The H.N. JEX, also known as FRONTENAC, was a wooden propeller vessel built in 1868 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was constructed for the Northern Transportation Co. of Ogdensburg, NY, and served as a passenger and package freight ship. The vessel had two decks and was powered by a high-pressure engine, a single cylinder, and a firebox boiler. It had dimensions of 135.5 feet in length, 25.8 feet in beam, and 11 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of 447.37 and a net tonnage of 334.
On August 16, 1921, the FRONTENAC met its final demise when it foundered 15 miles off Long Point in Lake Ontario. The vessel was carrying 550 tons of coal at the time. Locals on the Canadian side reported a fire on the lake on the same night. The crew was rescued by the propeller LEHIGH.
The FRONTENAC had a rich history, undergoing several name changes and ownership transfers over the years. It was initially named LAWRENCE and was later renamed FRONTENAC. In 1909, it was registered as H.N. JEX in the United States and in 1915, its enrollment was surrendered in Port Huron, indicating a sale to aliens, specifically J.F. Sowards of Kingston, ONT. The vessel experienced various incidents throughout its lifetime, including being ashore at 40 Mile Point in Lake Huron in 1877 and colliding with the pleasure steamer CYCLONE in Cleveland, OH, in 1890. It was rebuilt and re-enrolled multiple times, with changes to its dimensions and ownership.
Ultimately, the FRONTENAC’s final chapter came to an end in 1921 when it foundered in Lake Ontario.
