IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

•Vessel Name: Alfred Allen (formerly J. J. Morley)

•Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner

•Official Number: 1360

•Gross Tonnage: 160 tons

•Built: 1853 (Rebuilt and renamed in 1862)

•Builder: H.N. Throop, Pultneyville, New York

•Final Location: Mohawk Reef near Port Colborne, Ontario, Lake Erie

•Coordinates: Not specified

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The Alfred Allen was a typical wooden Schooner of the 19th century, designed for the transportation of bulk goods across the Great Lakes. Originally constructed as the J. J. Morley, the vessel was Rebuilt and renamed Alfred Allen in 1862. Schooners like the Alfred Allen were renowned for their speed and efficiency, making them invaluable to the growing trade networks of the Great Lakes region.

HISTORY

The Alfred Allen started its life as the J. J. Morley, constructed in 1853 by H.N. Throop in Pultneyville, New York. It served as a vital link in the chain of goods transportation that powered the economies of lakeside communities. In 1862, the Schooner was extensively Rebuilt, resulting in its renaming as the Alfred Allen.

Notable Events:

•1853-1862: Operated under the name J. J. Morley.

•1862: Rebuilt and renamed Alfred Allen.

•October 27, 1869: While carrying 500 barrels of salt to Toledo, the Alfred Allen encountered a blizzard. The fierce storm drove the Schooner onto Mohawk Reef near Port Colborne, Ontario, Lake Erie. The crew survived, but the vessel was stranded.

•November 30, 1869: The vessel, washed free from the reef, was driven ashore by waves. Battered by the relentless storm, the Alfred Allen broke apart.

•1874: Listed in the Merchant Vessels as a “wrecked” vessel, marking its official end.

The Schooner was a testament to the bustling trade on the Great Lakes, but its fate underscored the unpredictable and hazardous conditions faced by mariners of the time.

FINAL DISPOSITION

The Alfred Allen was wrecked on October 27, 1869, and its remains were destroyed by November 30, 1869, after being driven ashore from Mohawk Reef. No salvage efforts were recorded, and the wreck was officially listed as lost in maritime records.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES

No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) specifically pertain to the Alfred Allen wreck. Mohawk Reef near Port Colborne, Ontario, is a well-known navigation hazard. Mariners in the area should proceed with caution.

LOCATED BY & DATE

The Alfred Allen’s wreck location has been documented historically but does not appear to have been rediscovered as a specific dive site or archaeological site.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

The Alfred Allen’s remains were left to the elements after it broke apart in 1869. Given its age and the violent circumstances of its loss, it is likely that no substantial remnants of the vessel exist today.

RESOURCES & LINKS

•Maritime History of the Great Lakes

•David Swayze Shipwreck File

•Great Lakes Ships

CONCLUSION

The story of the Alfred Allen serves as a vivid reminder of the perilous conditions that 19th-century sailors faced on the Great Lakes. Its loss, during a devastating storm in 1869, highlights the challenges of transporting goods like salt in a time when maritime technology was at the mercy of nature. Though the vessel itself is lost to time, its history remains a significant chapter in the maritime legacy of Lake Erie and Port Colborne.

KEYWORDS

Alfred Allen Schooner, J. J. Morley shipwreck, Lake Erie wrecks, Mohawk Reef wreck, 19th-century Schooner, Great Lakes maritime history, Port Colborne shipwrecks, salt transport Great Lakes, historic shipwrecks, Pultneyville vessel.