Ann

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: ANN
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1819
• Builder: Black River, Ohio
• Dimensions: Length 53 ft (16.2 m); Beam 16.5 ft (5 m); Depth of hold 5.1 ft (1.55 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 38 tons (old measurement style)
• Location: Off Long Point, Lake Erie
• Original Owners: H.H. Wilcoxon & Co. of Sandusky, Ohio
• Number of Masts: Two masts

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The ANN was a wooden schooner designed for the transportation of goods across the Great Lakes. Schooners like the ANN were essential to early 19th-century trade, serving as versatile cargo vessels that connected ports across the expanding frontier. Its two-mast design allowed for efficient navigation in the often unpredictable conditions of the Great Lakes.

Description

The ANN was built in 1819 in Black River, Ohio, and enrolled in Cleveland the same year. Over its career, it served several owners and registered ports, reflecting its role in the growing maritime economy of the Great Lakes. It transported goods such as salt and general merchandise, vital for trade and settlement in the region.

History

The vessel’s ownership shifted multiple times:

• 1819-1820: Cleveland, Ohio
• 1820-1823: Detroit, Michigan
• 1823-1824: Mackinac, Michigan, and Portland, Ohio
• 1824: Buffalo, New York, under the ownership of Smith D. Baldwin
• At the time of its loss, the ANN was owned by H.H. Wilcoxon & Co. of Sandusky, Ohio and commanded by Captain Levi Allen.

Significant Incidents

On November 6, 1827, the ANN set out on Lake Erie, carrying a cargo of salt and general merchandise. A sudden gale off Long Point proved disastrous. The crew, mistaking the sound of breakers for a squall, lost their bearings, causing the vessel to strike Long Point. Water quickly filled the schooner, leaving it adrift toward the shore.

Out of thirteen people onboard, five tragically perished. Survivors clung to the foremast until it collapsed, with six eventually managing to swim ashore. Their journey to safety was arduous, involving traversing dense woods and swamps before finding assistance.

The ANN‘s sinking is a reminder of the perils of early maritime navigation on the Great Lakes, where unpredictable weather and limited technology often led to tragedy.

Final Disposition

The ANN was declared a total loss after its wreck at Long Point, Lake Erie. The vessel’s remains are likely scattered or submerged, having deteriorated over nearly two centuries. Its cargo of salt and merchandise was also lost to the lake.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no active Notices to Mariners related to the ANN. The exact location of the wreck has not been confirmed, and it is unlikely to pose a navigational hazard today.

The specific location of the wreck has not been documented or discovered, though historical records pinpoint the general area as off Long Point, Lake Erie.

Resources & Links

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The ANN was a pioneer vessel of its time, integral to early Great Lakes trade. Its tragic loss in 1827 highlights the dangers faced by mariners navigating these waters during the 19th century. While its remains may have faded, the story of the ANN endures, serving as a poignant chapter in the rich maritime history of the Great Lakes.