Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: John By
- Type: Wooden sternwheel steamboat
- Year Built: Early 1830s (likely 1832 or 1833)
- Builder: Locally constructed, possibly in upper Lake Ontario or nearby waterways
- Dimensions: Not documented
- Registered Tonnage: Not known
- Location: Grounded or wrecked on shore in Ontario
- Official Number: Not known
- Original Owners: Not documented
- Number of Masts: Not documented
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type: Wooden sternwheel steamboat—among the earliest on the Great Lakes.
Description
Approximate Build: Early 1830s (likely 1832 or 1833), Great Lakes region.
Official Number: Not known.
Builder/Origin: Earliest records suggest construction occurred locally, possibly in upper Lake Ontario or nearby waterways.
Dimensions: Not documented.
Cargo at Loss: Not recorded.
History
Chronology & Operational History:
– One of the earliest sternwheel steamboats on the Great Lakes; likely operated in Ontario waters beginning in the early 1830s.
– Served local trade routes soon after build, but details on ownership, routes, captain, or cargo are not yet documented in available sources.
Significant Incidents
Final Disposition:
– Date of Wreck: Around October 25, 1833 (exact date unclear) due to a severe storm.
– Location: Grounded or wrecked on shore in Ontario—reports indicate the vessel was “wrecked on shore” by the force of the storm.
– Cause: Storm-related grounding; no records of fire, collision, or mechanical failure.
– Casualties: Not recorded—crew fate unknown.
– Wreck Condition: Broke on shore; unlikely to remain intact or submersible since wreck occurred in shallow coastal areas.
Final Disposition
Site & Dive Notes:
– Accessibility: Site is inland/shallow; debris likely salvaged or left to deteriorate over the past 190 years.
– Survey Potential: Very low; any surviving remnants are likely eroded, buried beneath vegetation or development, and undocumented for diving purposes.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Research Gaps:
This vessel remains largely undocumented. To build a comprehensive history, the following archival investigations are recommended:
- Ontario Newspaper Archives (Fall 1833): Look for mentions in the Upper Canada Herald, Niagara Herald, or other early Ontario press regarding early sternwheelers.
- Government and Shipping Registrations (c. 1832–1834): Ontario colonial records or early provincial steamboat registries may hold entries for “John By” or its variants.
- Maritime Plans & Diaries: Early surveyor logs, lake captain diaries, or regional pioneer diaries may mention the vessel.
- Heritage Societies and Libraries: Contact Ontario archives (e.g. Archives of Ontario, local museums in Kingston, York Region, or Niagara) for unpublished manuscripts or journals.
Resources & Links
Summary: JOHN BY stands as a tantalizing but elusive piece of early Great Lakes maritime heritage—a pioneering sternwheeler lost to a severe storm around October 1833 along the Ontario lakeshore. With no physical remains or surviving documentation readily identified, there’s a significant gap in the historical record. I recommend targeted archival research in early Ontario newspapers, registry files, and pioneer journals to uncover builder identity, operator history, crew details, and the full story of its final voyage. Let me know if you’d like guidance on specific archives, databases, or repositories for these early records.