Eliza Caroline US 7314

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

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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.