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
[shotline_reference_links slug=”john-s-wallace-1853″ title=”References & Links”]
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.
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 S. Wallace
- Official Number: 12971
- Year Built: 1853
- Built At: St. Joseph, Michigan
- Final Disposition: Wrecked
- Date Lost: 4 April 1876
- Final Location: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
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.
Final Disposition
- Cause: Grounded during southeast gale.
- Final Status: Total wreck; no indication of salvage or return to service.
Located By & Date Found
No known rediscovery or dive documentation. Presumed broken up or buried in Sheboygan harbour sands.
Notmar & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Index – BGSU
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- C. E. Feltner Enrollment Records
- Inland Lloyds’ Marine Directory
- Peter J. VanderLinden Archives
Conclusion
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.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: schooner, wood hull, Lake Michigan, lumber trade, grounding
- Categories: Small schooners, Lake Michigan wrecks, 19th-century trade vessels
- Glossary:
- Cordwood: Cut, split wood typically used for fuel.
- Southeast gale: A storm wind direction common to spring and autumn transitional systems on the Great Lakes.