Thomas Scott location 3.5 miles off Cabot Head.
45° 17.921N
81 17. 894W
Depth >360
The Thomas R. Scott was a propeller vessel that was built in Grand Haven, Michigan, in the year 1887. It was constructed by Duncan Robertson and had the official number 145452. The original owners of the vessel were John Lang and W.J. Thompson, based in Chicago and Riverdale, Illinois. The Thomas R. Scott had a single stack and one deck.
The vessel was equipped with a high-pressure engine manufactured by the Grand Haven Iron Works in 1887. The engine had one cylinder, measuring 20 inches by 22 inches, and produced 350 horsepower at 112 revolutions per minute. It was accompanied by a firebox boiler built by Johnston Brothers of Ferrysburg in 1884. The boiler measured 7 feet by 14 feet and operated at a pressure of 100 pounds per square inch.
In terms of dimensions, the Thomas R. Scott had a length of 129 feet, a beam of 28 feet, and a depth of 7.6 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 268 and a net tonnage of 212.6. The vessel had a capacity to carry 375 tons of cargo or approximately 300,000 feet of lumber.
On September 2, 1914, the Thomas R. Scott met its final fate. It foundered in deep water near Cabot Head in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. At the time of the incident, the vessel was carrying a cargo of lumber while en route from Cockburn Island to Owen Sound. The wreck was discovered in 1994, resting at a depth of 360 feet.
Throughout its history, the ownership of the Thomas R. Scott changed hands multiple times. It was initially enrolled in Grand Haven, Michigan, on June 20, 1887. On July 19, 1887, it came under the ownership of Granger Farwell, J.H. Pearson, and Walter S. Williams, all based in Chicago, Illinois. The vessel was later owned by John E. Mills and others from Cleveland, Ohio, starting on March 26, 1890. During this period, it was operated by the Mills Transportation Company and towed the barge LEADER. In 1898, the Thomas R. Scott began towing the barge RICHARDS & HERSCHEL after being rebuilt in Marine City, Michigan. Ownership transferred to Harvey J. Kenall and others from Marysville, Michigan, on April 19, 1906. Finally, on February 28, 1907, the vessel came under the ownership of the Peninsular Tug & Towing Company based in Wiarton, Ontario, with the official number C116847. However, its final fate came just a few years later when it foundered on September 16, 1914, in Lake Huron.
