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In June 1846, the steamship ONEIDA was enrolled in Cleveland for service on the Buffalo and Chicago route. It continued to operate under the same owner and underwent a rebuilding process in 1848, resulting in new dimensions of 166 feet 5 inches in length, 24 feet 1 inch in width, and 11 feet in depth. The ship now had three decks, a mast, and a total tonnage of 428 77/95 tons.

Throughout its operational years, the ONEIDA was involved in various incidents and played a role in assisting other vessels. On July 3, 1848, it towed the sinking schooner CADET into Buffalo, and on July 7, it towed the capsized schooner GALLINIPPER into Beaver Island harbor on Lake Michigan. However, the ONEIDA also experienced its fair share of collisions and accidents. In October 1848, it collided with the steamer ARROW on Lake Erie, causing damage to both vessels. In August 1849, the ONEIDA broke its shaft in the engine while on Lake Michigan but was towed to Chicago by the propeller OHIO for repairs.

Ownership of the ONEIDA changed over time, with E.T. Sterling and others in Cleveland acquiring it in 1850. In October of the same year, the ship was involved in a collision with the steamer ST. LOUIS on Lake Erie. In December 1851, the ONEIDA lost its rudder and ran ashore at the entrance to Fairport, Ohio harbor. However, it was eventually released and repaired. By 1852, the ship was owned by Oliver C. Knight in Cleveland.

Unfortunately, on November 11, 1852, the ONEIDA tragically capsized on Lake Erie. The details surrounding the incident are not provided in the given information.

Moving forward to the year 1893, there is a mention of another vessel named ONEIDA, a steam barge. On August 21, 1893, this ONEIDA caught fire while on Lake Erie. The crew managed to escape to shore, but the ship was burned to the water’s edge. It was owned by Captain James Davidson of Bay City, Michigan, and was insured for $27,000. The ship was originally built in 1862, rebuilt twice, and valued at $40,000.

According to the Merchant Vessel List, the steam screw ONEIDA, with the official number 18888, had a gross tonnage of 1070.50 tons and a net tonnage of 928.54 tons in 1885. It was built in Buffalo, New York, and had a home port in Buffalo as well. The dimensions of the ship were recorded as 200.3 feet in length, 31.7 feet in width, and 12.0 feet in depth. In the 1891 listing, the ONEIDA had a gross tonnage of 887.89 tons and a net tonnage of 745.93 tons. Its home port was now Port Huron, Michigan.

It’s speculated that this is the wreck Oneida, which sank on November 11, 1852, with all hands (approximately 20).