Shipwreck Report: Schooner Luther Wright (Pre-1848–1854)

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Luther Wright
• Other Names: None Known
• Official Number: None (Pre-registration era)
• Vessel Type: Three-Masted Wooden Schooner
• Built: Before 1848, in Huron, Ohio
• Final Location: Gravelly Bay, Lake Erie (modern-day Port Colborne, Ontario)
• Date Lost: November 30, 1854
• Cause: Storm – Driven ashore and destroyed
• Final Cargo: 8,000 bushels of corn (bound for a distillery in Kingston, Ontario)
• Loss of Life: None
• Specifications Tonnage: 195 (tonnage Old Style)
• Hull Material: Wood
• Number of Masts: Three
• Owner: Capt. Bain & Bros., Buffalo, New York
• Master at Loss: Captain Bain
• Home Port: Buffalo, New York

Operational History

The Luther Wright was a three-masted Schooner, one of the earliest such vessels built for Great Lakes commerce. At the time, most schooners had two masts, but as the shipping industry evolved, three-masted schooners became the norm for larger cargo capacities.

She was reportedly only the second three-masted Schooner ever built on the Great Lakes, following the Owanungah (1835), which was later converted to a Brig in 1842.

The Luther Wright primarily hauled grain, lumber, and general cargo between major ports, including Toledo, Buffalo, and Kingston.

Final Voyage & Loss (November 30, 1854)

•  Departure & Route: The Luther Wright was sailing from Toledo, Ohio, to Kingston, Ontario.She was carrying 8,000 bushels of corn, likely destined for a distillery in Kingston.
• Weather Conditions: A powerful late-November storm struck Lake Erie, a time of year known for some of the worst Great Lakes gales.The winds and waves became too much for the Schooner to handle.
  • Incident Details:  The Luther Wright was driven ashore at Gravelly Bay (now Port Colborne, Ontario
  •  Repeated pounding by waves destroyed the Hull, breaking the ship apart.
  • The crew managed to escape safely.
•  Aftermath:
  •  The vessel was declared a Total Loss, as Lake Erie storms left little salvageable material.
  • Given that the ship was one of the earliest three-masted schooners on the lakes, her loss marked a moment in early Great Lakes commercial history.

Wreck Site and Potential Remains

• Location: Gravelly Bay, Lake Erie (Port Colborne, Ontario)
• Current Condition:
  • The wooden Hull was likely destroyed by wave action soon after wrecking.
  • Some iron fastenings, anchor chains, or cargo remnants could still be buried offshore in the lakebed.
• No official diving or sonar documentation of the wreck has been reported.
• Potential for Discovery:
  • The Gravelly Bay area is well-documented for shipwrecks, making it possible that remnants of the Luther Wrightcould still exist.\
•  Historical research and underwater surveys near Port Colborne may provide clues about the vessel’s final resting place.

Legacy and Significance

• One of the First Three-Masted Schooners on the Great Lakes The Luther Wright was one of the earliest vessels to introduce a three-mast design on the Great Lakes, a layout that became common for larger cargo schooners in the following decades. Her historic role in Great Lakes shipbuilding evolution makes her an important vessel in early maritime commerce.
• Another Victim of Lake Erie’s Treacherous November Gales Like many other ships lost in November, the Luther Wright was caught in a classic Great Lakes autumn storm. The storm season has claimed hundreds of vessels over the years, from early schooners like hers to famous later wrecks like the SS Edmund Fitzgerald (1975).
• The Role of Grain Trade in Great Lakes Shipping The Luther Wright was hauling 8,000 bushels of corn, an early example of how vital the grain trade was to the Great Lakes economy. The route from Toledo to Kingston highlights how agricultural products moved across the lakes, feeding growing cities and industrial centers.

Further Research and Resources

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca Includes historical records of early schooners and shipwrecks.
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum https://www.shipwreckmuseum.com Archives shipwrecks lost to storms and Lake Erie disasters.
• Port Colborne Historical & Marine Museum Documents shipwrecks in the Gravelly Bay region, which includes the Luther Wright’s final resting place.
• Canadian Register of Shipping (Historical) May contain records of ownership and ship modifications prior to her loss.

Conclusion

The Luther Wright was a pioneering three-masted Schooner, marking an important transition in Great Lakes commercial ship design. Built before 1848, she served in the grain and cargo trade, eventually wrecking in a storm at Gravelly Bay (Port Colborne, Ontario) on November 30, 1854.

Her loss was one of many tragic shipwrecks caused by Lake Erie’s infamous November storms, and her remains may still exist offshore. While largely forgotten today, her role in early Great Lakes commerce makes her an important vessel in Canadian and American maritime history.