Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Medora
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: Before 1835
- Builder: Unknown (likely built Cleveland, OH)
- Dimensions: Not recorded (typical schooner ~80–100 ft)
- Registered Tonnage: Not recorded (~150–200 tons est.)
- Location: Driven ashore at Stony Island, Mexico Bay, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: Approx. 43°43′N, 76°13′W (Stony Island)
- Official Number: Not applicable (pre-registry)
- Original Owners: T. Wyman of Oswego, New York
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Medora was a wooden schooner, a common merchant workhorse on the Great Lakes during the early 19th century. Schooners of this type typically carried grain, lumber, and other bulk cargoes between ports. Their fore-and-aft rig allowed for agility in confined waters and better handling in variable wind.
Description
The schooner Medora was engaged in wheat and bulk grain transport on Lake Ontario. Owned by Mr. T. Wyman of Oswego, New York, it was under the command of Capt. Archibald Morse during its final voyage.
History
- Ownership & Trade: Owned by Mr. T. Wyman of Oswego, New York, the Medora was engaged in wheat and bulk grain transport on Lake Ontario.
- November 11, 1835: A violent gale struck Lake Ontario, devastating shipping across the lake.
- Final Voyage: Under Capt. Archibald Morse, the schooner was bound from Cleveland to Oswego with 3,000 bushels of wheat.
- Loss: The gale drove the Medora onto Stony Island in Mexico Bay. The vessel broke apart and was declared a total loss.
- Casualties: All on board were lost, including Capt. Morse, his brother Hezekiah, Nelson Hurns, Benjamin Duxenbury, Henry Hill, a crewman known as “King,” and passengers Mr. Thaddeus Clark (of Oswego) and another unnamed individual who boarded at St. Catharines.
Significant Incidents
- November 11, 1835: The Medora was wrecked during a violent gale on Lake Ontario.
- All hands lost, including the captain and crew.
Final Disposition
The schooner Medora was completely wrecked at Stony Island. No salvage of hull or cargo is documented. Contemporary reports describe the vessel as “entirely a wreck.”
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Presumed scattered or buried under sediment at Stony Island.
- Accessibility: Location in Mexico Bay is shallow, but no remains have been confirmed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”medora-pre-1835″ title=”References & Links”]
The schooner Medora represents one of the most tragic losses of the November 1835 Lake Ontario gale, with all hands perishing when the vessel wrecked at Stony Island. Its loss underscores the vulnerability of early schooner trade to sudden storms and remains a key event in the maritime history of Mexico Bay and Oswego shipping.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Other Names: None recorded
Official Number: Not applicable (pre-registry)
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
Builder: Unknown (likely built Cleveland, OH)
Year Built: Before 1835
Dimensions: Not recorded (typical schooner ~80–100 ft)
Tonnage: Not recorded (~150–200 tons est.)
Cargo on Final Voyage: 3,000 bushels of wheat
Owner: T. Wyman of Oswego, New York
Master: Capt. Archibald Morse
Date of Loss: November 11, 1835
Location: Driven ashore at Stony Island, Mexico Bay, Lake Ontario
Coordinates: Approx. 43°43′N, 76°13′W (Stony Island)
Depth: Wrecked and broken up in shallow waters
Casualties: All hands lost (captain, crew, two passengers)
Vessel Type Description
The Medora was a wooden schooner, a common merchant workhorse on the Great Lakes during the early 19th century. Schooners of this type typically carried grain, lumber, and other bulk cargoes between ports. Their fore-and-aft rig allowed for agility in confined waters and better handling in variable wind.
History & Final Voyage
- Ownership & Trade: Owned by Mr. T. Wyman of Oswego, New York, the Medora was engaged in wheat and bulk grain transport on Lake Ontario.
- November 11, 1835: A violent gale struck Lake Ontario, devastating shipping across the lake.
- Final Voyage: Under Capt. Archibald Morse, the schooner was bound from Cleveland to Oswego with 3,000 bushels of wheat.
- Loss: The gale drove the Medora onto Stony Island in Mexico Bay. The vessel broke apart and was declared a total loss.
- Casualties: All on board were lost, including Capt. Morse, his brother Hezekiah, Nelson Hurns, Benjamin Duxenbury, Henry Hill, a crewman known as “King,” and passengers Mr. Thaddeus Clark (of Oswego) and another unnamed individual who boarded at St. Catharines.
Final Disposition
The schooner Medora was completely wrecked at Stony Island. No salvage of hull or cargo is documented. Contemporary reports describe the vessel as “entirely a wreck.”
Located By & Date Found
The wreck was visible in 1835 after grounding but no remains are known today. The site has not been archaeologically documented.
Notmars & Advisories
None modern. The wreck was destroyed nearshore in 1835.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Presumed scattered or buried under sediment at Stony Island.
- Accessibility: Location in Mexico Bay is shallow, but no remains have been confirmed.
Resources & Links
- *Oswego Palladium* (Aug. 26, 1835): Contemporary loss report
- *Detroit Democratic Free Press* (Dec. 7, 1835): Coverage of storm and vessel casualties
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Dave Swayze Shipwreck File – Medora entry
Conclusion
The schooner Medora represents one of the most tragic losses of the November 1835 Lake Ontario gale, with all hands perishing when the vessel wrecked at Stony Island. Its loss underscores the vulnerability of early schooner trade to sudden storms and remains a key event in the maritime history of Mexico Bay and Oswego shipping.
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: N/A (pre-registry)
Coordinates: Approx. Stony Island, Mexico Bay, Lake Ontario (43°43′N, 76°13′W)
Depth: Shallow; wrecked ashore
Location Description: Driven ashore on Stony Island, broken up
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: Not recorded (~80–100 ft est.)
Tonnage: Not recorded
Condition: Destroyed, no remains known
Cause of Loss: Gale, November 11, 1835
Discovery Date: 1835 (wrecked ashore)
Discovered By: Local residents / newspapers
Method: Visual, post-storm wreckage
Legal Notes: Uninsured; cargo total loss
Hazards: None today
Permits Required: N/A (no known remains)