Identification & Site Information

• Name: Union
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: Canadian registry (exact number unknown)
• Date Built & Launched: 1873
• Builder: J. Glover, Port Ryerse, Ontario
• Specifications: 71 ft x 18 ft x 7 ft (21.6 m x 5.5 m x 2.1 m), 72 tons
• Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted Schooner
• Date Lost: September 18, 1886
• Place of Loss: Near Rondeau, Ontario, Lake Erie
• Cause of Loss: Dismasted in a storm, driven ashore, and destroyed
• Loss of Life: None mentioned
• Cargo: Lumber
• Owner: Charles Aid et al. or possibly Captain Voight
• Port of Registry: Port Dover, Ontario

Vessel Type

The Union was a two-masted wooden Schooner, a common vessel for Great Lakes trade during the 19th century. These schooners were ideal for transporting bulk cargoes, such as lumber, grain, and coal, between ports on Lake Erie and beyond. Their shallow Draft allowed them to access smaller harbors and navigate river mouths efficiently.

Description & History

Built in 1873 at Port Ryerse, Ontario, by J. Glover, the Union was a small but functional cargo Schooner, primarily engaged in lumber transport. Operating out of Port Dover, she made frequent trips between Ontario and Michigan ports, supplying materials for construction and industry.

On September 17, 1886, while en route from Tyrconnell, Ontario, to Detroit, the Union was caught in a violent stormnear Rondeau, Ontario. The high winds dismasted the vessel, leaving it helpless against the waves. It ran aground on the shoreline, where it was pounded by the surf overnight. By September 18, the Schooner was completely broken apart and lost.

Despite the severity of the wreck, no loss of life was reported, indicating that the crew likely managed to reach safety.

Final Disposition

The Union was destroyed beyond recovery and likely scattered along the shoreline near Rondeau. Some remnants may have been salvaged, but no significant wreckage has been reported.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed discovery of the wreck has been documented.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Rondeau is known for its shifting sands and strong storms, which have claimed multiple ships over the years.

No modern navigational hazards linked to this wreck exist.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The Union was one of many small lumber schooners that played a vital role in Great Lakes trade. Her destruction near Rondeau in 1886 underscores the dangers of storms on Lake Erie, particularly for small sailing vessels. While no confirmed wreck site exists today, the Union remains a historical example of 19th-century Great Lakes commerce and maritime hazards.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Great Lakes schooners, Lake Erie shipwrecks, Rondeau maritime history, Canadian wooden ships, lumber trade

Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, 19th-century shipwrecks, wooden schooners, storm-related losses

Glossary Terms: Schooner, Dismasting, Rondeau Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Lumber Trade