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.

Jesse Smith (Built 1832 – Lost November 1848)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name(s): Jesse Smith
• Registry: Presumed United States
• Vessel type: Likely a mid‑19th-century wooden schooner
• Year built: 1832
• Date lost: November 1848 (exact day and location unspecified)
• Cargo at loss: Lumber
• Casualties: Not mentioned
• Loss status: Total loss; property valued at approximately US $4,000

Vessel Type & Description

While specific records for Jesse Smith are minimal, evidence suggests she was a wooden schooner typical of the era, designed for hauls of bulk cargo like lumber. At the time of loss, she was laden with lumber, indicating regular freight service on Lake Huron or Lake Michigan trade routes.

History

Built in 1832, Jesse Smith likely served regional timber and cargo transport during a period of accelerating maritime commerce on the Great Lakes. Her November 1848 loss is documented only by registry notation and loss summary; no further information on ownership, port of origin, or voyage particulars is available.

Final Dispositions

Recorded simply as “wrecked” in November 1848, the Jesse Smith was declared a total loss. The financial estimate places the wreck cost at around US $4,000, a significant value at the time, but with no indication of salvage or recovery.

Located By & Date Found

There are no records of wreck discovery, survey, or rediscovery. The site remains unlocated and undocumented.

Notmars & Advisories

None recorded. With no known location, Jesse Smith has posed no navigational hazard or official advisory.

Resources & Links

The vessel is listed in registry loss records as “wrecked, total loss US $4,000” in November 1848. No other sources (e.g., newspapers, maritime logs) provide supplementary detail.

Conclusion

Jesse Smith is an example of an early mid-century Great Lakes schooner that vanished from historical records in November 1848 with little trace beyond a registry loss report. Laden with lumber and declared a total loss worth US $4,000, she slipped into obscurity without known casualties, location, or legacy. Her story underscores the many undocumented shipwrecks of the era.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

Wooden schooner; lumber trade; 1848 wreck; registry loss; unlocated wreck; mid‑19th-century Great Lakes maritime.

jesse-smith-1832 1848-11-23 20:15:00