Identification & Site Information

• Name: William Wellhouse
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 26241
• Date Built and Launched: 1867
• Builder: Roswell B. Hayes, Fairport, Ohio
• Specifications:
• Tonnage: 84 tons (likely referring to Gross Tonnage)
• Date Lost: October 15, 1880
• Place of Loss: Manhattan Mills, near Toledo, Ohio, Lake Erie
• Type of Loss: Collision
• Loss of Life: 1 fatality
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Stone
• Configuration: Stone Hooker

Vessel Type

The William Wellhouse was a wooden scow-schooner, a vessel type commonly used on the Great Lakes for transporting bulk cargo such as stone, lumber, coal, and other heavy materials. Scow-schooners were flat-bottomed vessels with broad beams, designed to carry large loads efficiently, especially in shallow or nearshore waters. Their shallow Draft made them ideal for operating in harbors, rivers, and coastal areas where deeper-Draft vessels could not navigate.

Description

Built in 1867 by Roswell B. Hayes in Fairport, Ohio, the William Wellhouse was a robust, utilitarian vessel designed for the heavy demands of bulk freight transport. With a tonnage of 84 tons, she was considered a medium-sized scow-schooner, likely around 80–100 feet in length, although specific dimensions are not recorded.

Her flat-bottomed design and simple rigging made her cost-effective to operate, typically requiring a small crew. These vessels were often towed by steam tugs when winds were unfavorable, though they could also sail under their own power.

History

The William Wellhouse served primarily in the bulk freight trade on Lake Erie, transporting heavy materials like stone, which was essential for construction, road-building, and harbor improvements in rapidly growing cities such as Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo.

Her operations would have involved frequent trips between quarries along the Lake Erie shoreline and urban centers where industrial growth demanded vast amounts of building materials. Scow-schooners like the William Wellhouse were the workhorses of the Great Lakes, operating with little fanfare but playing a critical role in the region’s economic development.

Final Voyage and Loss

On October 15, 1880, while navigating near Manhattan Mills, close to Toledo, Ohio, the William Wellhouse was involved in a collision with the Canadian Schooner Jane C. Woodruff. The circumstances leading to the collision are not fully documented, but such accidents were common in busy shipping lanes, often caused by poor Visibility, navigational errors, or sudden weather changes.

The impact caused the William Wellhouse to sink quickly, likely due to the heavy stone cargo she was carrying, which would have made the vessel unstable once water began flooding the Hull. Tragically, one crew member lost their life in the incident, either during the collision or while attempting to escape the rapidly sinking vessel.

Salvage and Final Disposition

In the summer of 1882, nearly two years after the incident, the William Wellhouse was raised by the wrecker S. A. Murphy, a salvage vessel specializing in recovering sunken ships. Despite the successful salvage operation, there is no record that the William Wellhouse ever sailed again, suggesting that the damage sustained during the collision was too severe to warrant repair, or that the cost of restoration exceeded the vessel’s value.

The Hull may have been scrapped, repurposed, or left to deteriorate in a shipyard or along the shoreline, as was common with older, heavily damaged wooden vessels in the late 19th century.

Located By & Date Found

Nil – There are no known records of the William Wellhouse’s final resting place, assuming the remains were not entirely dismantled after salvage. If any parts of the wreck remain, they could be located near Toledo, Ohio, in shallow waters around Manhattan Mills.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil – The wreck does not pose a known navigational hazard, and no specific markers or advisories are linked to the site.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU)
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Toledo Maritime History Resources
• United States Life-Saving Service Records

Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

Keywords: William Wellhouse, scow-schooner, Lake Erie shipwreck, Toledo maritime history, Manhattan Mills, Great Lakes stone schooner, 19th-century ship collision

Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, 19th Century Maritime Disasters, Great Lakes Scow-Schooners, Collisions and Maritime Accidents

Glossary Terms:

• Scow-Schooner: A flat-bottomed, broad-beamed vessel with Schooner rigging, designed for carrying bulk cargo, especially in shallow waters.
• Foundered: A maritime term indicating that a vessel sank due to flooding or structural failure following an accident.
• Wrecker: A salvage vessel used to recover sunken or stranded ships, common on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.
• Stone Cargo: Bulk construction material frequently transported on the Great Lakes for use in harbors, piers, and urban infrastructure projects.

Conclusion

The William Wellhouse represents the often-overlooked but essential bulk freight vessels that supported the growth of the Great Lakes region during the 19th century. Her loss in 1880 following a collision with the Jane C. Woodruff underscores the hazards of maritime navigation in busy industrial waterways like those near Toledo, Ohio. Although she was salvaged in 1882, her career effectively ended with the tragic accident, leaving her as a silent testament to the countless working vessels that once crisscrossed Lake Erie’s waters.