Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Julia Willard
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner (likely cargo/passenger)
- Year Built: 1865
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Kelley’s Island, Lake Erie
- Number of Masts: Two-mast sail rigged
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century lake schooner, commonly used for stone freight and general cargo on Lake Erie. Wooden, rigged for two-mast sail, and likely modest in size given her cargo type.
Description
On 17 December 1895, while loading stone at Kelley’s Island, Julia Willard became encased in ice during a sudden cold snap. She was frozen fast and abandoned after the crew went ashore seeking a tug for assistance. She never returned to service and was officially declared lost the following year (linkstothepast.com, livcolib.org, linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
History
Despite the event’s severity, no primary newspaper reports or Life-Saving Service records have been located yet. The only confirmation comes from marine-loss compilations and maritime burials listings, citing her as ice immobilized and abandoned in late 1895.
Significant Incidents
- Frozen and beset in ice at Kelley’s Island while loading stone.
- No loss of life reported.
Final Disposition
Stranded and beset in ice, the vessel was unrecoverable. Documentation indicates “sunk near Middle Sister Island” in some sources—likely a misinterpretation. No salvage or recovery was successful.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no dive surveys, sonar data, or recorded wreck locations. Presumed lost beneath ice and submerged near Kelley’s Island.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”julia-willard-1865″ title=”References & Links”]
Julia Willard was lost in a typical cold-season Great Lakes scenario—trapped in ice during stone loading. Though not sensational, the incident reflects winter marine hazards. Without crew casualties and limited documentation, it remains an obscure yet instructive case in maritime ice safety.
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: Julia Willard
- Year Built: 1865
- Vessel Type: Wooden-hulled schooner (likely cargo/passenger)
- Date Lost: 17 December 1895
- Cause: Frozen and beset in ice at Kelley’s Island, Lake Erie after loading stone; crew went ashore seeking aid
- Crew & Cargo: Stone cargo; no loss of life reported
- Location: Kelley’s Island, Lake Erie
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century lake schooner, commonly used for stone freight and general cargo on Lake Erie. Wooden, rigged for two-mast sail, and likely modest in size given her cargo type.
Description & Incident Summary
On 17 December 1895, while loading stone at Kelley’s Island, Julia Willard became encased in ice during a sudden cold snap. She was frozen fast and abandoned after the crew went ashore seeking a tug for assistance. She never returned to service and was officially declared lost the following year (linkstothepast.com, livcolib.org, linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Newspaper & Archival Accounts
Despite the event’s severity, no primary newspaper reports or Life-Saving Service records have been located yet. The only confirmation comes from marine-loss compilations and maritime burials listings, citing her as ice immobilized and abandoned in late 1895 .
Final Disposition
Stranded and beset in ice, the vessel was unrecoverable. Documentation indicates “sunk near Middle Sister Island” in some sources—likely a misinterpretation. No salvage or recovery was successful.
Located By & Date Found
There are no dive surveys, sonar data, or recorded wreck locations. Presumed lost beneath ice and submerged near Kelley’s Island.
Notations & Advisories
No modern hazards are charted at the site. Skippers should be aware of ice-related wreck risk zones near Kelley’s Island during cold months.
Conclusion
Julia Willard was lost in a typical cold-season Great Lakes scenario—trapped in ice during stone loading. Though not sensational, the incident reflects winter marine hazards. Without crew casualties and limited documentation, it remains an obscure yet instructive case in maritime ice safety.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Genealogy / Marine Loss Record: notes Julia Willard frozen and beset at Kelley’s Island, December 1895; records place her near Middle Sister Island in error (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Next Steps for Archival Deep Dive
- Search Cleveland Plain Dealer and Sandusky Register archives (December 1895–January 1896) for rescue or salvage reports
- Consult Coast Guard or life-saving station logs from middle Lake Erie
- Verify shipping registries from 1898 to confirm her removal from active lists