Martha Freme (1835)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Martha Freme
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1835
• Builder: Oswego, New York
• Dimensions: Length 86 ft 7 in (26.4 m); Beam 19 ft 10 in (6.0 m); Depth of hold 8 ft 5 in (2.6 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 131 46/95
• Location: Approximately 3 miles below Barcelona, NY, Lake Erie
• Original Owners: Ansel R. Cobb and others
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Martha Freme was a 19th-century wooden two-masted schooner used in the Great Lakes’ bulk cargo trade. These schooners were vital workboats carrying grain, coal, flour, and general goods between lakeside ports.

Description

• Length: 86 ft 7 in (26.4 m)
• Beam: 19 ft 10 in (6.0 m)
• Depth: 8 ft 5 in (2.6 m)
• Tonnage (Old Style): 131 46/95

In 1842, she was rebuilt and remodeled with new measurements of 89 ft x 20 ft x 9 ft 2 in and a tonnage of 148 56/95, suggesting an increase in cargo capacity and deck height.

History

• 1836, May 13: First enrollment at Oswego, NY.
• 1837, Aug 3: Owned by Ansel R. Cobb and others, Buffalo, NY.
• 1840, Aug: Damaged in collision with brig Indiana off Point Abino, Lake Erie.
• 1840, Oct 2: Struck pier at Buffalo, sprang a leak while carrying wheat.
• 1842, Apr 9: Rebuilt and remodeled; operated under Cobb & Co. Line; dual ownership with Buffalo and Cleveland interests.
• 1842, Sep: Involved in a collision off Erie, PA, sinking schooner Dolphin; subsequently repaired.
• 1842, Sep 22: Damaged in Lake Erie storm.
• 1845, Oct: Suffered slight fire damage at Merritt’s Lock flour mill accident.
• 1847, Mar 15: Damaged in a freshet (flood) at Buffalo; repaired.
• 1848: Active in Buffalo-Erie-Cleveland trade; was briefly scuttled opposite Black Rock Dam during a border incident.
• 1848, Nov 10: Ashore at Port Burwell, ONT with merchandise; freed and continued service.
• 1850, Oct: Wrecked in storm off Barcelona, NY; all hands lost.

Significant Incidents

• Wrecked in a storm off the Lake Erie shore near Barcelona, New York in October 1850.
• All hands lost during the wreck.

Final Disposition

Martha Freme was wrecked in a storm off the Lake Erie shore near Barcelona, New York in October 1850. The vessel was lost along with her entire crew, underscoring the dangers of late-season navigation on the Great Lakes.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No contemporary records indicate rediscovery or archaeological survey of the wreck. Presumed disintegrated or buried beneath sediment near Barcelona, NY.

Resources & Links

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The Martha Freme exemplified the transitional schooner designs of the mid-19th century on the Great Lakes. Frequently modified and repaired, she had a long service life involving cargo trade, collisions, and maritime accidents before her final loss in 1850. Her wreck remains a largely undocumented but historically relevant loss in the Lake Erie corridor.