Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Hearld (formerly Jennie Briscoe)
- Type: Steambarge
- Year Built: 1870
- Builder: Campbell & Owen, Detroit, MI
- Dimensions: Length: 84.6 ft (25.8 m); Beam: 22 ft (6.7 m); Depth of hold: 5.3 ft (1.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 82.59 Gross Tons
- Location: Approximately 1 mile offshore of Port Stanley, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 75203 (US), C61138 (Canada)
- Original Owners: Francis Tufts et al; later Richard Hawley Jr. and R.W. Elliott
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Type: Steambarge
Hull Material: Wood
Propulsion: Screw, 1 cylinder, 1 boiler, 1 propeller
Decks: 1
Description
The Hearld, originally named Jennie Briscoe, was a wooden steambarge built in 1870. It had a length of 84.6 ft (25.8 m), a beam of 22 ft (6.7 m), and a depth of 5.3 ft (1.6 m). The vessel underwent significant modifications, including a rebuild in 1873 that altered its dimensions to 94 x 22 x 8 ft (28.7 x 6.7 x 2.4 m).
History
The Hearld was enrolled at Detroit on June 13, 1870, and shortly after delivered lumber from Port Huron to Toledo. It sank in a collision with the propeller Free State on September 1, 1870, but was raised and repaired by October 22 of the same year. The vessel was sold to Canadian interests in 1871 and renamed Hearld. It recorded various cargoes, including tanbark, and faced multiple incidents, including a collision with the steamer Dunkirk in 1873, which resulted in the loss of one crew member.
After several ownership changes, the Hearld went ashore at Grand Haven, MI, on November 23, 1875, and sank in a gale at Port Stanley, Ontario, on April 15, 1876. It was owned by Fred P. George from 1877 to 1883 and was re-registered under R.W. Elliott in December 1891.
Significant Incidents
- June 13, 1870 – Enrolled at Detroit.
- September 1, 1870 – Sunk in collision with the propeller Free State.
- October 22, 1870 – Raised and repaired.
- July 24, 1873 – Collided with steamer Dunkirk; one crew member lost.
- November 23, 1875 – Went ashore at Grand Haven, MI.
- April 15, 1876 – Sank in a gale at Port Stanley, Ontario.
Final Disposition
The Hearld was lost on November 2, 1883, after colliding with the propeller Ocean approximately 1 mile offshore of Port Stanley, Lake Erie. The vessel sank without loss of life, and a judicial ruling found the Ocean at fault. No salvage efforts were noted, and the wreck is believed to be lost and not yet rediscovered or surveyed.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Hearld remains undiscovered, with no confirmed sonar surveys or diver documentation available. It is presumed to rest offshore near Port Stanley at an unknown depth. The vessel’s history of multiple sinkings and recoveries makes it a subject of interest for further investigation.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”hearld-c-61138jennie-briscoe-us-75203″ title=”References & Links”]
For research continuity, archival dives or records from Ontario courts and marine insurance underwriters may yield additional insights into the 1883 loss and crew complement. The vessel is of interest to wreck hunters and maritime archaeologists due to its repeated recoveries and unique dual-national registry.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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