IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
DETAILED HISTORY OF THE SCHOONER ROBERT BRUCE #
The Robert Bruce was a wooden schooner that met a tragic and untimely end in the turbulent waters of Lake Ontario during a violent storm on November 11, 1835. The schooner, believed to have been built before 1835, played a vital role in the transportation of goods and people across the lake. However, the exact details of its construction, including the year it was built and its early ownership history, remain undocumented.
The Final Voyage #
On the fateful day of November 11, 1835, the Robert Bruce set sail from Kingston, Ontario, bound for Hallowell, Ontario. The schooner was carrying a small crew and at least one known passenger. As it made its way across Lake Ontario, a powerful storm arose, a common but deadly occurrence on the Great Lakes, especially during the late fall.
The storm proved too much for the Robert Bruce to handle. The schooner foundered in the storm’s treacherous conditions, off the coast of Henderson Point, Lake Ontario. Tragically, all on board perished in the wreck, making it one of the many maritime disasters that plagued Lake Ontario in the 19th century.
Aftermath and Recovery #
In the days following the wreck, the remains of the Robert Bruce drifted ashore at Henderson Point. Among the wreckage, items belonging to the crew and passenger were found. One particularly poignant discovery was the coat and wallet of passenger Elias Everett from Watertown, New York. The wallet contained $719 in currency—a significant sum at the time—along with valuable papers, suggesting that Everett might have been involved in some important business during the ill-fated voyage.
The Oswego Palladium, a local newspaper, reported on the loss of the Robert Bruce and its crew. The men who perished in the disaster included Benjamin Chandler, Daniel Johnson, Albert Dye, and another individual whose name was not recorded. The reports also highlighted the simultaneous loss of the British vessel Margaret and Ann in the same storm, underscoring the perilous conditions faced by mariners on Lake Ontario during that era.
Legacy of the Robert Bruce #
The loss of the Robert Bruce serves as a somber reminder of the dangers that sailors faced on Lake Ontario in the 19th century. The Great Lakes, while vital to trade and transportation, were also treacherous, particularly during storms that could arise suddenly and with devastating force.
The tragedy of the Robert Bruce is one of many such stories that have become a part of the maritime history of Lake Ontario. It reflects the challenges and risks associated with navigating these vast inland waters during a time when weather forecasting was rudimentary at best, and ships were at the mercy of the elements.
Today, the Robert Bruce is remembered as part of the broader narrative of Great Lakes shipwrecks, a poignant reminder of the lives lost to the unpredictable and often deadly forces of nature.
Sources #
- David Swayze Shipwreck File: A resource offering historical data on shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.
- Oswego Palladium (1835): Contemporary newspaper accounts providing details of the wreck and the aftermath.
