John S. Wallace (1853)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: John S. Wallace
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1853
• Builder: Jacob Randall
• Dimensions: Length 80 ft (24.4 m); Beam 16 ft (4.9 m); Depth of hold 6 ft (1.8 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 78.68 tons (Old Style); 57.01 tons (Gross)
• Location: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
• Official Number: 12971
• Original Owners: Various, including R. Lawrence, Edward Lawrence, I. Brown, William Bootward, A. Chisholm
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Two-masted wooden schooner, designed for the Lake Michigan cordwood and lumber trade. Built by Jacob Randall, with H. Williams as master carpenter.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood
• Decks: 1
• Masts: 2
• Length: 24.4 metres / 80 feet
• Beam: 4.9 metres / 16 feet
• Depth: 1.8 metres / 6 feet
• Tonnage (Old Style): 78.68 tons
• Tonnage (Gross): 57.01 tons

A typical mid-19th-century schooner, built to haul timber and cordwood along the western shore of Lake Michigan. Shallow draft suitable for accessing rivers and smaller ports.

History

• 1853, June 3: Launched at St. Joseph, Michigan for the tie and lumber trade between St. Joseph and Chicago.
• 1860: Owned by R. Lawrence, Chicago, Illinois.
• 1864: Transferred to Edward Lawrence, Chicago, Illinois. Underwent significant repairs.
• 1866: Ownership passed to I. Brown, Racine, Wisconsin.
• 1869: Sank near Holland, Michigan. No long-term damage noted — vessel was likely salvaged.
• 1871: Owned by William Bootward, Racine.
• 1876: Last owned by A. Chisholm, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Final voyage ended in April 1876 when John S. Wallace ran ashore during a southeast gale at Sheboygan. The schooner was declared a total loss. She was reportedly carrying a cargo of cordwood at the time.

Significant Incidents

• Grounded during southeast gale on April 4, 1876.

Final Disposition

• Cause: Grounded during southeast gale.
• Final Status: Total wreck; no indication of salvage or return to service.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No known rediscovery or dive documentation. Presumed broken up or buried in Sheboygan harbour sands.

Resources & Links

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The John S. Wallace was a representative schooner of the mid-19th century wood cargo trade on Lake Michigan. Her 23-year career spanned multiple owners and typical incidents such as sinkings and repairs. Her wreck at Sheboygan in 1876 marked the end of a utilitarian vessel serving small-port industries of the Western Great Lakes.