IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The Sweet Home was a wooden-hulled schooner-barge, originally built as a fore-and-aft schooner with a single deck. It featured two masts and a square stern, typical of vessels used during the mid-19th century for transporting cargo across the Great Lakes. The Sweet Home was rigged as a carvel-built schooner, meaning its planks were flush, giving it a smoother hull.
HISTORY #
The Sweet Home was constructed in 1853 by Savillon S. Little in Jordan, Ontario, and quickly became a part of the maritime trade on the Great Lakes. Over its years of service, the vessel underwent several significant repairs and changes in ownership.
Key Ownership Timeline:
- 1855: Owned by Edmund Boyle & Co., Kingston, Ontario
- 1860: Owned by Hugh Ross of Kingston and Thomas Bolley of Amherst Island
- 1861: Ownership transferred to Joshua J. Nichol and Soloman Sylvester of Toronto
- 1865: Underwent significant repairs, increasing its gross tonnage to 144 tons
- 1866: Owned by J.J. Nichol of Kingston
- 1871: Owned by Campbell of Kingston
- 1872: Sank near Wolfe Island, St. Lawrence River; ownership by McClelland and others
- 1874: Major repairs undertaken
- 1878: Owned by J.H. Radford of Wolfe Island; later that year, ownership transferred to Benjamin Barney of Kingston
Throughout its operational life, the Sweet Home was actively engaged in the transportation of goods across the Great Lakes, a critical part of the regional economy. The vessel’s tonnage and dimensions were adjusted over time, reflecting the repairs and modifications it underwent to remain seaworthy.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
On either November 22 or 29, 1878, the Sweet Home met its tragic end when it drifted ashore just east of the life-saving station in Oswego, New York. Despite the sea not being particularly rough, the vessel quickly began to break apart upon grounding and was declared a total loss. The cargo, owned by E.W. Rathbun & Co., was uninsured, resulting in an estimated damage of $1,000.
The Sweet Home had a valuation of $2,000 at the time of its loss, and it was rated B 2 with a dash in the shipping register. The Detroit Post & Tribune reported the vessel’s loss, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the grounding and the rapid destruction of the ship.
LOCATED BY & DATE #
There is no specific modern record of the wreck’s discovery or identification, so no individuals or dates are associated with locating the remains of the Sweet Home.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES #
There are no current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) related to the wreck of the Sweet Home.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Ships
