Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Franklin
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: circa 1816
- Builder: Presque Isle, Pennsylvania (inferred)
- Dimensions: Unknown
- Registered Tonnage: ~73 tons
- Location: Off Grand River mouth, near Fairport Harbor, Lake Erie
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: P. S. V. Hamot
- Number of Masts: Two-mast rig (inferred)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Franklin was a small wooden schooner designed for early 19th-century inland trade on the Great Lakes. She likely had a two-mast rig and was constructed using regional hardwoods.
Description
Her primary cargoes included general merchandise, such as dry goods and salt, transported between ports such as Buffalo, Erie, and points west. The vessel was owned by Erie merchant Pierre S. V. Hamot.
History
Franklin was employed in commercial trade on Lake Erie. She loaded cargo in Buffalo and departed Erie on 16 October 1820 for an unspecified upper lake destination. The schooner was last seen anchored near the mouth of the Grand River (present-day Fairport Harbor, Ohio). During a severe storm on the night of 11 November 1820, her captain, Charles Hayt, reportedly chose to leave the anchorage and attempt to run before the weather. The vessel foundered several miles offshore, resulting in the loss of all four crew members.
Significant Incidents
- 11 November 1820: Foundered during a storm after leaving anchorage at the Grand River mouth; all hands lost.
Final Disposition
Franklin sank with the total loss of crew and cargo. Her wreck has never been located, and no underwater surveys or archaeological documentation confirm her final resting place.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of Franklin has not been discovered. No known site documentation, mapping, or imaging exists. The vessel remains unlocated as of 2025.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”franklin-c1816″ title=”References & Links”]
Further research is recommended to locate the wreck and honor the memory of Captain Charles Hayt and his crew, who were lost at sea.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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