IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION: #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION: #
The A. E. Vickery was originally built as the J.B. Penfield, a schooner with a wooden hull. Schooners like the Vickery were integral to the maritime commerce of the Great Lakes, commonly used for transporting bulk cargoes such as grain and coal. The vessel had one deck and was built by Asa Wilcox in Three Mile Bay, New York, in 1861.
HISTORY: #
The schooner was enrolled in Chicago, Illinois, in 1861 and had a varied ownership history, reflecting the common practice of transferring ship titles as businesses changed hands or as the needs of the shipping industry evolved. Originally, she was owned by D. McCallum of Oswego, New York. The ship was rebuilt and renamed A.E. Vickery in 1884 under the ownership of J.T. Vickery of Chicago, continuing to serve in the grain trade on the Great Lakes.
On the night of August 15, 1889, while navigating the narrow and treacherous channel near Rock Island Lighthouse in the Saint Lawrence River, the A.E. Vickery struck a shoal. Despite efforts to save the vessel, it slipped off the shoal and sank in about 100 feet of water, with only the topmasts visible above the surface.
FINAL DISPOSITION: #
- Final Location: Near Rock Island Lighthouse, Saint Lawrence River
- Date: August 15, 1889
- Final Depth: Approximately 100 feet
- How: The schooner struck a shoal and, after clinging to the rocks for several hours, slipped off and sank into deeper water. The vessel and her cargo of 21,000 bushels of corn, consigned to J.B. Wiser of Prescott, Ontario, were considered a total loss.
LOCATED BY & DATE: #
- Located by: Not specified
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES: #
Navigational advisories should be noted for this area due to the narrow and crooked channel with strong currents, which has been the site of multiple shipwrecks.
RESOURCES & LINKS: #
- 3D Shipwrecks
- Great Lakes Ships
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Bowling Green State University Great Lakes Vessel Database
Conclusion: #
The wreck of the A.E. Vickery is a significant historical site that marks the dangers of navigating the Saint Lawrence River. The loss of the schooner highlights the perils faced by Great Lakes mariners in the 19th century, especially in regions with challenging navigation conditions.
