Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: James W. Follette
- Type: Wooden screw steamer
- Year Built: 1881
- Builder: Linn & Craig, Gibraltar, Michigan
- Dimensions: 195 ft (59.4 m) × 33 ft (10.0 m) × 12 ft (3.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 756 gross tons
- Location: Near Ogdensburg, New York
- Official Number: 116816
- Original Owners: William Follette, Plunkett Navigation Co., George Hall Coal & Transportation Co.
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The James W. Follette was a screw-propelled wooden freight steamer, one of many late 19th-century bulk carriers that served the Great Lakes. With a gross tonnage of 756 and an advanced I.W. Buhl engine, she was a capable carrier of coal, grain, and heavy cargo, bridging U.S. and Canadian ports. Built by Linn & Craig in 1881, she embodied the shift away from sail toward efficient screw steamers.
Description
Construction & Early Service:
Launched in 1881 at Gibraltar, Michigan, for William Follette of Buffalo, NY. Initially U.S.-registered, she traded across the upper lakes hauling bulk cargo.
Ownership Changes:
1916 – Sold to Plunkett Navigation Co., Colborne, Ontario.
1917 – Acquired by George Hall Coal & Transportation Co., Toronto.
1920s – Operated in Canadian service until her loss.
History
Final Voyage & Abandonment:
On May 15, 1923, during a severe gale near Ogdensburg, NY, the Follette lost her rudder and became unmanageable. The crew made shore safely, but the vessel was left derelict and later stricken from registry in 1924. No salvage was attempted.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents:
– May 15, 1923: The freighter James W. Follette was abandoned near Ogdensburg after the loss of her rudder in a severe gale. Her crew made shore safely, but the vessel, battered and helpless, was given up. — Ogdensburg Republican-Journal, May 16, 1923.
Final Disposition
Abandoned at Ogdensburg, New York, following storm damage and loss of rudder. Registry closed in 1924. The wreck has not been documented by modern divers and is presumed broken up or silt-covered.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site has not been charted. Given wooden construction and abandonment in shallow waters, it is likely deteriorated or dispersed. No diver surveys published to date.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”james-w-follette-us-116816″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
As a reminder, Shotline Diving encourages divers to respect historical sites and artifacts. Please remember to leave only bubbles and take only memories. If you encounter any debris, consider removing only garbage to leave the site better than you found it.
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
Other Names: None
Official Number: 116816
Registry: Buffalo, NY (later Toronto, ON)
Vessel Type: Wooden screw steamer
Builder: Linn & Craig, Gibraltar, Michigan
Year Built: 1881
Dimensions: 195 ft (59.4 m) × 33 ft (10.0 m) × 12 ft (3.7 m)
Tonnage: 756 gross tons
Engine: I.W. Buhl Co., Detroit – 27-44 × 40 compound
Cargo: Bulk freight (coal, grain, industrial goods)
Date of Loss: May 15, 1923
Cause of Loss: Rudder lost in gale, vessel abandoned
Location: Near Ogdensburg, New York (St. Lawrence River)
Coordinates: Not documented
Depth: Unknown – likely shallow shore abandonment
Casualties: None – crew reached shore safely
Vessel Type Description
The James W. Follette was a screw-propelled wooden freight steamer, one of many late 19th-century bulk carriers that served the Great Lakes. With a gross tonnage of 756 and an advanced I.W. Buhl engine, she was a capable carrier of coal, grain, and heavy cargo, bridging U.S. and Canadian ports. Built by Linn & Craig in 1881, she embodied the shift away from sail toward efficient screw steamers.
History
Construction & Early Service:
Launched in 1881 at Gibraltar, Michigan, for William Follette of Buffalo, NY. Initially U.S.-registered, she traded across the upper lakes hauling bulk cargo.
Ownership Changes:
1916 – Sold to Plunkett Navigation Co., Colborne, Ontario.
1917 – Acquired by George Hall Coal & Transportation Co., Toronto.
1920s – Operated in Canadian service until her loss.
Final Voyage & Abandonment
On May 15, 1923, during a severe gale near Ogdensburg, NY, the Follette lost her rudder and became unmanageable. The crew made shore safely, but the vessel was left derelict and later stricken from registry in 1924. No salvage was attempted.
Final Disposition
Abandoned at Ogdensburg, New York, following storm damage and loss of rudder. Registry closed in 1924. The wreck has not been documented by modern divers and is presumed broken up or silt-covered.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The freighter James W. Follette was abandoned near Ogdensburg yesterday after the loss of her rudder in a severe gale. Her crew made shore safely, but the vessel, battered and helpless, was given up.” — Ogdensburg Republican-Journal, May 16, 1923.
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official Number 116816, enrolled at Buffalo (1881). Canadian registry from 1916 onward. Registry struck in 1924. Insurance files not yet located.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site has not been charted. Given wooden construction and abandonment in shallow waters, it is likely deteriorated or dispersed. No diver surveys published to date.
Notmars & Advisories
No active Notices to Mariners. Wreck not charted as hazard.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – James W. Follette
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Ogdensburg Republican-Journal, May 16, 1923 – storm report
- Great Lakes Ships.org – vessel photographs & technical notes
- Great Lakes Vessels Database, BGSU – Entry for James W. Follette
- Ogdensburg Republican-Journal, May 16, 1923 – abandonment report
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – registry data
- Swayze, David. Great Lakes Shipwreck File – vessel entry
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: 116816
Coordinates: Ogdensburg, NY area (not charted)
Depth: Unknown – shallow abandonment
Location Description: Abandoned near shore after storm loss of rudder
Vessel Type: Wooden screw-propelled freight steamer
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 195 × 33 × 12 ft; 756 gross tons
Condition: Presumed destroyed or dispersed
Cause of Loss: Storm damage, rudder failure, abandoned 1923
Discovery Date: Not rediscovered
Discovered By: N/A
Method: Historical record
Legal Notes: Registry struck 1924
Hazards: None
Permits Required: N/A
You must be logged in to post a comment.