Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Rosa Sonsmith US 11057

Explore the remains of the Rosa Sonsmith, a three-masted schooner lost in 1900 during a storm in Lake Erie. All crew were rescued, but the wreck is a total loss.

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

[shotline_reference_links slug=”rosa-sonsmith-us-11057″ title=”References & Links”]

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.

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.

Year Built: 1882, East Saginaw, Michigan
Official Number: 110517
Vessel Type: Three‑masted wooden schooner
Builder: Thomas Arnold
Original Owner: L. P. Mason, East Saginaw
Dimensions: 181 ft length × 33 ft beam × 11.5 ft depth
Tonnage: 766 gross / 738 net

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 (alcheminc.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

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 (alcheminc.com, Remarkable Ohio)
  • Wreck Condition: Broke apart within 24 hours of grounding; total loss

Site & Dive Notes

  • 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.

Research Recommendations

  1. Contemporary Newspapers (November 1900):
    • Ashtabula Star Beacon, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Detroit Free Press may contain salvage or harbor incident reports.
  2. Harbor Records & Tow Logs:
    • Ashtabula Harbor Master’s logs likely note the grounding event and clearance operations.
    • Tow logs from T.S. CHRISTIE and tug KNUCKLE BROTHERS might reveal operational details.
  3. Insurance and Salvage Reports:
    • Underwriter or salvage contractor files may include vessel valuations, breakdown of losses, and debris removal operations.
  4. Historical Societies & Archives:
    • Ashtabula County Historical Society and Ohio State Archives may preserve photographs, eyewitness testimonies, or official correspondence.

Sources

  • Alchem Inc. “Erie–Ashtabula Shipwrecks” summary: details grounding, rescue, and breakup near pier (alcheminc.com, Uplink, USGW Archives)
  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (WordPress): build info, dimensions, loss date, ownership, tow-breakage circumstances, crew rescue by tug KNUCKLE BROTHERS (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Summary

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.

rosa-sonsmith-us-11057 1900-11-05 15:59:00