The schooner Isaac Buchanan, officially registered with no No., was a wooden schooner that was built in 1852 in Port Stanley, Ontario. It had a tonnage of 180 tons. On October 26, 1857, the Isaac Buchanan, along with the steamer Free Trader, three wheat warehouses, and a hotel, was destroyed by a fire that broke out at Port Stanley, Ontario, on the shores of Lake Erie. The fire started on the steamer and quickly spread to the Buchanan, resulting in both vessels becoming total losses. Fortunately, there were no reported fatalities.
The Isaac Buchanan was owned by C.J. or J.T. Hope of London, Ontario. It is unclear from the available information what cargo the schooner was carrying at the time of the fire. The loss was estimated at $8,000 for the Isaac Buchanan alone.
It’s worth noting that the schooner Isaac Buchanan had previously gone ashore during a gale at Gravelly Bay, Ontario, in October 1855. However, no further details are provided regarding that incident.
Here are some sources that mention the loss of the Isaac Buchanan:
- Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, January 28, 1858 (1857 Casualty List)
- Toronto Globe, October 27, 1857
- Buffalo Daily Courier, October 27, 1857
- Buffalo Daily Republic, Tuesday, October 27, 1857
