Identification & Site Information

• Name: JESSE ANDERSON
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 13775
• Type at Loss: Schooner, wood-hulled
• Date Built and Launched: 1861
• Builder: G. Woodworth, Sandusky, Ohio
• Measurements: 114 ft (34.7 m) length, 26 ft (7.9 m) beam, 10 ft (3 m) depth; 252 gross tons, 209 net tons
• Date Lost: October 30, 1871
• Place of Loss: 10 miles (16 km) off Old Cut, Long Point, Lake Erie

Vessel Type

Wooden Schooner

Description

The JESSE ANDERSON was a mid-sized wooden Schooner designed for bulk cargo transport, typical of Great Lakes commercial sailing vessels during the mid-19th century. Her dimensions and tonnage made her suitable for carrying grain and other agricultural goods across Lake Erie, playing a key role in the trade routes that connected agricultural regions in the U.S. Midwest with ports in Canada and the Northeastern United States.

History

Built in 1861 by G. Woodworth in Sandusky, Ohio, the JESSE ANDERSON was home ported in Detroit and owned by M & J Ryan. Serving primarily as a grain hauler, the Schooner was integral to the Great Lakes grain trade, which flourished during the 19th century due to increasing demand in urban centres like Oswego, New York, her intended destination on her final voyage.

On October 30, 1871, the JESSE ANDERSON was en route from Detroit to Oswego carrying a cargo of grain when she Foundered approximately 10 miles off “Old Cut”, near Long Point on Lake Erie. The circumstances of her sinking remain unclear; she either sprang a leak or suffered a collision in good weather, which adds to the mystery surrounding the incident. Regardless of the cause, the Schooner sank quickly, resulting in the loss of all six crew members, including the vessel’s master, J. Ryan.

In June 1873, nearly two years after the sinking, the wreck was discovered by the Tug W. A. MOORE. Despite the recovery of the wreck’s location, there are no detailed records of salvage attempts or further investigations into the cause of the foundering.

Final Disposition

Foundered and sank in Lake Erie. The wreck was located in 1873 by the Tug W. A. MOORE.

Located By & Date Found

Located by the Tug W. A. MOORE in June 1873.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil—no navigational advisories or obstructions related to the wreck site near Old Cut, Long Point.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Shipwreck Stories

Conclusion

The JESSE ANDERSON’s sinking remains a mysterious and tragic event in Great Lakes maritime history. The Schooner’s sudden loss in good weather suggests the possibility of a hidden structural issue or an unreported collision, which were common but often undocumented hazards in the bustling trade routes of Lake Erie. The loss of all hands, including Captain J. Ryan, highlights the dangers faced by sailors in an era when rescue resources were limited and the unpredictability of the lakes could turn routine voyages into fatal disasters. Despite the discovery of the wreck in 1873, no conclusive evidence has surfaced to fully explain the Schooner’s demise, leaving her as one of Lake Erie‘s enduring maritime mysteries.

Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: JESSE ANDERSON shipwreck, Lake Erie Schooner sinking, Old Cut Long Point shipwreck, grain Schooner foundering, 19th-century maritime disasters, W.A. MOORE Tug discovery
• Categories: Lake Erie Shipwrecks, 19th Century Schooners, Grain Haulers of the Great Lakes, Foundered Vessels, Unsolved Maritime Disasters
• Glossary Terms:
• Foundered: A maritime term indicating a ship has filled with water and sunk.
• Old Cut: A passage near Long Point, Ontario, commonly used in historical navigation routes on Lake Erie.
• Schooner: A type of sailing vessel characterized by two or more masts, typically fore-and-aft rigged, widely used for cargo transport on the Great Lakes in the 19th century.