Freeman (1845)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Freeman
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1845
• Builder: William Jones, Charleston (now Lorain), Ohio
• Dimensions: Length 97 ft 2 in (29.6 m); Beam 23 ft 6.5 in (7.17 m); Depth of hold 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 190 33/95 (approx. 190.35 tons)
• Location: Niagara River mouth, ~4 miles west of Buffalo, New York
• Original Owners: Charles Hickox, Cleveland, Ohio
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Two-masted wooden-hulled schooner, designed for bulk cargo transport on the lower Great Lakes. Typical of mid-19th-century inland sail freighters.

Description

The Freeman was built for versatility in lake and port trade, featuring a wooden hull and a single deck. It measured 97 ft 2 in (29.6 m) in length, with a beam of 23 ft 6.5 in (7.17 m) and a depth of 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m). The vessel had a registered tonnage of approximately 190.35 tons.

History

• 30 Apr 1845: Enrolled in Cleveland, OH
• 23 Nov 1845: Damaged in Lake Erie gale
• 1848: Used for wheat transport from Buffalo to Cleveland
• 1851: Underwent large-scale repairs
• 1852–1857: Changed ownership multiple times across Michigan and Ohio; grounded at Belle Isle (1857)
• Oct 1860: Freed by tug Oswego after grounding off Point au Pelee
• 6 May 1861: While transporting 8,983 bushels of corn from Detroit to Buffalo, the Freeman struck a submerged reef near the mouth of the Niagara River and capsized. She was raised but never returned to service.

Significant Incidents

• Capsized in Lake Erie after grounding on a reef.
• Five crew members drowned during the incident.

Final Disposition

The Freeman capsized in Lake Erie after grounding on a reef. Five crew members drowned. The ship was raised by salvage teams but found unfit for further use, ultimately deemed a total loss.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No modern dive or wreck site located. The wreck is likely dismantled or deteriorated post-recovery in 1861.

Resources & Links

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The Freeman typifies early Great Lakes schooners—well-used, frequently repaired, and exposed to significant risk across decades of service. Her loss in 1861 marked the culmination of a 16-year career punctuated by gales, strandings, and eventual tragedy near a key shipping hub. The death of five sailors emphasizes the perils of reef navigation near Buffalo. Her wreck has not been located, but remains an important footnote in Erie navigation history.