 10/17/1884 several miles off Buffalo, New York.

192 Jordan Boys: Steel barge of 405 tons sank in the harbor at Buffalo, New York on 5/4/1945.

192 J W Doan: Wooden schooner of 180 ft lost control in a storm 11/23/1882 and ran onto the breakwall at Buffalo, New York harbor. The crew was rescued from the rigging while the vessel broke apart on the rocks.

192 Lady Of The Lake: Wooden 2 mast schooner driven ashore and wrecked in a gale on 11/5/1838 near Buffalo, New York. The vessel carried a cargo of wheat flour at the time.

192 Lady Washington: Wooden schooner stranded on a reef in a storm. It later sank on 10/19/1828 off Sturgeon Point near Buffalo, New York after being pulled free. The vessel carried a cargo of salt and dry goods at the time and went down in 18 feet of water.

192 Lightship #82: Steel light ship of 80 ft sank quickly on 11/12/1913 at Waverly Shoal off Buffalo, New York after springing a leak on the 3rd day of the great storm. The entire crew of six died in the wreck. The vessel was later raised and converted to a tender.

192 Little Belt: Wooden armed schooner of 96 tons burned 12/31/1813 near Buffalo, New York. The vessel had been confiscated by the British at Mackinac in 1812 and was at that time converted to a warship. The Little Belt took part in the battle of Lake Erie and was captured by the US Navy. It was intentionally burned at Buffalo to prevent re-capture by the British.

192 Maple Leaf: Wooden 2 mast schooner of 92 ft driven ashore in a storm and wrecked 11/16/1883 at Buffalo, New York. The Maple Leaf carried a cargo of lumber. It was recovered and rebuilt as the Honora Carr.

192 Mary McLane: Wooden steam propeller tug of 55 ft caught fire while steaming up the Niagara River on 10/7/1903. The vessel beached at Sour Spring Grove to save the crew. It was later towed to Buffalo, New York where the engine was removed and the hull abandoned to the lake.

192 Massasoit: Wooden 2 mast schooner barge stranded and wrecked 11/25/1904 on the waterworks intake crib in the Niagara River. It was later dynamited as a hazard to navigation.

192 Morania #130: Steel fuel barge of 230 ft rammed by the Penobscot while being towed by the Dauntless #12 on 10/29/1951 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York. The Morania's cargo of 800,000 gallons of fuel exploded and burned. Two crewmen died in the accident along with seven aboard the tug. See the Dauntless #12 above.

192 M.T. Greene: Wooden steam propeller bulk freighter of 155 ft burned to a total loss on 3/18/1928 near Bridgeburg, Ontario in the Niagara River.

192 Myrtie: Wooden steam propeller tug of 53 ft stranded on Horseshoe Reef on 11/2/1907 and broke up in a gale on 11/15/1907 off Buffalo, New York.

192 Northwest: Wooden passenger and package propeller steamer of 358 ft caught fire in a storm and was badly damaged on 6/3/1911 in the Blackwell Canal at Buffalo, New York. Two crewmen died in the fire. In 1917 the vessel was cut in half. The stern became part of the steamer Maplecourt which was sunk during the Second World War.

192 Oakwood: Wooden steam propeller bulk freighter of 298 ft stranded on Miller's Point on 6/8/1925 and burned to a total loss on 8/9/1925 after being towed to Buffalo, New York for repairs.

192 O H Perry: Wooden side-wheel package and passenger steamer of 352 tons wrecked by an explosion and fire on 7/21/1835 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York. Six died in the explosion. The vessel was subsequently rebuilt.

192 Penobscot: Steel propeller bulk freighter of 454 ft was badly damaged in a fire on 10/29/1951 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York. The Penobscot collided with the gasoline barge Morania #130 being towed by the tug Dauntless #12. Two of the vessel's crew of twenty nine were killed in the subsequent explosion. The Penobscot was eventually repaired. For further information see the entries for the tug and barge above.

192 R R Hefferd: Wooden tug of 13 tons suffered a boiler explosion and burned to the water line on 6/?/1875 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York. Three crewmen died in the wreck.

192 S A Clark: Wooden propeller steam tug of 12 tons sank due to its boiler exploding 11/23/1867 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York.

192 Samson: Wooden propeller steamer of 134 ft driven ashore and wrecked in a gale on 11/12/1852 near Buffalo, New York. The Samson carried a cargo of flour at the time.

192 Shawmut: Wooden bulk freight un-rigged barge of 251 tons collided with the steamer America while under tow and sank on 11/2/1909 at Buffalo, New York. Two members of the crew died in the wreck.

192 Tonawanda: Wooden package freight propeller steamer of 202 ft destroyed in a storm 10/18/1870 10 miles off Buffalo, New York. The crew escaped in two life boats. The vessel carried a cargo of merchandise, flour, and corn. The Niagara Divers Association's web site lists a position of 42deg 50.730', 78deg 59.000'.

192 Trader: Wooden scow of 291 tons went aground 7/9/1908 and was wrecked due to the force of the current at Strawberry Island in the Niagara River.

192 United States: Wooden side-wheel steamer of 140 ft burned on 3/7/1849 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York.

192 Utica: Wooden 3 masted bark of 131 ft struck a bar in rough weather on 11/?/1854 while attempting to enter the harbor at Buffalo, New York. The vessel was driven into shallow water and pounded to pieces by the surf. The Utica carried a cargo of barreled beef.

192 West Shore: Steel coal lighter capsized and sank in the harbor at Buffalo, New York ?/?/1949.

192 W W Stewart: Lighter barge of 160 ft burned at the dock 10/12/1909 in the harbor at Buffalo, New York.

193 Annie Laurie: Steam tug of 84 ft sank 8/19/1893 one mile off the entrance to the harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania.

214 Thomas Free Battle: Wooden steam propeller tug of 47ft Caught fire and burned to a total loss 9/7/1907 at Port Maitland, Ontario.

228 Nautilus: Wooden schooner of 42 ft capsized in a storm 9/18/1817 North of Erie, Pennsylvania. One man died in the wreck. The vessel was recovered.

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