Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: DAN MARBLE
- Type: Schooner (fore-and-aft rig)
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder: John Tyler (or Taylor)
- Dimensions: Length 98 ft (29.87 m); Beam 24 ft (7.32 m); Depth of hold 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 213.68 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 45.7 m / 150 ft
- Location: 8–9 miles east of Long Point, Ontario
- Official Number: 6093
- Original Owners: Lake & Carpenter; William O. Brown; Capt. Bigelow; John & Redman Prindeville; H.K. Elkins; Holbrook, Elkins & Co.; Talbot & Clunes; John Andrews
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Type: Schooner (fore-and-aft rig)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
Description
- Builder: John Tyler (or Taylor)
- Original Owner: Lake & Carpenter
- Dimensions:
- Length: 98 ft (29.87 m)
- Beam: 24 ft (7.32 m)
- Depth: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 213.68 tons
- Cargo Capacity: 10,000 bushels of wheat
History
- 1848 (June): Constructed and enrolled; owned by William O. Brown and Capt. Bigelow; operated Toledo–Buffalo grain runs.
- 1850 (April 4): Went ashore near “the Cut”, Long Point, Lake Erie.
- 1851 (April): Aground again at Port Maitland, Lake Erie.
- 1853 (June 14): Sold by F.C. Clark to John & Redman Prindeville of Chicago, IL; registered at 220 tons.
- 1855: Owned by H.K. Elkins of Chicago.
- 1860: Owned by Holbrook, Elkins & Co.; involved in a collision with WALTER MCQUEEN propeller at Chicago.
- 1863: Owned by John Andrews of Detroit, MI; collided with bark FLYING MIST near Point Abino, Lake Erie (November).
- 1864–1866: Underwent significant repairs; owned by Talbot & Clunes of Buffalo, NY.
- 1866 (July): Sank in the St. Clair River en route from Saginaw to Buffalo; raised and repaired at Detroit.
- 1868: Re-measured to 169.69 gross tons.
- 1873: Underwent a full rebuild.
- 1875 (May): Final caulking and service done at Union Shipyard.
- 1875 (July 21): Sprang a leak while carrying 300 tons of coal from Detroit to Buffalo; foundered off Long Point, Ontario. Crew rescued by the schooner MOUNT BLANC.
Final Disposition
The DAN MARBLE foundered and sank in 150 feet (45.7 m) of water off Long Point, Ontario, while carrying a coal cargo. Crew was safely rescued by another schooner, and no loss of life was reported.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed public record of the wreck’s discovery has been reported. It may lie undisturbed in deep water.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”dan-marble-us-6093″ title=”References & Links”]
Named after the 1840s stage actor and comedian Dan Marble, this schooner had a long operational history spanning three decades, transporting both bulk cargo and grain. She was typical of mid-19th-century American wooden schooners — widely used for regional lake commerce. Though she suffered multiple groundings and collisions, she remained in active service until her final loss in 1875 due to hull failure while carrying coal. The DAN MARBLE illustrates the durability and risk-laden operations of wooden lake schooners in the pre-steel era.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: DAN MARBLE
- Official Number: 6093
- Year Built: 1848
- Built At: Conneaut, Ohio
- Final Disposition: Foundered
- Final Location: 8–9 miles east of Long Point, Ontario
- Lake: Erie
- Date Lost: 21 July 1875
- Final Depth: ~150 feet (45.7 metres)
Vessel Type
- Type: Schooner (fore-and-aft rig)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
Description
- Builder: John Tyler (or Taylor)
- Original Owner: Lake & Carpenter
- Dimensions:
- Length: 98 ft (29.87 m)
- Beam: 24 ft (7.32 m)
- Depth: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 213.68 tons
- Cargo Capacity: 10,000 bushels of wheat
History
- 1848 (June): Constructed and enrolled; owned by William O. Brown and Capt. Bigelow; operated Toledo–Buffalo grain runs.
- 1850 (April 4): Went ashore near “the Cut”, Long Point, Lake Erie.
- 1851 (April): Aground again at Port Maitland, Lake Erie.
- 1853 (June 14): Sold by F.C. Clark to John & Redman Prindeville of Chicago, IL; registered at 220 tons.
- 1855: Owned by H.K. Elkins of Chicago.
- 1860: Owned by Holbrook, Elkins & Co.; involved in a collision with WALTER MCQUEEN propeller at Chicago.
- 1863: Owned by John Andrews of Detroit, MI; collided with bark FLYING MIST near Point Abino, Lake Erie (November).
- 1864–1866: Underwent significant repairs; owned by Talbot & Clunes of Buffalo, NY.
- 1866 (July): Sank in the St. Clair River en route from Saginaw to Buffalo; raised and repaired at Detroit.
- 1868: Re-measured to 169.69 gross tons.
- 1873: Underwent a full rebuild.
- 1875 (May): Final caulking and service done at Union Shipyard.
- 1875 (July 21): Sprang a leak while carrying 300 tons of coal from Detroit to Buffalo; foundered off Long Point, Ontario. Crew rescued by the schooner MOUNT BLANC.
Final Disposition
The DAN MARBLE foundered and sank in 150 feet (45.7 m) of water off Long Point, Ontario, while carrying a coal cargo. Crew was safely rescued by another schooner, and no loss of life was reported.
Located By & Date Found
No confirmed public record of the wreck’s discovery has been reported. It may lie undisturbed in deep water.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels – BGSU
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- National Archives and U.S. Enrollments
- Port Huron Daily Times Archives
- Buffalo Marine Historical Accounts (1850–1875)
Conclusion
Named after the 1840s stage actor and comedian Dan Marble, this schooner had a long operational history spanning three decades, transporting both bulk cargo and grain. She was typical of mid-19th-century American wooden schooners — widely used for regional lake commerce. Though she suffered multiple groundings and collisions, she remained in active service until her final loss in 1875 due to hull failure while carrying coal. The DAN MARBLE illustrates the durability and risk-laden operations of wooden lake schooners in the pre-steel era.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Schooner, wooden ship, Lake Erie, Long Point, coal cargo, 19th-century freight, shipwreck
- Categories: Great Lakes Maritime History, Shipwrecks by Foundering, U.S.-Built Vessels, Lake Erie
- Glossary Terms: Tonnage (Old Style), Fore-and-Aft Rig, Caulking, Foundering, Grounding