Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Emily B. Maxwell
- Type: Schooner (3-masted)
- Year Built: 1881
- Builder: Hanson & Scove
- Dimensions: 148.5 ft (45.26 m); Beam: 30.75 ft (9.38 m); Depth of hold: 10.58 ft (3.23 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 360.7
- Location: Off Cleveland breakwater
- Official Number: 135536 (U.S.); later Canadian C112362
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Identification & Profile
- Name: Emily B. Maxwell
- Official Number: 135536 (U.S.); later Canadian C112362
- Year Built: 1881
- Vessel Type: Schooner (3-masted)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
Description
Construction & Dimensions
- Built At: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
- Builder: Hanson & Scove
- Length: 148.5 ft / 45.26 m
- Beam: 30.75 ft / 9.38 m
- Depth: 10.58 ft / 3.23 m
- Gross Tonnage: 360.7
- Net Tonnage: 342.67
History
Ownership History
- Initial Enrollment: November 8, 1881, Chicago, Illinois
- Later Canadian Enrollment: By 1904 (C112362), indicating transfer to Canadian registry
Operational History & Incidents
- 1884, Sept 12: Aground on Fitzwilliam Island, Georgian Bay, corn laden
- 1887, Sept 7: Dismasted near Duck Islands, Lake Huron
- 1894, Nov 9: Disabled and drifting near the Manistique River
- 1896, Sept 2: Involved in a collision off Waugoshance while carrying stone for Chicago; sank COL. ELLSWORTH; crew saved
- 1898, Oct 26: Lost sails and deckload on Lake Michigan
Significant Incidents
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date of Loss: August 31, 1909
- Final Location: Off Cleveland breakwater, Lake Erie
- Cause: Driven into the breakwater during a storm; vessel was torn apart and completely lost
- Casualties: Not specified; presumed none
Final Disposition
Historical Context & Significance
The Emily B. Maxwell exemplified late 19th-century Great Lakes schooner construction, operating in both U.S. and Canadian waters. Her long career and varied incidents illustrate the hazards of grain, stone, and general cargo trade across the inland seas. She met her end violently during a storm at a major commercial harbor.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Keywords and Categories
- Region: Lake Erie
- Vessel Type: Schooner
- Cause of Loss: Storm-driven collision with breakwater
- Material: Wood
- Period: 1881–1909
- Registry: U.S., later Canadian
- Hazards: Collision, storms, grounding
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”emily-b-maxwell-c-112362-us-135536″ title=”References & Links”]
Archival Sources & Research Leads
- Enrollment records, Chicago (1881)
- Canadian Registry (C112362)
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Regional newspapers (Cleveland, Aug–Sept 1909)
- U.S. & Canadian wreck reporting systems
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.
Vessel Identification & Profile
- Name: Emily B. Maxwell
- Official Number: 135536 (U.S.); later Canadian C112362
- Year Built: 1881
- Vessel Type: Schooner (3-masted)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
Construction & Dimensions
- Built At: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
- Builder: Hanson & Scove
- Length: 148.5 ft / 45.26 m
- Beam: 30.75 ft / 9.38 m
- Depth: 10.58 ft / 3.23 m
- Gross Tonnage: 360.7
- Net Tonnage: 342.67
Ownership History
- Initial Enrollment: November 8, 1881, Chicago, Illinois
- Later Canadian Enrollment: By 1904 (C112362), indicating transfer to Canadian registry
Operational History & Incidents
- 1884, Sept 12: Aground on Fitzwilliam Island, Georgian Bay, corn laden
- 1887, Sept 7: Dismasted near Duck Islands, Lake Huron
- 1894, Nov 9: Disabled and drifting near the Manistique River
- 1896, Sept 2: Involved in a collision off Waugoshance while carrying stone for Chicago; sank COL. ELLSWORTH; crew saved
- 1898, Oct 26: Lost sails and deckload on Lake Michigan
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date of Loss: August 31, 1909
- Final Location: Off Cleveland breakwater, Lake Erie
- Cause: Driven into the breakwater during a storm; vessel was torn apart and completely lost
- Casualties: Not specified; presumed none
Historical Context & Significance
The Emily B. Maxwell exemplified late 19th-century Great Lakes schooner construction, operating in both U.S. and Canadian waters. Her long career and varied incidents illustrate the hazards of grain, stone, and general cargo trade across the inland seas. She met her end violently during a storm at a major commercial harbor.
Keywords and Categories
- Region: Lake Erie
- Vessel Type: Schooner
- Cause of Loss: Storm-driven collision with breakwater
- Material: Wood
- Period: 1881–1909
- Registry: U.S., later Canadian
- Hazards: Collision, storms, grounding
Archival Sources & Research Leads
- Enrollment records, Chicago (1881)
- Canadian Registry (C112362)
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Regional newspapers (Cleveland, Aug–Sept 1909)
- U.S. & Canadian wreck reporting systems