LAUREL

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IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #

Name: Laurel
Type: Scow Schooner (two-masted)
Built: 1871, Oliver’s Ferry, Ontario
Builder: Michael O’Mara
Dimensions:
- Length: 66.5 feet (20.3 meters)
- Beam: 15.6 feet (4.75 meters)
- Depth: 5.2 feet (1.6 meters)
Tonnage:
- Gross Tonnage: 54 tons
- Net Tonnage: 44 tons
Final Resting Place: Off Big Sandy Creek, Lake Ontario (approximately 15 miles from Oswego, New York)
Final Depth: 7 fathoms (42 feet or 12.8 meters)

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #

The Laurel was a scow schooner, a type of flat-bottomed vessel with broad, square-shaped hulls, commonly used in the 19th century for transporting bulk goods. Scow schooners were well-suited for navigating shallow waters and were typically used for short-haul routes. The Laurel was equipped with two masts and a single deck, characteristic of the simpler design intended to maximize cargo capacity while remaining cost-effective to build and operate.

HISTORY #

The Laurel was constructed in 1871 at Oliver’s Ferry, Ontario, by shipbuilder Michael O’Mara. Initially owned by Henry Mason and M. O’Mara, the vessel began its service as a cargo transporter on the Great Lakes. The schooner’s specifications, including a gross tonnage of 54 and a net tonnage of 44, reflect its modest size and capacity, suitable for the transportation of various goods.

The ownership of the Laurel changed hands several times during its brief service life:

James Richardson, Kingston, Ontario (from September 2, 1871)
David Lewis, Garden Island, Ontario (from April 30, 1872)
Henry Radford, Wolfe Island, Ontario (from November 29, 1872)
Martin Staley the Younger, Wolfe Island, Ontario (from February 18, 1873)

These changes in ownership suggest the vessel was in demand for its practicality in moving goods across the Great Lakes region.

FINAL DISPOSITION #

The Laurel met its tragic end on August 22, 1876, while navigating the waters of Lake Ontario. The vessel was en route from Kingston, Ontario, to Fair Haven, New York, carrying a cargo of 60 tons of iron ore. During the voyage, the schooner encountered a severe storm off Big Sandy Creek, approximately 15 miles from Oswego, New York. The storm proved too powerful for the Laurel, causing it to founder and sink to the lakebed at a depth of 42 feet (7 fathoms).

Despite the vessel’s loss, the crew was fortunate to be rescued by local fishermen, preventing any loss of life. The sinking of the Laurel marked the end of its brief but eventful maritime service, underscoring the perilous conditions that sailors and vessels faced on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.

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 Laurel.