Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: James W. Ross
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Perrysburg, Ohio
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 61 tons
- Location: South Pier, Buffalo, New York
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner built for general freight service across the Great Lakes. Schooners of this size were common in regional trade routes, especially on Lake Erie, and typically transported bulk goods such as grain, lumber, or coal.
Description
- Construction: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
- Tonnage (Old Style): 61 tons
- Rig: Likely gaff-rigged with square topsails, consistent with the era’s schooner designs
A relatively small vessel by Great Lakes standards, the James W. Ross would have served short- to mid-range haul routes between ports in Ohio, Ontario, and New York.
History
- 1852: Enrolled at Toledo, Ohio. Began operating on Lake Erie as a freight carrier.
- 1854, September: Went ashore at Long Point, Ontario. She was successfully released with the assistance of the tug William Peck.
- 1856, October 1: While attempting harbor entry during a storm, she went ashore on the South Pier at Buffalo, New York. The impact tore her bottom out, resulting in a total loss. No casualties were reported.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded and broke up in a storm on October 1, 1856.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after grounding and breaking up in a storm. The wreck was likely salvaged for materials or left to deteriorate along the Buffalo waterfront.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not located. The vessel was destroyed at the shoreline and no substantial remains are believed to exist.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”james-w-ross” title=”References & Links”]
The James W. Ross is representative of mid-19th century schooner traffic on Lake Erie—modest in size and frequently exposed to the lake’s dangerous weather. Her loss in 1856 illustrates the vulnerabilities of smaller vessels near harbor entrances during fall storms, a common threat that claimed many such ships.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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