Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Free Mason
- Type: Wooden-hulled cargo schooner
- Year Built: 1857
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Not specified
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Detroit River, near Detroit, Michigan
- Official Number: Not listed
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden-hulled cargo schooner
Description
The Free Mason was a wooden-hulled schooner constructed in 1857, designed for transporting heavy cargoes such as stone. Specific details regarding her dimensions and tonnage are not readily available.
History
Throughout her decade-long service, the Free Mason operated primarily on the Great Lakes, transporting bulk materials essential for construction and industry during the mid-19th century. Her routes likely included various ports along the Detroit River and Lake Erie, facilitating regional commerce.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents:
- On October 8, 1867, while navigating the Detroit River, the Free Mason collided with a downbound steamer, leading to her capsizing and sinking.
- The incident resulted in the loss of at least three lives, including the vessel’s captain, his wife, and their four-year-old child.
Final Disposition
On October 8, 1867, while navigating the Detroit River, the Free Mason collided with a downbound steamer. The impact caused the schooner to capsize and sink rapidly, a situation exacerbated by her heavy stone cargo. The tragic incident resulted in the loss of at least three lives, including the vessel’s captain, his wife, and their four-year-old child.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of current records, the wreck of the Free Mason has not been located.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”free-mason-1857″ title=”References & Links”]
The sinking of the Free Mason underscores the perils of 19th-century maritime navigation, particularly in busy waterways like the Detroit River. The loss of the vessel and the lives aboard serves as a somber reminder of the challenges faced by sailors during this era.
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
- Name: Free Mason
- Former Names: None known
- Official Number: Not listed
- Date Built & Launched: 1857
- Dimensions: Not specified
- Date Lost: October 8, 1867
- Location: Detroit River, near Detroit, Michigan
- Cause of Loss: Collision with downbound steamer
- Cargo: Stone
- Casualties: Three or more, including the captain, his wife, and their four-year-old child(linkstothepast.com, core.ac.uk, wisconsinshipwrecks.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Vessel Type
Wooden-hulled cargo schooner
Description
The Free Mason was a wooden-hulled schooner constructed in 1857, designed for transporting heavy cargoes such as stone. Specific details regarding her dimensions and tonnage are not readily available.
History
Throughout her decade-long service, the Free Mason operated primarily on the Great Lakes, transporting bulk materials essential for construction and industry during the mid-19th century. Her routes likely included various ports along the Detroit River and Lake Erie, facilitating regional commerce.
Final Disposition
On October 8, 1867, while navigating the Detroit River, the Free Mason collided with a downbound steamer. The impact caused the schooner to capsize and sink rapidly, a situation exacerbated by her heavy stone cargo. The tragic incident resulted in the loss of at least three lives, including the vessel’s captain, his wife, and their four-year-old child.
Located By & Date Found
As of current records, the wreck of the Free Mason has not been located.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no current Notices to Mariners or advisories regarding obstructions related to the Free Mason wreck site.
Resources & Links
Conclusion
The sinking of the Free Mason underscores the perils of 19th-century maritime navigation, particularly in busy waterways like the Detroit River. The loss of the vessel and the lives aboard serves as a somber reminder of the challenges faced by sailors during this era.
Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Free Mason schooner, 1867 ship collision, Detroit River shipwreck, Great Lakes maritime history
- Categories: Shipwrecks of the Detroit River, Maritime History of Michigan, 19th Century Shipwrecks
- Glossary Terms:
- Schooner: A sailing vessel with two or more masts, typically with the foremast shorter than the mainmast.
- Downbound: Refers to a vessel traveling downstream or towards the mouth of a river.
- Capsize: When a vessel overturns in the water.