Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: F.P. Sears
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1870
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Erie (exact position not recorded)
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The F.P. Sears was a newly built wooden schooner-barge, designed for bulk lumber transport under tow of a steamer, typical of Great Lakes operations in the post-Civil War era.
Description
Constructed of heavy oak frames with pine planking, she was built to carry large cargoes of sawn lumber from Michigan to eastern markets. As a schooner-barge, she would have had a schooner rig but depended on steam tugs for movement most of the time, with minimal accommodation for a small crew.
History
On her first voyage in November 1870, the F.P. Sears departed Saginaw, Michigan, bound for Buffalo with a full cargo of lumber. She was in tow of a steamer crossing Lake Erie when a severe November storm struck. The steamer was forced to cast off its tow to protect itself, leaving the F.P. Sears adrift.
She was overwhelmed by the wind and waves, lost from view, and never recovered. No loss of life was reported, suggesting the crew may have been rescued or reached shore in a yawl, though specific survivor accounts are sparse.
Significant Incidents
- On November 16, 1870, the F.P. Sears was lost during a severe storm on her maiden voyage.
- The steamer towing her cast off to protect itself, leaving the F.P. Sears adrift.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after disappearing in the storm; no salvage or later wreck reports documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern diver or archaeological discovery of F.P. Sears has been recorded. She is presumed lost in deep water in Lake Erie.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”f-p-sears-1870″ title=”References & Links”]
The F.P. Sears is an unfortunate example of a schooner-barge lost on its maiden voyage, overwhelmed by a Great Lakes autumn gale while under tow. Her disappearance underscores the dangers of lumber barge traffic and the limits of tow operations during heavy weather in the 19th century.
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 Name: F.P. Sears
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year built and launched: 1870
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: Lumber
- Date lost: 16 November 1870
- Location: Lake Erie (exact position not recorded)
- Crew: No fatalities reported
Vessel Type
The F.P. Sears was a newly built wooden schooner-barge, designed for bulk lumber transport under tow of a steamer, typical of Great Lakes operations in the post-Civil War era.
Description
Constructed of heavy oak frames with pine planking, she was built to carry large cargoes of sawn lumber from Michigan to eastern markets. As a schooner-barge, she would have had a schooner rig but depended on steam tugs for movement most of the time, with minimal accommodation for a small crew.
History
On her first voyage in November 1870, the F.P. Sears departed Saginaw, Michigan, bound for Buffalo with a full cargo of lumber. She was in tow of a steamer crossing Lake Erie when a severe November storm struck. The steamer was forced to cast off its tow to protect itself, leaving the F.P. Sears adrift.
She was overwhelmed by the wind and waves, lost from view, and never recovered. No loss of life was reported, suggesting the crew may have been rescued or reached shore in a yawl, though specific survivor accounts are sparse.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total loss after disappearing in the storm; no salvage or later wreck reports documented.
Located By & Date Found
No modern diver or archaeological discovery of F.P. Sears has been recorded. She is presumed lost in deep water in Lake Erie.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The F.P. Sears is an unfortunate example of a schooner-barge lost on its maiden voyage, overwhelmed by a Great Lakes autumn gale while under tow. Her disappearance underscores the dangers of lumber barge traffic and the limits of tow operations during heavy weather in the 19th century.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Schooner-barge
- Lumber trade
- Lake Erie
- Tow traffic
- 19th-century shipwreck
- Great Lakes storms
- Maritime history
If you’d like, I can help look for period newspaper reports or survivor stories about the F.P. Sears — just let me know!
f-p-sears-1870 1870-11-16 10:22:00