Scow-Schooner Traveller (1863–1876)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Traveller
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: C61129 (Canada), formerly US24584 (United States)
• Vessel Type at Loss: Wooden scow-Schooner, two-masted
• Builder: Unknown shipyard, Detroit, Michigan
• Year Built & Launched: 1863
• Specifications:  Length: 62 ft (18.9 m)  Beam: 15 ft (4.6 m)  Depth: 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 41 GT
• Net Tonnage: 41 NT
• Date Lost: 1876 (exact date unknown)
• Location of Loss: Lake St. Clair
• Cause of Loss: Reported as “wrecked” (specific details unknown)
• Loss of Life: Unknown
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Unknown

Vessel Description & Service History

The Traveller was a small scow-Schooner, built in Detroit, Michigan, in 1863.  Designed for carrying bulk cargo such as lumber, grain, stone, or coal on the Great Lakes.  Scow-schooners were flat-bottomed, shallow-Draft vessels, commonly used in river and lake trade, ideal for operating in shallow waters like Lake St. Clair and connecting waterways.  Originally registered in the United States, she was sold to Canadian ownership in 1869, operating out of Montreal. Primarily served the Upper St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and Lake St. Clair trade routes.

Final Voyage & Loss (1876, Lake St. Clair)

 The Traveller was reported lost in Lake St. Clair in 1876, but no details about the incident are available.  Possible causes include:

• Storm damage (common in shallow waters like Lake St. Clair).
• Grounding on a sandbar or shoal (scow-schooners were vulnerable due to their flat hulls).
• Collision with another vessel (Lake St. Clair was heavily trafficked at the time).
• No records confirm if there were any fatalities or if the vessel was salvaged.

Final Disposition & Salvage

• Declared a Total Loss (“wrecked”) in 1876.
• No known salvage efforts.
• Possible remains scattered in Lake St. Clair, but unconfirmed.
• No confirmed modern discovery of the wreck site.
• Potential wreckage could exist in Lake St. Clair, buried under sediment or obscured by shifting currents.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Lake St. Clair was a challenging waterway for schooners, especially flat-bottomed scows, due to shifting sandbars and unpredictable storms.  Many vessels were lost in this region during the 19th century, making wreck identification difficult. No known records of navigational hazards associated with the Traveller.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
• Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD): https://greatlakeships.org
• David Swayze Shipwreck File: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org
• Great Lakes Vessel Database (BGSU): https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessels

Conclusion

The Traveller was a small but sturdy scow-Schooner, built in Detroit and later operated in Canada. She was lost under unknown circumstances in 1876 on Lake St. Clair, a high-traffic and often dangerous waterway. Though her wreck has not been located, she is part of the many forgotten vessels that once sailed the Great Lakes trade routes.