Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Eliza Logan
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder: B.B. Jones
- Dimensions: 131 ft × 28 ft × 11 ft; ~265 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 265 tons
- Location: Approximately 12 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania
- Official Number: 7312
- Original Owners: Captain Lawson (co-owner)
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
Description
The Eliza Logan was a wooden two-masted schooner built in 1855, primarily used for transporting grain across the Great Lakes. She measured 131 feet in length and was capable of carrying approximately 265 tons of cargo.
History
Launched in 1855, the Eliza Logan served over 15 years in the grain trade between western Lake Erie and Buffalo. As a typical mid-19th-century cargo schooner, she was built for hauling heavy bulk freight across inland waters.
Significant Incidents
- On October 19, 1871, while bound from Toledo to Buffalo laden with wheat, the Eliza Logan encountered a heavy storm, leading to her foundering and capsizing.
- Six crew members clung to the rigging and were rescued after more than 24 hours by the passing schooner Emma.
- Two crew members, including Captain Lawson, tragically drowned during the ordeal.
Final Disposition
The Eliza Logan was declared a total loss after foundering. She floated inverted on the surface before sinking, carrying her cargo of wheat to the seabed. No salvage efforts were recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The capsized hull was sighted during the storm event and rescue, but no modern underwater surveys have mapped her wreck. The site remains exposed to severe fall storms, and caution is recommended for mariners.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”eliza-logan-us-7312″ title=”References & Links”]
The Eliza Logan sank during a fierce gale on October 19, 1871, off the coast of Erie while transporting wheat. Two lives were lost when the schooner capsized, though others survived an extraordinary 24-hour rescue. The wreck has yet to be located but remains a powerful story of endurance and tragedy in Great Lakes maritime history.
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.
Identification & Site Information
Name: Eliza Logan
Built: 1855 in Buffalo, New York by B.B. Jones
Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
Official Number: 7312
Dimensions: 131 ft × 28 ft × 11 ft; ~265 tons
Final Loss: October 19, 1871
Location: Approximately 12 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania (Lake Erie)
Cargo: Wheat
Crew & Casualties: 8 aboard; 2 lost
Final Loss Details
The Eliza Logan was bound from Toledo to Buffalo laden with wheat on October 19, 1871 when she encountered a heavy storm. The vessel foundered and capsized, floating inverted with only her topmasts visible above water. Six crew members clung to the rigging and were dramatically rescued after more than 24 hours by the passing schooner Emma. Two crew, including Captain Lawson who co-owned the ship, tragically drowned during the ordeal. (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Vessel Type & History
Launched in 1855, Eliza Logan served over 15 years in the grain trade between western Lake Erie and Buffalo. As a typical mid-19th-century cargo schooner, she was built for hauling heavy bulk freight across inland waters.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after foundering. Inverted on the surface before sinking, she carried her cargo of wheat to the seabed. No salvage efforts were recorded.
Located By & Date Found
The capsized hull was sighted during the storm event and rescue. No modern underwater surveys have mapped her wreck.
Notmars & Advisories
No dedicated navigational markers exist. The site, 12 miles off Erie, remains exposed to severe fall storms—caution recommended for mariners.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – detailed build and loss summary (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
The Eliza Logan sank during a fierce gale on October 19, 1871, off the coast of Erie while transporting wheat. Two lives were lost when the schooner capsized, though others survived an extraordinary 24-hour rescue. The wreck has yet to be located but remains a powerful story of endurance and tragedy in Great Lakes maritime history.