Major Oliver (1837)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Major Oliver
• Type: Wooden two-masted schooner (converted to brig)
• Year Built: 1837
• Builder: C. G. Keeler
• Dimensions: 81 ft × 23.5 ft × 9.5 ft (24.7 m × 7.2 m × 2.9 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 158 10/95 tons
• Location: Approximately 0.5 mile south of the Chicago harbour breakwater
• Original Owners: Toledo Navigation Company; later William T. Hawes and partners; ownership transferred to Robert Kyle and others in 1845
• Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A mid-19th-century wooden schooner, typical of Great Lakes coastal trade vessels. It was re-rigged as a brig in 1841, altering its sail plan for improved windward performance.

Description

Constructed with a single deck, the Major Oliver featured a relatively broad beam for stability in the Great Lakes. The conversion from schooner to brig indicated additional spars and square sails were installed on the foremast to enhance cargo passage efficiency.

History

• 1837: Enrolled in Maumee City, Ohio under Toledo Navigation Company.
• 1839 (May 10): Re-registered in Buffalo, NY as part of the Western Transportation/Great Western Line, under ownership of William T. Hawes and partners, likely plying routes between Albany and Buffalo.
• 1840 (Nov 22): Driven ashore during a gale near Grand River (now Grand Haven), Michigan; repaired topmast and jib afterwards.
• 1841: Officially re-rated as a barge, then grounded in the St. Clair Flats; later recast into a brig.
• 1841 (Nov 12): Aground at Chicago harbour but refloated.
• 1843 (various): Sprang a leak during a gale off Southport (now Kenosha, WI); aground again in Chicago laden with wheat, but refloated.
• 1844 (July): Involved in raising the schooner St. Lewis sunk in Lake Huron.
• 1845 (Oct 7): Ownership transferred to Robert Kyle of Chicago and others.

Significant Incidents

• 1840: Driven ashore during a gale near Grand River, Michigan.
• 1841: Grounded in the St. Clair Flats; later recast into a brig.
• 1841: Aground at Chicago harbour but refloated.
• 1843: Sprang a leak during a gale off Southport, Wisconsin; aground again in Chicago.

Final Disposition

On November 2, 1845, while transporting cargo from St. Joseph, Michigan to Chicago, the vessel encountered a gale and was driven ashore half a mile south of Chicago harbour. It sustained severe damage and was declared a total loss with recorded damages of approximately $10,000.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not located. There are no documented wreck surveys or archaeological investigations to identify the wreck site.

Resources & Links

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The Major Oliver exemplifies the robust but weather-vulnerable coastal schooners of the mid-1800s Great Lakes trade. Over its service life, it endured multiple groundings, conversions, and ownership changes before succumbing to a gale near Chicago in November 1845. No lives were lost, but its remains have not been identified. Despite its loss, the vessel’s operational history reflects the challenges of early Great Lakes navigation and commerce.