The Lady of the Lake, a schooner with a mysterious fate, departed from York (now Toronto) en route to Oswego but never reached its destination. It is presumed to have foundered, and the only remnant ever discovered was a small piece that washed up on Ford’s Shoal. The following year, the hulk of the ship was reportedly located three miles off Oswego in deep water. Captain John Rogers (d) served as the master of the vessel.
Originally built in 1813 at Sacket’s Harbor, New York, as a 5-gun armed schooner for the American Great Lakes navy during the War of 1812, the Lady of the Lake was later converted into a merchant ship after the war. The vessel did not bear any other names and did not have an official registration number.
The Lady of the Lake was constructed as a wooden schooner, with its displacement recorded as 89 tons. However, there are conflicting specifications regarding its tonnage, with some sources indicating 49 tons and others stating 230 tons.
The ship met its demise on either December 13 or 15, 1826, due to a severe storm. The incident occurred off the coast of Oswego, New York, situated on Lake Ontario. Unfortunately, seven lives were lost in the tragic event. Details regarding the cargo being carried by the Lady of the Lake are unknown.
