Identification & Site Information

• Name: Moses And Elias
• Other Names: None reported
• Date Built and Launched: 1834
• Builder: A. Wilcox
• Built At: Chaumont, New York
• Original Home Port: Oswego, New York
• Vessel Type: Schooner
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power:
• Number of Masts: two-masted schooner
• Measurements:
• Tonnage (Old Style): 115 tons (later remeasured to 125.88 tons in 1847)
• Ownership & Operational Routes:
• 1835-1850: Enrolled in Oswego, New York, used for general cargo trade on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

Vessel Type

The MOSES AND ELIAS was a wooden Schooner, designed for general cargo transport. Schooners like this were the workhorses of the Great Lakes, used to carry lumber, grain, coal, salt, and other bulk goods between ports in New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario.

Built in Chaumont, New York, the vessel operated primarily out of Oswego, one of the most important early Great Lakes ports, connecting Lake Ontario with the Erie Canal and Atlantic trade routes.

History

The MOSES AND ELIAS had a long service life of 17 years before being lost in a storm in 1851.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1835-1850: Enrolled in Oswego, New York and operated on the Great Lakes trade routes, transporting general cargo.
• 1847, February: Driven onto the rocks at the East Pier in Oswego, New York, during a storm. Vessel suffered damage but was recovered and continued operating.
• 1847: Officially remeasured to 125.88 tons.
• 1851, April 5: Wrecked in a storm near Bass Island, Lake Erie while carrying a general cargo.

The exact details of the storm and wreck are uncertain, but many schooners were lost in early spring storms, when unpredictable winds, ice, and rough waters made navigation dangerous.

Final Disposition

The MOSES AND ELIAS was wrecked near Bass Island, Lake Erie, on April 5, 1851.

• The vessel likely encountered a severe storm, as spring weather on the Great Lakes is known for sudden squalls and unpredictable gales.
• It was lost with its cargo, but no record of loss of life has been documented.

After 17 years of service, the vessel’s long career came to an end, marking the fate of many early wooden schooners that were unable to withstand the harsh conditions of Great Lakes navigation.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the MOSES AND ELIAS‘s wreck being discovered or explored near Bass Island, Lake Erie.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in Lake Erie’s Bass Islands area.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The MOSES AND ELIAS represents one of the earliest documented schooners on the Great Lakes, serving in cargo transport for nearly two decades before being wrecked in 1851. The vessel’s multiple incidents, including grounding in Oswego and final loss in Lake Erie, reflect the dangers of early maritime commerce.

Like many early wooden schooners, it was a key part of the region’s economic expansion, helping develop trade routes between New York, Ohio, and the Midwest. Its loss near Bass Island is one of many similar shipwrecks that occurred in the storm-prone waters of Lake Erie.