Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Owego US 18926

Explore the wreck of the Owego, a 1853 propeller steamer lost in a blizzard on Lake Erie, claiming five crew members during its final voyage.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Owego
  • Type: propeller steamer
  • Year Built: 1853
  • Builder: Roderick Calkins & John Searles, Cleveland, OH
  • Dimensions: 168′ 7½″ × 28′ 2″ × 10′ 9″; approx. 484 tons (old measure), 483 GRT
  • Registered Tonnage: 483 GRT
  • Location: Van Buren Point, NY
  • Official Number: 18926
  • Original Owners: Squires, Risley & Vorce; Erie Railway Steamboat Company
  • Number of Masts: one mast

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden, single-deck steamship with one mast and twin screws powered by Cuyahoga Steam Furnace engines; hull framed with arches, square stern.

Description

The Owego was a sophisticated twin-screw steamer launched in 1853 and served Lake Erie ports for 14 years. On November 29, 1867, she sank at Van Buren Point amid a blizzard, ferrying bulk staples and sundries. Five crew members tragically drowned during a yawl escape attempt, and the vessel was declared lost. Some deck cargo was salvaged, but the hull remained wrecked and unrecovered.

History

Operated as a passenger and package freighter on Lake Erie, the Owego served ports including Dunkirk, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, and Sandusky under owners such as Squires, Risley & Vorce and later the Erie Railway Steamboat Company.

Significant Incidents

  • Date & Weather: Lost during a severe blizzard/gale on Lake Erie, November 29, 1867.
  • Route & Cargo: Bound for an Erie-Seaway port, carrying flour, oats, corn, tallow, and general merchandise.
  • Incident: Driven ashore and wrecked at Van Buren Point, NY — the hull broke apart in extreme conditions and was declared a total loss.

Final Disposition

Five crew members perished attempting to escape via yawl. According to engineering staff records, fallen crew included Second Engineer William P. Johnson (Dunkirk), First Engineer Orin D. Phillips, and others. Their bodies were later recovered along the shores, followed by funerals in nearby towns.

Deck cargo was salvaged by March 1869. The wreck remained at Van Buren Point and was never refloated — remnants likely remained visible for years afterward.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the Owego is confirmed lost and remains at the site of the incident, with no recovery efforts reported for the hull.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”owego-us-18926″ title=”References & Links”]

The story of the Owego serves as a reminder of the perils faced by maritime vessels on the Great Lakes, particularly during severe weather conditions.

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.

(propeller steamer; 1853–1867)

  • Official No.: 18926
  • Built: 1853, by Roderick Calkins & John Searles, Cleveland, OH
  • Type & Propulsion: Wooden, single-deck steamship with one mast and twin screws powered by Cuyahoga Steam Furnace engines; hull framed with arches, square stern
  • Dimensions: 168′ 7½″ × 28′ 2″ × 10′ 9″; approx. 484 tons (old measure), 483 GRT

Commercial Role

Operated as a passenger and package freighter on Lake Erie, the Owego served ports including Dunkirk, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, and Sandusky under owners such as Squires, Risley & Vorce and later the Erie Railway Steamboat Company (chautauqua.nygenweb.net, chautauquacountyny.gov).

Final Voyage & Catastrophe — November 29, 1867

  • Date & Weather: Lost during a severe blizzard/gale on Lake Erie, November 29, 1867
  • Route & Cargo: Bound for an Erie-Seaway port, carrying flour, oats, corn, tallow, and general merchandise
  • Incident: Driven ashore and wrecked at Van Buren Point, NY — the hull broke apart in extreme conditions and was declared a total loss (chautauqua.nygenweb.net).

Casualties

Five crew members perished attempting to escape via yawl. According to engineering staff records, fallen crew included Second Engineer William P. Johnson (Dunkirk), First Engineer Orin D. Phillips, and others. Their bodies were later recovered along the shores, followed by funerals in nearby towns (chautauquacountyny.gov).

Aftermath

  • Deck cargo was salvaged by March 1869 (chautauqua.nygenweb.net).
  • The wreck remained at Van Buren Point and was never refloated — remnants likely remained visible for years afterward.

Archival Sources

Summary

The Owego was a sophisticated twin-screw steamer launched in 1853 and served Lake Erie ports for 14 years. On November 29, 1867, she sank at Van Buren Point amid a blizzard, ferrying bulk staples and sundries. Five crew members tragically drowned during a yawl escape attempt, and the vessel was declared lost. Some deck cargo was salvaged, but the hull remained wrecked and unrecovered.

owego-us-18926 1967-11-29 10:18:00