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

• Name: John Grant, Jr.
• Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
• Built: 1833, at Cattaraugus Creek, New York
• Builder: John H. Reed
• Original Owner(s): Alfred Williams et al., Buffalo, New York
• Length: 74.5 ft (22.7 m)
• Beam: 20.25 ft (6.2 m)
• Depth: 6.92 ft (2.1 m)
• Tonnage (Old Style): 92 3/95 tons (approx. 92.03 tons)
• Rebuilt (1842): New dimensions — 76 ft × 20.25 ft × 8.29 ft; remeasured at 112.94 tons
• Home Ports (Various): Genesee, NY; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH
• Date Lost: 20 May 1853
• Final Location: Ashore near the piers at New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan, Lake Michigan
• Final Cargo: 60,000 ft of lumber
• Voyage: St. Joseph, MI to Detroit, MI

Vessel Type

A typical small Great Lakes schooner of the early 19th century, John Grant, Jr. was built for coastal and inland lake service, often hauling grain, lumber, and other bulk commodities across Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.

Description

Constructed of wood, single-decked with two masts, John Grant, Jr. was representative of the durable and versatile schooners that serviced the developing Great Lakes trade routes. Her rebuilding in 1842 increased both her dimensions and capacity, adapting her for the expanding regional cargo trade, particularly grain and lumber.

History

The vessel had an extensive career under various owners, including several enrollments and transfers between Buffalo and Cleveland. She was actively involved in the Lake Erie grain trade and had a history of marine incidents:

• 1844: Aground at Erie, Pennsylvania
• 1845 (May): Capsized in Lake Erie, 16 miles below Erie, PA
• 1842–1849: Ownership and registration shifted between M.B. Scott, John H. Reed, and Winfield Scott Andrews, reflecting her use in both cargo and trade ventures

Despite repairs and reconstruction, the vessel remained in active service for 20 years.

Final Disposition

On May 20, 1853, while carrying 60,000 feet of lumber from St. Joseph, Michigan to Detroit, John Grant, Jr. went ashore near the piers at New Buffalo, Michigan. The grounding led to the vessel breaking up and being declared a total loss. No known loss of life was reported in association with the incident.

Located By & Date Found

No modern wreck discovery is confirmed; remains are presumed scattered and likely lost due to surf and shallow water conditions off New Buffalo.

Notmars & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

• Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
• C. Patrick Labadie Collection
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes (maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca)
• Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley

Conclusion

The John Grant, Jr. represents the resilience and utility of early schooners on the Great Lakes. Her long operational history, frequent reconstruction, and eventual loss illustrate the demanding nature of mid-19th-century inland navigation. Although lost in 1853, she typifies a vital class of vessels instrumental in building early commerce in the region.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

Schooner, wooden ship, Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, grain trade, lumber cargo, early 1800s, Cleveland, Buffalo, New Buffalo MI, maritime history, shipwreck, wrecked schooners, 19th-century shipping.

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