Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Liberty
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1818
- Builder: Two Mile Creek, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Length 46 ft 8 in (14.2 m); Beam 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m); Depth of hold 4 ft 2 in (1.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 23 77/95 tons
- Location: Off Pelee Island, Lake Erie
- Original Owners: Asa Farnsworth, Frederick Goodrich, George M. Fowle, Roswell Mackabee, Jared Z. Jennings
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Early 19th-century schooner typical of regional trade on the upper Great Lakes, likely used for cargo and possibly passenger transport during its service.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
- Length: 14.2 m (46 ft 8 in)
- Beam: 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in)
- Depth: 1.3 m (4 ft 2 in)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 23 77/95 tons
This vessel was small and shallow-draft, ideal for close shoreline navigation and lighter port operations typical of the pre-canal era in Great Lakes commerce.
History
- 1818, Aug 8: First enrolled at Buffalo, New York.
- 1823–1825: Re-enrolled at Presque Isle, Michigan.
- 1826, May 16: Owned by Asa Farnsworth of Portland, NY.
- 1826, Nov 25: Lost her anchor on Lake Erie near Point Abino.
- 1827, May 19: Owned jointly by Frederick Goodrich and George M. Fowle of Portland Harbor, NY.
- 1829, Sep 3: Final recorded owners were Roswell Mackabee (Sandusky, OH) and Jared Z. Jennings (Erie County, PA).
- 1829, Nov 28: The vessel sank near Pelee Island, Lake Erie. No crew fatalities are recorded in available documentation.
Final Disposition
The Liberty was lost by sinking on 28 November 1829 in Lake Erie near Pelee Island. No salvage or recovery is recorded, and her wreck location is presumed but not precisely known.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No known discovery or modern dive documentation.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”liberty-1818″ title=”References & Links”]
The Liberty represents one of the earliest American-built schooners known to have operated commercially on Lake Erie. Her small size and shallow draft were typical of vessels serving frontier ports in the early 1800s, especially before the rise of canal and rail infrastructure. Although largely forgotten, her brief history reflects the challenges and rapid vessel turnover common in early inland lake commerce.
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: Liberty
- Year Built: 1818
- Built At: Two Mile Creek, Buffalo, New York
- Final Location: Off Pelee Island, Lake Erie
- Date Lost: 28 November 1829
- Cause of Loss: Sunk (details unspecified)
Vessel Type
Early 19th-century schooner typical of regional trade on the upper Great Lakes, likely used for cargo and possibly passenger transport during its service.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
- Length: 14.2 m (46 ft 8 in)
- Beam: 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in)
- Depth: 1.3 m (4 ft 2 in)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 23 77/95 tons
This vessel was small and shallow-draft, ideal for close shoreline navigation and lighter port operations typical of the pre-canal era in Great Lakes commerce.
History
- 1818, Aug 8: First enrolled at Buffalo, New York.
- 1823–1825: Re-enrolled at Presque Isle, Michigan.
- 1826, May 16: Owned by Asa Farnsworth of Portland, NY.
- 1826, Nov 25: Lost her anchor on Lake Erie near Point Abino.
- 1827, May 19: Owned jointly by Frederick Goodrich and George M. Fowle of Portland Harbor, NY.
- 1829, Sep 3: Final recorded owners were Roswell Mackabee (Sandusky, OH) and Jared Z. Jennings (Erie County, PA).
- 1829, Nov 28: The vessel sank near Pelee Island, Lake Erie. No crew fatalities are recorded in available documentation.
Final Disposition
The Liberty was lost by sinking on 28 November 1829 in Lake Erie near Pelee Island. No salvage or recovery is recorded, and her wreck location is presumed but not precisely known.
Located By & Date Found
No known discovery or modern dive documentation.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels – BGSU Database
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
Conclusion
The Liberty represents one of the earliest American-built schooners known to have operated commercially on Lake Erie. Her small size and shallow draft were typical of vessels serving frontier ports in the early 1800s, especially before the rise of canal and rail infrastructure. Although largely forgotten, her brief history reflects the challenges and rapid vessel turnover common in early inland lake commerce.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Early schooners, wooden sailing vessel, Two Mile Creek shipyard, Pelee Island wreck, Lake Erie maritime history, 19th-century Great Lakes trade, small tonnage vessel.