E.M. Lyon (1849)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: E. M. Lyon
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: Before 1849 (likely early 1850s)
• Builder:
• Dimensions: ~114 gross tons
• Registered Tonnage: ~114 gross tons
• Location: About 15 miles west of Cleveland, Ohio
• Official Number: Not recorded
• Original Owners: R. T. Lyon of Cleveland, Ohio

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden schooner

Description

The E.M. Lyon was a mid-century wooden schooner primarily used for transporting cargo, specifically coal, from Cleveland to Toledo.

History

The vessel was owned by R. T. Lyon of Cleveland, Ohio. It was built before 1849, likely in the early 1850s, and had a registered tonnage of approximately 114 gross tons.

Significant Incidents

• Date of Loss: 12 June 1855
• Incident: Collided with the propeller Delaware, about 15 miles west of Cleveland, at approximately 2:30 a.m. The schooner was carrying about 140 tons of coal on a run to Toledo.
• Cause & Circumstances: The Delaware‘s wheelsman mistook E.M. Lyon’s masthead light for a lighthouse, leading to a fatal navigation error and collision.
• Loss: Declared a total loss with damage estimated at $4,000; fortunately, no lives were lost.

Final Disposition

The schooner sank and was deemed beyond salvage, with all hull and cargo lost. Her remains were likely absorbed by the lakebed and remain unlocated.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No records describe any post-incident discovery or survey of the wreck. The precise sinking location remains undocumented.

Resources & Links

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The E.M. Lyon was a mid-century wooden schooner carrying coal from Cleveland to Toledo when it collided with the steamer Delaware on 12 June 1855, due to a mistaken light signal. The schooner was a complete loss, valued at $4,000, with no casualties. The wreck’s fate is undocumented, and its location remains unknown.