Cornell (grace Danforth – Lake Erie Tug Shipwreck (1922)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: GRACE DANFORTH (renamed CORNELL in 1907)
• Type: Wooden Tugboat (Towboat)
• Year Built: 1888
• Builder: Union Dry Dock Co., Buffalo, NY
• Dimensions: Length: 72 ft (21.9 m); Beam: 17.4 ft (5.3 m); Depth of hold: 10 ft (3.0 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 65 tons (Gross), 32 tons (Net)
• Location: Lake Erie, between Cleveland, OH, and Erie, PA
• Official Number: 86017
• Original Owners: Hand & Johnson Tug Line, Buffalo, NY; Syracuse Sand Co.

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The GRACE DANFORTH was a small but powerful wooden steam tug, designed for:

• Towing larger vessels in and out of harbours
• Pulling schooner-barges and steam freighters on the Great Lakes
• General harbour work and icebreaking in winter months

Built by Union Dry Dock Co. of Buffalo, NY, the vessel had a high-pressure steam engine, which gave it the necessary power to tow larger vessels despite its small size.

By 1907, the tug was renamed CORNELL, possibly after a change in ownership.

Description

The GRACE DANFORTH operated for 34 years, undergoing multiple incidents, rebuilds, and ownership changes before foundering in Lake Erie in 1922 with the loss of all hands.

History

The GRACE DANFORTH/CORNELL had a notable history marked by significant events:

• 1888: Built in Buffalo, NY, by Union Dry Dock Co., with a 300 hp steam engine by Whitman & Co.
• September 23, 1891: Sank in the Niagara River, Buffalo, NY, but was later raised and repaired.
• April 17, 1900: Fire damaged the vessel while docked in Buffalo, Lake Erie, but it was rebuilt.
• 1906: Rebuilt in Buffalo, likely receiving repairs and mechanical upgrades.
• 1907: Renamed CORNELL, now working under new ownership.
• December 21, 1922: Foundered in Lake Erie between Cleveland, OH, and Erie, PA; all 8 crew members lost.

Significant Incidents

Significant incidents in the vessel’s history include:

• Sank in the Niagara River in 1891, later raised and repaired.
• Fire damage in 1900 while docked in Buffalo.
• Foundered in Lake Erie in 1922 during a storm, resulting in the loss of all hands.

Final Disposition

The GRACE DANFORTH (renamed CORNELL) was lost on December 21, 1922, when it foundered in Lake Erie during a storm.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no confirmed reports of the GRACE DANFORTH/CORNELL wreck being discovered or documented in Lake Erie. If it rests in deep water, it may be intact but undiscovered, while shallower wreckage could have deteriorated over time.

Resources & Links

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The GRACE DANFORTH/CORNELL was one of many hardworking tugboats on the Great Lakes, surviving several disasters before meeting its final fate in 1922. Its loss with all hands highlights the dangers of small vessel operations on the Great Lakes, where ice, high winds, and rough seas frequently caused shipwrecks, capsizings, and sudden disappearances.