Mary Williams (1853)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Mary Williams
• Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
• Year Built: 1853
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: Unspecified (likely 50–100 GRT)
• Location: Near Erie, Pennsylvania
• Original Owners: J. B. Scott (Detroit), from at least 1860–61

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A mid–19th-century wooden schooner used for coastal freighting along Lake Erie, typical of the period’s small cargo vessels.

Description

Built around 1853, Mary Williams carried light cargoes or ballast across regional ports. Owned by J. B. Scott of Detroit in her final years, she was part of his fleet of small schooners operating on Lake Erie.

History

On 22 October 1862, amid strong gales, Mary Williams was driven ashore close to Erie, Pennsylvania. She remained beached and was reportedly broken up by ongoing storms. By the 29th of October, she was declared a total loss. Available accounts note that owner J. B. Scott “lost three vessels near Erie,” indicating this was likely one of several losses in the same storm system.

Significant Incidents

• 22 October 1862: Driven ashore during a storm near Erie, Pennsylvania.
• 29 October 1862: Declared a total loss.

Final Disposition

Total loss due to storm-driven stranding and subsequent breakup. No salvage was documented.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No GPS or dive site records exist. The wreck likely lies buried in the shallow coastal sands near Erie.

Resources & Links

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Mary Williams was a typical small schooner of the 1850s–60s, owned by Detroit’s J. B. Scott. Her loss in October 1862, amid a Lake Erie gale, ended a modest career and contributed to a notable series of vessel losses in the same storm. She remains uncharted but emblematic of mid–19th-century coastal maritime commerce.