Rosa Sonsmith – Lake Erie Schooner Shipwreck (1900)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Rosa Sonsmith
• Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1882
• Builder: Thomas Arnold
• Dimensions: 181 ft (55.2 m) × 33 ft; Depth of hold: 11.5 ft
• Registered Tonnage: 766 gross / 738 net
• Location: Near Ashtabula, Ohio
• Official Number: 110517
• Original Owners: L. P. Mason, East Saginaw
• Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Vessel Type: Three-masted wooden schooner

Description

The Rosa Sonsmith was a large three-masted schooner built in 1882 in East Saginaw, Michigan. She was primarily used for transporting iron ore and coal across the Great Lakes.

History

Chronology & Operational History:

• April 13, 1882 – Enrolled at Port Huron, MI; built as sister vessel to NELLIE MASON and MATTIE C. BELL; entered Toledo–Duluth ore trade and later Marquette coal/oil routes.
• 1885 – Towed by steamer C.H. GREEN.
• November 4, 1887 – Damaged in collision with steamer MINNEAPOLIS at Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
• 1888–1889 – Employed in Duluth–Buffalo grain trade and Marquette ore transport; registered dimensions confirmed at 181 × 33.4 × 11.5 ft, 766 gross tons.
• 1892–1893 – Regularly towed by HAVANA, VIENNA, and T.S. CHRISTIE.
• November 5, 1900 – While under tow entering Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio, broke loose in a gale and ran aground approximately 300 ft from the pier; cargo was iron ore (~1,600 tons). Crew rescued by tug KNUCKLE BROTHERS; vessel broke apart next day.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents:

• November 5, 1900 – Grounded during severe weather while under tow, leading to total loss of the vessel.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition:

• Date of Wreck: November 5, 1900
• Location: Near Ashtabula, Ohio, Lake Erie
• Cause: Severe weather; broke towline and grounded while under tow
• Cargo at Loss: Iron ore
• Casualties: None; crew rescued safely
• Wreck Condition: Broke apart within 24 hours of grounding; total loss

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current Condition & Accessibility:

• Wreck Condition: Destroyed on the shoal; no significant structure remains.
• Dive Accessibility: Unlikely to be dive-worthy due to scattered debris and shallow, turbulent harbor entrance.
• Survey Needs: No known modern survey; potential for identification of debris field via side-scan sonar in harbor approach channel or harbor breakwall area.

Resources & Links

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The ROSA SONSMITH was a large three-masted ore schooner lost on November 5, 1900, when she broke tow and grounded during a gale while entering Ashtabula Harbor, Lake Erie. All crew were rescued, but the vessel broke apart within a day. The wreck is a complete loss with no intact remains, making modern diving improbable. Further investigation through harbor logs, insurance and salvage archives, and period newspaper accounts could yield operational detail and documentation of the incident.