- Schooner
- 18ffw 6m
- 117ft Length
- Long Point, Lake Erie
- Loran: 44502.5 58476.7
The schooner WILD ROVER had a significant history and experienced several notable events during its time in service. Built at Fairport by Wilson & Fountain, the vessel was in its 19th year when it encountered a total loss on November 9, 1874. The ship ran ashore near Francis Palms at Long Point while carrying block stone destined for Toronto. Unfortunately, there were slim hopes of salvaging the cargo. The WILD ROVER was owned by Capt. Webb and E.B. Eager of Cleveland and had an estimated value of $10,000, with partial insurance coverage.
The loss of the WILD ROVER, along with the old barge DETROIT, marked the departure of two long-serving vessels from the records of Lake Shipping. The DETROIT, the first propeller built in Detroit, had been in service since 1845, while the WILD ROVER had served faithfully for 19 years. The DETROIT met its end at Point Abino, while the WILD ROVER was abandoned two miles above Long Point.
In June 1876, ship material from the WILD ROVER was recovered by the schooner PHANTOM, which arrived from Port Ryerse. The material was transported back to Cleveland on the PHANTOM, signifying the salvage efforts carried out on the abandoned WILD ROVER at Long Point.
According to the Merchant Vessel List of 1871, the WILD ROVER had a US number of 26238 and a tonnage of 213.79 tons. Its home port was Cleveland, Ohio. The vessel was enrolled in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1855, and ownership later transferred to Bliss O. Wilcox and others from Fairport, Ohio, in 1859. Wilcox & Fountain of Fairport became the owners in 1863.
Over the years, the WILD ROVER experienced various incidents and changes in ownership. In 1860, it ran ashore at South Bay Point in Lake Ontario but was successfully released. In September 1862, a tragic incident occurred when a man was lost overboard near Point Abino in Lake Erie. Wilcox & Fountain of Fairport maintained ownership until the vessel was rebuilt and remeasured, resulting in a gross tonnage of 213.79 in 1865.
In July 1866, the WILD ROVER sank in the St. Lawrence River off Brockville while carrying a cargo of corn for Ogdensburg, New York. However, it was later raised and repaired. By 1871, the ownership of the schooner had transferred to Jno. McKay of Cleveland, Ohio.
