CATHERINE

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IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #


	Vessel Name: CATHERINE Type: Schooner Year Built: 1814 Builder: Pultneyville, New York Material: Wood Masts: 2 Tonnage: 46 (old style) Location: Near Pultneyville, New York, Lake Ontario Final Fate: Wrecked

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #

The CATHERINE was a wooden schooner built in 1814 in Pultneyville, New York. With two masts and a tonnage of 46 (old style), the vessel was typical of the early 19th-century schooners used on the Great Lakes. These ships were primarily designed for transporting goods and sometimes passengers across the lakes, relying on their sails for propulsion. The CATHERINE was built to serve in the bustling trade network that connected the growing communities around Lake Ontario.

HISTORY #

The CATHERINE was launched in 1814, during a time when schooners were the workhorses of Great Lakes shipping. Owned by Lyons of Presque Isle, the vessel was engaged in various trading activities across Lake Ontario. Like many ships of its time, the CATHERINE was subject to the unpredictable and often dangerous weather conditions that could arise on the Great Lakes.

On November 11, 1820, while navigating near Pultneyville, New York, the CATHERINE encountered a severe storm. The schooner was carrying ballast, which is weight used to improve a ship’s stability, but this was not enough to save the vessel from the storm’s fury. The ship was driven aground on a rocky shore, where it was completely destroyed by the storm. The incident highlights the perilous conditions sailors faced, particularly in the early 19th century when weather forecasting and navigation technology were rudimentary.

FINAL DISPOSITION #

The CATHERINE was lost on November 11, 1820, after being driven aground by a storm near Pultneyville, New York. The vessel was destroyed on the rocky shore, with the storm rendering it a total loss. The exact number of casualties, if any, is not detailed in the records available.