History #
The W.A. ADAIR was a two-masted wooden schooner built in 1845 by Jacob Walker in Black River, Ohio. It had dimensions of 60 feet in length, 18 feet in width, and 7 feet in depth, weighing approximately 61 tons. The vessel was primarily used for transporting coal.
Tragically, on October 22, 1860, while bound from Buffalo to Erie, the W.A. ADAIR encountered a severe storm on Lake Erie. In an attempt to save the crew and the ship after springing a leak, the vessel was run ashore near Dunkirk, New York. However, despite the efforts, only the crew members survived the incident.
Throughout its history, the W.A. ADAIR had experienced several other incidents and accidents. In 1846, it collided with the steamer WISCONSIN in Buffalo, which required repairs. In 1847, the schooner capsized near Dunkirk, resulting in the loss of all hands. It ran aground multiple times, struck a reef, lost its foremast, and suffered damage in collisions and harbor incidents.
The final demise of the W.A. ADAIR occurred in October 1860 when it ran ashore and subsequently broke apart near Dunkirk. The vessel was considered a total loss.
