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.

(built 1847 – lost 7 July 1869)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Mark H. Sibley
• Official Number: 16449
• Built: 1847 at Buffalo, New York, by W. Jones
• Tonnage/Specs: Approximately 115 × 24 × 10 ft; 252 tons (burthen)
• Home Port/Trade: Operated out of Grand Haven, Michigan trade lanes on Lake Michigan (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Date of Loss: 7 July 1869
• Loss Location: Near Avon Point, about 18 mi west of Cleveland, Ohio, on Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type

• Wooden two‑masted schooner built for freight, commonly transporting merchandise or bulk commodities such as brick or grain

Incident & Final Voyage

• The Mark H. Sibley lost her way during heavy seas and poor visibility and struck rocks off Avon Point. She was battered by waves and reported to have been “pounding to pieces” on the rocks. The crew abandoned ship and one life was lost during the incident (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• The vessel was abandoned to underwriters and declared a total loss. Her cargo is listed in some sources as bricks—a shift‑prone, heavy bulk load that likely affected stability in the storm conditions (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Casualties

• Loss of life: 1 crew member perished; others survived or were rescued (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Wreck Condition & Rediscovery

• No known modern rediscovery, sonar survey, or dive site documentation exists. The wreck likely lies dispersed on the rocky shoal near Avon Point, and, given the passage of time and wave action, remains are not documented.

Notices & Official Records

• This vessel and incident are entered in Great Lakes casualty lists (e.g. HGL, MV, NSP, WL, RSL, MDWL) and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files with technical summary and casualty figures (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• No formal Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins from the period appear to survive.

Summary Table

Attribute	Details
Vessel	Mark H. Sibley
Official No.	16449
Built	1847, Buffalo, NY
Type	Wooden two-mast schooner (freight)
Dimensions	~115 × 24 × 10 ft; ~252 tons
Loss Date	7 July 1869
Location of Loss	Near Avon Point (~18 mi W of Cleveland), Lake Erie
Cause of Loss	Storm—lost course in poor visibility; grounded on rocks
Cargo	Bricks
Casualties	1 crew member lost
Disposition	Abandoned to underwriters; total loss
Modern Rediscovery	None known

Research Gaps & Next-Step Suggestions

While the archival profile is well documented, key details remain unrecorded:

• Crew roster and master’s identity
• Ownership or merchant operator
• Local newspaper coverage of the wreck, rescue efforts, or survivor testimony (e.g. Cleveland Leader, Detroit Free Press July 1869)
• Insurance claim files in underwriting archives
• HCGL vessel enrollment details and official registry logs

Next research steps could include:

• Accessing Bowling Green HCGL registers for 1869 maritime incidents
• Reviewing clevland‑area newspaper archives, mid‑July 1869 for storm reports and eyewitness accounts
• Examining shipping manifests or cargo records for brick trade routes involving Grand Haven and Cleveland
• Consulting marine insurance ledgers for entries on the Mark H. Sibley under Official No. 16449

Conclusion

The schooner Mark H. Sibley, built in 1847 at Buffalo, was lost in a gale on 7 July 1869, after grounding near Avon Point, Lake Erie, while carrying bricks. One crew member died. The vessel was abandoned and not salvaged, with no modern rediscovery. Her loss underscores the significant hazard of poor visibility and shifting cargo across rocky shoals in Lake Erie during summer storms.

Let me know if you’d like to pursue crew names, owner identification, cargo ledgers or archival newspapers for further detail.

mark-h-sibley-us-16449 1869-07-07 15:00:00