DENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION
The WELLINGTON was a wooden schooner built in Kingston, Ontario, around 1816. Designed for transporting cargo across Lake Ontario, it was typical of the period’s Great Lakes vessels, carrying bulk goods like grain. The schooner was robust enough to navigate the challenging waters of the lake but, as with many ships of its time, was vulnerable to the severe storms that could arise unexpectedly.
HISTORY
The schooner WELLINGTON first appears in historical records in 1816 when it was listed for sale in the Kingston Gazette. It was moored at the wharf of Mr. Patrick Smith in Kingston, awaiting auction. The WELLINGTON was newly built at the time, and the sale included all materials necessary to finish the vessel.
The WELLINGTON’s service history is largely undocumented, but it likely played a role in the burgeoning trade across Lake Ontario, transporting goods between key ports such as Kingston and Wellington Square (now Burlington, Ontario). The vessel’s career, however, was marred by disaster.
On October 6, 1845, the WELLINGTON departed from Wellington Square for Kingston, laden with approximately 3,000 bushels of wheat. The vessel encountered a squall off Nicholsons Island and foundered. The case surrounding this incident became the subject of a significant legal proceeding, where issues of insurance on the cargo were debated before Mr. Justice Day and a special jury. The outcome of the case is not detailed, but it highlights the financial and personal stakes involved in Great Lakes shipping during the era.
Tragedy struck again in 1854. On April 22, the WELLINGTON was lost off Pultneyville, New York, on Lake Ontario while carrying a cargo of peas. This incident further solidified the vessel’s tragic legacy.
FINAL DISPOSITION
The final recorded disaster involving the WELLINGTON occurred during a severe storm on Lake Ontario on November 7th of an unspecified year (possibly 1854). The vessel, carrying a cargo of wheat, sought refuge in Presqu’Isle but possibly encountered difficulties due to waterlogged cargo. The following day, only fragments of the schooner washed ashore near Wellington, Ontario. The storm likely caused the wheat to swell, opening the seams of the ship and leading to its foundering. Tragically, it is believed that all crew members perished in the disaster, including a nephew of Mr. Archibald McFaul of Wellington.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES
There are no current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) related to the WELLINGTON. Due to the lack of exact location and details on the wreck, it remains largely undocumented.
LOCATED BY & DATE
The WELLINGTON has not been definitively located. Wreckage was noted washing ashore near Wellington, Ontario, following the storm.
CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY
The condition of the wreck is largely unknown, with only fragments reported to have been found. The site is not accessible for diving or recovery, as the wreck has not been definitively identified or located.
RESOURCES & LINKS
- Kingston Chronicle (November 17, 1820 & November 21, 1820)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
Keywords:
WELLINGTON schooner, Lake Ontario shipwreck, 19th-century maritime history, Presqu’Isle storm, Great Lakes vessels, lost schooners, Kingston maritime history, shipwreck investigation, wheat cargo shipwreck, 1800s Great Lakes shipping.
