SHIPWRECK REPORT: Schooner TRANSPORT

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Name: Schooner Transport

• Type: Wooden Schooner

• Location: Richmondville (Blue Ledge area), Lake Erie

• Date of Incident: 1871

• Cargo: Lumber and lath

CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP

• Date Built: 1858

• Builder: F.N. Jones

• Original Owner: Walter Joy, Esq., Buffalo, New York

• Later Owner: Mr. Gage, Silver Creek, New York

HISTORY

The Schooner Transport was constructed in 1858 by shipbuilder F.N. Jones and initially owned by Walter Joy of Buffalo, New York. Built for carrying cargo such as lumber, the Transport was a typical Schooner of its time, designed for Great Lakes commerce.

In 1871, while carrying a cargo of lumber, the vessel ran aground at Blue Ledge. Following the initial grounding, efforts to save the ship failed, and the Transport was run ashore at Richmondville, where she was declared a Total Loss.

FINAL DISPOSITION

After the grounding, her owner, Mr. Gage of Silver Creek, initiated a survey likely to evaluate the extent of the damage. The intention was likely to abandon the vessel to the underwriters after salvaging her remaining cargo and reusable outfit. The vessel was not repaired and became a wreck, with only the salvaged cargo and fittings recovered.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

• The Transport likely disintegrated over time and was not preserved as a significant wreck site.

• Specific details of the wreck’s condition and current status remain unknown; further exploration or archival research may be needed to confirm whether any remains are still accessible.

NOTES

The Transport’s grounding reflects the perils of 19th-century Great Lakes shipping, where rapidly changing weather and limited navigation aids often led to vessels running aground. This wreck is part of the broader history of commerce and shipbuilding on the lakes.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: Potential source for additional records.

• Historical Shipwreck Surveys: Research materials for further investigation.

• Great Lakes Historical Society: For historical documents and photographs.

This report offers a summary of the Schooner Transport and its unfortunate fate in 1871. Additional details might be unearthed through archival diving or historical research.