The schooner Pioneer was constructed by Mr. M. Simpson of Newcastle for Mr. J. Robinson and was announced as a new vessel in May 1860. It had a tonnage of 115 tons and was intended for fishing trips to the Gulf during the summer season.
However, tragedy struck the Pioneer on June 11, 1871, when it sank in Lake Ontario. Loaded with coal from Oswego, the schooner went down approximately 5 or 6 miles off Presque Isle Point. The ship came to rest in about 25 fathoms of water, resulting in a complete loss of the vessel. Fortunately, all crew members were saved.
Reports from the Cobourg Sentinel further confirmed the sinking of the Pioneer. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, approximately 6 miles west of Presqu’Isle Point. Despite sinking in 160 feet of water, the crew managed to escape unharmed.
According to records from the National Archives in Ottawa, the Pioneer was a schooner with a tonnage of 125 tons and was registered in the port of Whitby. It was built in 1860 in Newcastle by John Treleaven. The vessel measured 99 feet in length, 18 feet in breadth, and had a depth of hold of 7 feet. The Pioneer featured two masts, a square stern, a standing bowsprit, and a single deck. The construction style was carvel. John Treleaven, the builder, also served as the surveyor.
The subscribing owners of the Pioneer included John Guy of Oshawa, who owned 22 shares, John Blow of Whitby, who owned 22 shares, and John Allen, who owned 20 shares. On January 1, 1868, John Allen transferred his 20 shares to the other partners due to a mortgage amounting to $800. Notably, the vessel’s certificate was canceled on February 11, 1881, and sent to Ottawa. This cancellation likely occurred due to the permanent loss of the Pioneer when it foundered off Presqu’Isle Point.
