• Vessel Name: A.E. Vickory (formerly J.B. Penfield)
• Type: Three-masted wooden Schooner
• Length: 136 feet
• Location: Rock Island, NY, St. Lawrence River
• Coordinates: N44 16.8210 W76 01.1830
• Depth: Bow at approximately 65 feet; Stern over a ledge reaching 110 feet; broken masts extending to 180 feet
• Condition: Wreck is submerged with broken masts stretching into the channel

Vessel Type and Historical Significance

The A.E. Vickory, originally launched as the J.B. Penfield, was a three-masted Schooner built by Asa Wilcox in Three Mile Bay, New York. After being renamed in 1884, it continued service on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, carrying bulk goods like corn, coal, and other essential commodities. Measuring 136.2 feet in length and registered at 291 tons, the Schooner served as a crucial link in regional trade routes.

Final Voyage and Sinking

On August 15, 1889, the A.E. Vickory was transporting 21,000 bushels of corn from Chicago to Prescott, Ontario, for Wiser’s Distillery. Captain John Massey was aboard, along with river pilot Henry Webber Jr., who boarded at Fishers Landing to navigate the vessel through the St. Lawrence. Unfortunately, a mere 15 minutes into the pilot’s charge, the vessel struck a shoal near the Rock Island Lighthouse. A sudden wind exacerbated the collision, leading the Schooner to fill with water and eventually sink.

A dramatic scene unfolded as Captain Massey, enraged at the pilot, drew a revolver in anger, firing a shot that narrowly missed the pilot and ricocheted off the Deck. Realizing the vessel was rapidly flooding, the captain and crew Abandoned ship, reaching shore in a Yawl boat with minimal belongings.

Legal and Comedic Aftermath

In a peculiar twist, a U.S. Marshal arrived the following spring to post a notice of seizure for salvage claims on the sunken Vickory. Equipped in a diver’s suit, the marshal intended to post the notice underwater. However, upon realizing the vessel lay at 100 feet, he Abandoned the plan and instead posted the notice on a nearby tree.

Current Dive Site

The A.E. Vickory has become one of the St. Lawrence River’s most popular dive sites. The bow lies about 15 feet from the shoal at a depth of 65 feet, while the Stern reaches 110 feet and the masts trail off into the channel at depths of up to 180 feet. The wreck offers divers a unique glimpse into late 19th-century ship construction and the storied history of the river.

Captain John Massey

Captain Massey, a seasoned lake captain from Ogdensburg, was 34 years old at the time of the wreck. He continued his maritime career after the Vickory’s demise, eventually passing away in Milwaukee in 1915. Known as “Old Man” Massey, he was a respected figure in the Great Lakes maritime community.

Sources and External Links

For more details on the A.E. Vickory and related maritime history, refer to:

• Bowling Green State University Great Lakes Maritime Database
• Brockville Recorder and Times, August 21, 1889
• Rock Island Lighthouse Historical and Memorial Association
• Chicago Inter Ocean, August 21, 1889
• Great Lakes Maritime Database – Alpena Public Library, C. Patrick Labadie Collection
• Ogdensburg Journal, March 26, 1915
• Oswego Daily Times, August 17, 1889
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Thousand Island Life, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2021
• Port of Oswego Enrollment Records – Penfield Library
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Toronto Globe, April 10, 1890
• Wikipedia
• YouTube Video by Dan Gildea: Diving the A.E. Vickory (See Below)
• Wrecks and Reefs – Vickory

The A.E. Vickory wreck serves as a captivating historical site that encapsulates the hazards of navigating the St. Lawrence River, as well as the rich maritime history associated with these waters.