Identification & Site Information

• Name: Uncle Tom
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: None
• Date Built & Launched: 1842
• Builder: E. Easterbrook, St. Clair, Michigan
• Specifications: 81 ft x 20 ft x 7 ft (24.7 m x 6.1 m x 2.1 m), 116 tons
• Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner
• Date Lost: September 17, 1849 (some records list 1848)
• Place of Loss: Off Long Point, Lake Erie
• Cause of Loss: Stranded in a storm, total wreck
• Probable Owner: Henry Geisse, Detroit
• Last Known Registration: June 1849

Vessel Type

The Uncle Tom was a wooden Schooner, a common sailing vessel on the Great Lakes during the mid-19th century. These vessels were used to transport lumber, grain, and manufactured goods between the growing port cities along the lakes.

Description & History

Built in 1842 by E. Easterbrook in St. Clair, Michigan, the Uncle Tom was likely involved in regional trade along Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and other nearby waterways. Schooners like this were vital for the early Great Lakes economy, connecting Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario with essential supplies and commercial goods.

On September 17, 1849, the Uncle Tom was caught in a storm off Long Point, Ontario. The ship stranded and wrecked, suffering a Total Loss of $2,000, including both the vessel and its cargo. Given the estimated value, it was likely carrying timber, grain, or general trade goods.

Some sources list the loss as occurring in 1848, though the vessel was still registered as of June 1849, making 1849 the more likely date.

Final Disposition

The Uncle Tom was declared a Total Loss, and any remains of the vessel were likely scattered by wave action or buried in the sand off Long Point, a notorious shipwreck graveyard.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed discovery of the wreck has been documented.

NOTMARs & Advisories

 Long Point, Ontario, is a known hazard for ships, with many vessels lost in shallow waters and shifting sandbars.

No modern navigational hazards linked to this wreck exist today.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The Uncle Tom was one of many early schooners lost to storms on Lake Erie, highlighting the dangers of navigating near Long Point. While no confirmed wreckage has been located, its loss in 1849 (or 1848) remains a part of Great Lakes maritime history, illustrating the perils faced by 19th-century lake traders.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Great Lakes schooners, Lake Erie shipwrecks, Long Point maritime history, wooden shipwrecks, 19th-century trade vessels

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

Glossary Terms: Schooner, Stranding, Long Point Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Trade