Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Eliza Caroline
- Type: Great Lakes Schooner
- Year Built: 1851
- Builder: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky, OH
- Dimensions: Length 44.8 ft (13.65 m); Beam 14.5 ft (4.42 m); Depth of hold 6 ft (1.83 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 32 24/95 tons (original), 21.48 gross tons (later)
- Location: Off Madison Point, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 7314
- Original Owners: Various owners including Nathan Kirtland, Wilson & Newton, and others
- Number of Masts: Two-masted schooner
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Type: Great Lakes Schooner
- Rig: Two-masted schooner
- Primary Use: Regional cargo transport (likely timber, stone, agricultural goods)
Description
- Construction: Wood hull, single deck
- Builder: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky, OH
- Dimensions:
- Length: 13.65 m (44.8 ft)
- Beam: 4.42 m (14.5 ft)
- Depth: 1.83 m (6 ft)
- Tonnage:
- Original (1851): 32 24/95 tons
- Later Measurements (1868): 21.48 gross tons
The Eliza Caroline was a relatively small trading schooner by mid-19th-century Great Lakes standards, likely used in nearshore or regional trade routes.
History
- 1851: Enrolled at Sandusky, OH
- 1852: Owned by Nathan Kirtland et al, Sandusky
- 1855: Re-enrolled Mackinac, MI
- 1856: Owned Wilson & Newton, Moran, MI
- 1865: Sold three times within months (to Sammons, Garfield, then O’Neill Jr.)
- 1867: Badly stranded at Rondeau, Ontario; later salvaged
- 1868–1871: Changed owners several times — Pierce, Sherman, Keyes, then Chapman
- 1871, Sep 20: Driven ashore in gale on Lake Erie; pulled off by USRC Sherman; sank the next day
- 1873, Mar 8: Registration surrendered
The schooner had a long service life of 20 years, remarkable for a vessel of this small tonnage on the Great Lakes.
Significant Incidents
- Grounding: The vessel grounded during a gale on September 20, 1871, and was pulled free by the U.S. Revenue Cutter Sherman but foundered soon after.
Final Disposition
- Date: 21 September 1871
- Place: Off Madison Point (possibly the one near Lake Erie, not definitively Lake Michigan as indicated in one source)
- Cause: Grounded during a gale, pulled free by U.S. Revenue Cutter Sherman but foundered soon after
- Casualties: None reported
- Status: Total loss
Current Condition & Accessibility
The current condition of the wreck is unknown, as the final sinking location is offshore and not definitively documented.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”eliza-caroline-us-7314″ title=”References & Links”]
The Eliza Caroline represents the numerous small schooners that formed the backbone of 19th-century Great Lakes commerce, particularly in timber, grain, and stone trades. Though modest in size, her 20-year operational record—marked by frequent changes in ownership—illustrates the high demand for versatile cargo carriers across Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. Her final loss, shortly after a rescue attempt by a U.S. revenue cutter, underscores the persistent dangers posed by sudden gales, even in near-coastal waters.
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
- Vessel Names: Eliza Caroline
- U.S. Registry Number: 7314
- Year Built: 1851
- Place Built: Sandusky, Ohio
- Date of Loss: 21 September 1871
- Location of Loss: Off Madison Point, Lake Michigan
- Final Disposition: Sank after grounding in a gale and being pulled off by USRC Sherman; total loss
- Depth: Unknown (final sinking location offshore)
Vessel Type
- Type: Great Lakes Schooner
- Rig: Two-masted schooner
- Primary Use: Regional cargo transport (likely timber, stone, agricultural goods)
Description
- Construction: Wood hull, single deck
- Builder: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky, OH
- Dimensions:
- Length: 13.65 m (44.8 ft)
- Beam: 4.42 m (14.5 ft)
- Depth: 1.83 m (6 ft)
- Tonnage:
- Original (1851): 32 24/95 tons
- Later Measurements (1868): 21.48 gross tons
The Eliza Caroline was a relatively small trading schooner by mid-19th-century Great Lakes standards, likely used in nearshore or regional trade routes.
History
- 1851: Enrolled at Sandusky, OH
- 1852: Owned by Nathan Kirtland et al, Sandusky
- 1855: Re-enrolled Mackinac, MI
- 1856: Owned Wilson & Newton, Moran, MI
- 1865: Sold three times within months (to Sammons, Garfield, then O’Neill Jr.)
- 1867: Badly stranded at Rondeau, Ontario; later salvaged
- 1868–1871: Changed owners several times — Pierce, Sherman, Keyes, then Chapman
- 1871, Sep 20: Driven ashore in gale on Lake Erie; pulled off by USRC Sherman; sank the next day
- 1873, Mar 8: Registration surrendered
The schooner had a long service life of 20 years, remarkable for a vessel of this small tonnage on the Great Lakes
Final Disposition
- Date: 21 September 1871
- Place: Off Madison Point (possibly the one near Lake Erie, not definitively Lake Michigan as indicated in one source)
- Cause: Grounded during a gale, pulled free by U.S. Revenue Cutter Sherman but foundered soon after
- Casualties: None reported
- Status: Total loss
Resources & Archival Links
- Enrollments & Ownership:
- U.S. National Archives (Enrollment Records)
- HCGL – Bowling Green State University Historical Collections
- Original Builder Information: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky OH (via Labadie Collection)
- Marine Directory Reference: Board of Lake Underwriters Directory (various years)
- Noted in: Steamboat Era in the Muskokas, Richard Tatley
- Wreck Notes: C. Patrick Labadie’s archival files
Conclusion
The Eliza Caroline represents the numerous small schooners that formed the backbone of 19th-century Great Lakes commerce, particularly in timber, grain, and stone trades. Though modest in size, her 20-year operational record—marked by frequent changes in ownership—illustrates the high demand for versatile cargo carriers across Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. Her final loss, shortly after a rescue attempt by a U.S. revenue cutter, underscores the persistent dangers posed by sudden gales, even in near-coastal waters.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Region: Lake Erie
- Vessel Type: Schooner
- Cause of Loss: Gale, grounding
- Material: Wood
- Period: Mid-19th century
- Owner Types: Independent merchant, regional freight operators
- Significance: Representative of early small schooner class