Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Julius D. Morton
- Type: Wooden bulk-freight barge
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder: A.C. Keating
- Dimensions: 167 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft; 472 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 472 tons
- Location: Approximately 6 mi southeast of Bar Point, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 45091
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Originally a passenger steamer, the J.D. Morton was repurposed in 1863 as a wooden bulk barge. Measuring 167 feet, she was designed for heavy lumber loads and commonly sailed in tow. Her construction—even as a barge—reflected mid-century innovation in vessel conversions.
Description
On 13 August 1873, while under tow of the propeller Sun alongside five other barges, J.D. Morton was laden with 250,000 board feet of lumber bound from Saginaw to Erie, Pennsylvania. During a storm near Bar Point, she broke loose, caught fire (suspected arson), and burned to the waterline. The captain, his wife, their daughter, and one sailor escaped in the yawl. Two sailors remained aboard and drowned.
History
The vessel burned to the waterline while afloat. She was considered a total loss at first but was later salvaged, rebuilt, and repurposed as a barge. Official registry indicates she returned as a working vessel after reconstruction.
Significant Incidents
- On 13 August 1873, the J.D. Morton caught fire during a storm, leading to the loss of two crew members.
- The fire was suspected to be arson.
Final Disposition
The vessel burned to the waterline while afloat. She was considered a total loss at first but was later salvaged, rebuilt, and repurposed as a barge. Official registry indicates she returned as a working vessel after reconstruction.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. No modern dive or sonar survey has identified remains. After being raised and rebuilt, her minimal wreck footprint was removed from the seafloor.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”julius-d-morton-us-45091″ title=”References & Links”]
Julius D. Morton (1848–1873) began life as a passenger steamer, was later converted into a bulk lumber barge, and met disaster on 13 August 1873 when she broke loose, caught fire, and burned after being torn from her tow near Bar Point. Tragically, two of six men aboard drowned, while the captain and family escaped in a yawl. Raised and returned to service, she left no wreck behind.
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: Julius D. Morton (sometimes J.D. Morton)
- Official Number: 45091 (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Built: 1848 at Monroe, Michigan by A.C. Keating (originally a side-wheel passenger steamer, later converted to barge) (meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com)
- Vessel Type: Wooden bulk-freight barge
- Dimensions: 167 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft; 472 tons (static1.squarespace.com)
- Cargo on Final Voyage: 250,000 board feet of lumber (meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com)
- Date of Loss: 13 August 1873
- Location: Approximately 6 mi southeast of Bar Point, Lake Erie (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Casualties: 2 of 6 aboard drowned; Captain and family escaped in yawl (meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com)
Vessel Type
Originally a passenger steamer, the J.D. Morton was repurposed in 1863 as a wooden bulk barge. Measuring 167 feet, she was designed for heavy lumber loads and commonly sailed in tow. Her construction—even as a barge—reflected mid-century innovation in vessel conversions.
History & Final Voyage
On 13 August 1873, while under tow of the propeller Sun alongside five other barges, J.D. Morton was laden with 250,000 board feet of lumber bound from Saginaw to Erie, Pennsylvania. During a storm near Bar Point, she broke loose, caught fire (suspected arson), and burned to the waterline. The captain, his wife, their daughter, and one sailor escaped in the yawl. Two sailors remained aboard and drowned (meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com). The hulk was raised later and converted to a barge again.
Final Disposition
The vessel burned to the waterline while afloat. She was considered a total loss at first but was later salvaged, rebuilt, and repurposed as a barge. Official registry indicates she returned as a working vessel after reconstruction (meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com).
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. No modern dive or sonar survey has identified remains. After being raised and rebuilt, her minimal wreck footprint was removed from the seafloor.
Notations & Advisories
No modern navigational markers reference the site. The area off Bar Point is subject to shifting shoals and should continue to command caution during adverse weather.
Resources & Links
- Meandering Michigan History: account of final voyage, fire, survival story (npshistory.com, meanderingmichiganhistory.weebly.com)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files summary and registry data (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
Julius D. Morton (1848–1873) began life as a passenger steamer, was later converted into a bulk lumber barge, and met disaster on 13 August 1873 when she broke loose, caught fire, and burned after being torn from her tow near Bar Point. Tragically, two of six men aboard drowned, while the captain and family escaped in a yawl. Raised and returned to service, she left no wreck behind.
julius-d-morton-us-45091 1873-08-13 11:04:00