ZEPHANIA (1857, Schooner)
Identification & Site Information:
•Vessel Name: ZEPHANIA
•Year of Build: 1857
Construction and Ownership
•Built at: St. Ours, Quebec (possibly)
•Vessel Type: Schooner
•Hull Materials: Wood
•Number of Decks: 1
•Builder Name: Haplette Mage
Hull Dimensions
•Tonnage (Old Style): 144 tons
Vessel Type
The Zephania was a wooden-hulled, single-decked schooner built in 1857, likely at St. Ours, Quebec. Schooners like the Zephania were the workhorses of the Great Lakes, commonly used for transporting large bulk cargoes, such as grain, across the lakes’ commercial routes.
History
The Zephania had an active career transporting goods across the Great Lakes, particularly between Canadian and U.S. ports. By 1861, the vessel was owned by Henderson & Holcomb of Montreal, Quebec, and it was likely involved in the grain trade, carrying wheat and other agricultural products from inland areas to port cities for export or milling.
In September 1862, the Zephania was loaded with a cargo of wheat when it encountered rough conditions on Lake Ontario. The schooner foundered off Somerset, Ontario, and was lost. The exact circumstances of the sinking are not well-documented, but it is likely that weather conditions or structural issues contributed to the disaster, which was common for vessels on the Great Lakes during this period.
Final Disposition
The Zephania foundered in September 1862 off the coast of Somerset, Ontario, in Lake Ontario, with a cargo of wheat. No specific details are recorded about the loss of life, if any, or the exact cause of the foundering, but the vessel was a total loss.
Located By & Date
There is no modern record of the wreck of the Zephania being located or explored. The remains of the vessel likely rest at the bottom of Lake Ontario near Somerset, but no formal discovery has been documented.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no known navigation hazards related to the wreck of the Zephania. The waters around Somerset are not currently marked for obstructions caused by this wreck.
Resources & Links
For more research and historical context, consider these resources:
•Maritime History of the Great Lakes
The Zephania is an example of the many schooners that served the grain trade on Lake Ontario, facing the hazards of unpredictable weather and heavy loads during an era when shipwrecks were a frequent occurrence on the Great Lakes.
