Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lewis Gilbert
- Type: Wooden Steambarge
- Year Built: 1876
- Builder: Lewis Sharbineau, Mount Clemens, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 92 ft (28 m); Beam: 22 ft (6.7 m); Depth of hold: 6.2 ft (1.9 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 92.8 GT
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 140181
- Original Owners: Lonsby Brothers, Fred, John & Richard Seymour
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type: Wooden Steambarge
Description
The Lewis Gilbert was a wooden steambarge built in 1876, measuring 92 feet in length and 22 feet in beam. It was powered by a high-pressure single-cylinder engine and had a screw propulsion system.
History
Ownership & Service History:
- 1876, May 19: Enrolled at Detroit, Michigan.
- 1878: Extensively overhauled in Detroit.
- 1878, April 5: Sold to Lonsby Brothers, Mount Clemens, Michigan.
- 1879, September 17: Owned by Fred, John & Richard Seymour, Manistee, Michigan.
- 1879, October 11: Ownership transferred to Grand Haven, Michigan under the same owners.
- 1881: Operated in the Montague-Chicago lumber trade, carrying lumber across Lake Michigan.
Significant Incidents
Final Disposition & Rebuild: In April 1882, the Lewis Gilbert was rebuilt from the keel up as the steambarge R.A. Seymour, Jr. (US #110672). On April 10, 1882, it was officially abandoned in name, as its structure was repurposed into the R.A. Seymour, Jr..
Final Disposition
The Lewis Gilbert was not scrapped but was fully rebuilt and renamed, extending its operational life under new ownership. As R.A. Seymour, Jr., the vessel continued to operate in the Great Lakes lumber trade until its abandonment and sinking in 1924.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Lewis Gilbert is confirmed, but specific details regarding its current condition and accessibility for divers are not available.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lewis-gilbert-us-140181″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The Lewis Gilbert was a small but active steambarge, serving in the lumber trade on Lake Michigan from 1876 to 1882. Instead of meeting a typical shipwreck fate, she was completely rebuilt as the R.A. Seymour, Jr. in 1882, continuing her service until 1924, when she was finally abandoned and sunk.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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