Robert Bruce (pre-1835)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Robert Bruce
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: Before 1835
• Builder: Not recorded
• Dimensions: Not recorded (typical small schooner ~60–80 ft)
• Registered Tonnage: Not recorded (~100 tons est.)
• Location: Bay of Quinte / Henderson Harbor region, Lake Ontario
• Coordinates: Approx. Henderson Point, Jefferson County, NY (exact unknown)
• Official Number: Not applicable (pre-registry)
• Original Owners: Benjamin Chandler of Henderson, New York (master and part-owner)
• Number of Masts: Not recorded

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Robert Bruce was a small trading schooner, typical of early Lake Ontario commerce. Vessels of this size commonly moved grain, lumber, and ballast cargoes between small harbors, particularly in Jefferson County and the Bay of Quinte trade.

Description

The Robert Bruce was a wooden schooner that met its demise during a violent gale on November 11, 1835. Owned and commanded by Benjamin Chandler, the vessel was engaged in trade and was sailing in ballast when it encountered severe weather conditions that led to its loss.

History

• Ownership & Trade: The schooner was owned and commanded by Benjamin Chandler of Henderson Harbor, Jefferson County, New York.
• November 11, 1835: Departed Kingston, Upper Canada, for a port in the Bay of Quinte, sailing in ballast.
• Final Voyage: Encountered the violent November gale that devastated Lake Ontario shipping.
• Loss: Wrecked and all aboard perished, including Chandler, an unnamed seaman, and passenger Elias Everett of Watertown.
• Aftermath: By November 14–15, the wreck had drifted ashore at Henderson Point. Everett’s coat was found nailed to wreckage with his wallet inside, containing $719, confirming both identity and total loss.

Significant Incidents

• All hands lost during the storm, including Captain Benjamin Chandler and passenger Elias Everett.
• Wreckage confirmed by local residents shortly after the storm.

Final Disposition

The Robert Bruce was a total loss. Wreckage washed ashore at Henderson Point and was partially recovered. No further record of the hull survives.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Condition: Destroyed; fragments found ashore. No known wreck site today.
• Accessibility: Not applicable — no site remains for divers.

Resources & Links

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The schooner Robert Bruce was among several vessels destroyed in the November 1835 gale, a storm remembered for its ferocity and high death toll across Lake Ontario. Her loss at Henderson Harbor illustrates the vulnerability of small trading schooners in sudden weather shifts. Though her hull has not survived, contemporary reports preserve her story as part of Lake Ontario’s early maritime heritage.