Other Names
- HENRY C BISHOP
The H. B. Bishop, also known as Henry C. Bishop, was a schooner (also described as a brig in 1848) built in 1847 in Cleveland, Ohio, by G. W. Jones & Co. The master carpenter responsible for its construction was Jacob Banta. The original owners of the vessel were G. W. Walbridge and Captain Trowbridge, both from Cleveland.
The H. B. Bishop had a length of 121.1 feet, a beam of 24.1 feet, and a depth of 9.5 feet. It had a tonnage of 264 (old style). The schooner had two masts and was primarily used for transporting cargo.
On September 26, 1851, the H. B. Bishop had its top rigging carried away when the brig Belle ran foul of it while entering port. This incident was reported in the Morning Express of Buffalo on September 27, 1851.
The vessel encountered a more significant loss on October 25, 1852. It was wrecked in Nottawasaga Harbor, located in Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. The H. B. Bishop was carrying a cargo of grain at the time of the storm-driven mishap. It was driven over a bar and into shallows, where it ultimately became stranded. The loss of the schooner, including its part cargo of lumber, was estimated at $8,000.
The purpose of the H. B. Bishop’s presence at Nottawasaga Harbor was to test the navigability of the harbor for larger schooners. Despite its unfortunate fate, the remains of the schooner were visible on the beach for at least a century after the incident.
The H. B. Bishop had been enrolled in Buffalo, New York, from 1847 to 1852. In 1852, the vessel came under the ownership of Oliver Bugbee from Buffalo.
The wreck of the H.B. Bishop had an impact on the future of Wasaga Beach and Collingwood. At the time, there was a rivalry between the Nottawasaga River mouth and Collingwood as potential locations for the terminus of the Ontario Simcoe and Huron Railway. Speculators in both areas sought to secure the selection of their sites. The H.B. Bishop was chartered to go to the Nottawasaga to load grain, which was seen as evidence supporting the Nottawasaga’s claim. However, the ship got stranded due to insufficient water depth, and it was eventually wrecked in a storm. The incident was used by Collingwood proponents to argue against the Nottawasaga’s suitability as a terminal location, and Collingwood ultimately became the chosen site.
The wreck of the H.B. Bishop remained on the shore, serving as a reminder of the hazards and treacherous conditions in the area. The remains of the schooner were embedded in the sand, and as the years passed, the ship deteriorated, with its upper structure disappearing over time. However, the oak ribs of the vessel remained visible, serving as a reminder of the shipwreck’s history.
