CATTARAUGUS U4925

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IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #

Name: Cattaraugus
Type: Schooner (two-masted)
Built: 1857
Tonnage: 309 tons
Final Resting Place: Lake Ontario

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VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #

The Cattaraugus was a two-masted wooden schooner, a common vessel type used during the mid-19th century for transporting bulk goods across the Great Lakes. Schooners like the Cattaraugus were essential for regional commerce, carrying cargoes such as grain, coal, and lumber between ports on the Great Lakes.

HISTORY #

The Cattaraugus was constructed in 1857 and became part of the busy maritime trade network that characterized the Great Lakes during this period. With a tonnage of 309 tons, the schooner was capable of carrying significant loads, making it an important asset for its owners.

In October 1864, the Cattaraugus embarked on a voyage from Chicago, Illinois, carrying a cargo of wheat bound for Oswego, New York. During this journey, the schooner encountered a severe storm while navigating the waters of Lake Ontario. The crew, recognizing the danger posed by the storm, attempted to bring the vessel closer to shore in a bid to find refuge from the fierce winds and waves.

FINAL DISPOSITION #

Despite the crew’s best efforts to save the Cattaraugus, the vessel began taking on water as the storm intensified. The flooding proved too much for the schooner to handle, and it eventually capsized. Tragically, all but one of the crew members perished in the disaster.

The lone survivor, George W. Lewis, managed to survive by clinging to a piece of wreckage in the tumultuous waters of Lake Ontario. He was later rescued by a passing vessel, which brought him to safety. Lewis provided an account of the sinking to authorities and local newspapers, shedding light on the harrowing events that led to the loss of the Cattaraugusand its crew.

The exact cause of the foundering remains unspecified in available records, but it is clear that the severe storm and the resulting flooding were critical factors in the vessel’s tragic fate.

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 Cattaraugus.