The Chief Justice Marshall was a two-masted wooden schooner built in 1830 by S. W. Turner in Cape Vincent, NY. It had an official number of none. The vessel had dimensions of approximately 105 feet in length, 22 feet in width, and 9 feet in depth. It had a weight measurement of 182 tons.
On November 1, 1862, during a storm, the Chief Justice Marshall was driven aground and wrecked between Dunkirk and Barcelona, NY, in Lake Erie. The entire crew of four or five people tragically lost their lives. One report suggests that the crew was saved, but this seems to be contradictory information.
The vessel was owned by Shaw & Kibbie of Buffalo. It had undergone rebuilding and enlargement in 1849.
News reports from the time mention other vessels that were also lost during the storm, including the POST BOY and the RUGBY. The crew of the POST BOY was saved, but the Chief Justice Marshall and the RUGBY were lost with all hands.
The Chief Justice Marshall and the other vessels that were lost were victims of the powerful storm and treacherous conditions on Lake Erie. Their wreckage and the loss of lives serve as a reminder of the risks faced by sailors and the unpredictable nature of maritime travel during that time.
