Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: South America
- Type: two-masted wood schooner
- Year Built:
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage: approx. 600 barrels
- Location: Lake Erie
- Original Owners: unknown, likely privately owned or single-voyage charter
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A typical small-cargo schooner of the era—wood-hulled, two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged—principally used for regional bulk cargo haulage (salt, grain, lumber) across the Great Lakes.
Description
Departing Buffalo with 600 barrels of salt, the schooner South America vanished en route on or after October 17. The prevailing hypothesis is capsizing or foundering in a sudden storm on Lake Erie. There are no known crew rosters, survivor accounts, or passenger lists. The disappearance remains undocumented in detail—common for small merchant schooners of that period.
History
Despite multiple historical listings, no wreck site, registry number, or official construction details have been located in accessible archives. Significant gaps exist in the historical record, including construction information, ownership details, and crew or passenger manifests.
Significant Incidents
- Construction info: Year, builder, dimensions, tonnage not found in standard indexes (e.g., BGSU vessel lists, HCGL).
- Ownership: No record of owner or homeport; likely privately owned or single-voyage charter.
- Crew/passenger manifest: Absent—crew complement and identities unknown.
- Loss confirmation: No newspaper accounts or maritime registers have been located confirming the event specifically for this vessel.
Final Disposition
The schooner South America remains an undocumented disappearance with minimal known facts: departed Buffalo, laden with salt, vanished in a storm around October 17. The lack of registry data, crew info, or wreck location highlights significant archival gaps.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As the wreck site has not been located, the current condition of the South America remains unknown. Further research into mid-October storm reports and port records from 1841 to 1843 is essential for potential discovery.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”south-america” title=”References & Links”]
To progress in understanding the fate of the South America, a focused deep dive into mid-October storm reports and port records in 1841-43 is essential.
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.
(schooner, ~600 bbl salt)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: presumed South America
- Vessel type: two‑masted wood schooner
- Cargo: approx. 600 barrels of salt
- Departure: reportedly sailed from Buffalo on October 14, year variably cited as 1841, 1842 or 1843
- Disappearance: presumed lost in gale/squall on or after October 17; never seen again
Despite multiple historical listings, no wreck site, registry number, or official construction details have been located in accessible archives.
Vessel Type
A typical small‑cargo schooner of the era—wood‑hulled, two‑masted, fore‑and‑aft rigged—principally used for regional bulk cargo haulage (salt, grain, lumber) across the Great Lakes.
Incident Overview
Departing Buffalo with 600 barrels of salt, she vanished en route on or after October 17. The prevailing hypothesis is capsizing or foundering in a sudden storm on Lake Erie. There are no known crew rosters, survivor accounts, or passenger lists. The disappearance remains undocumented in detail—common for small merchant schooners of that period.
Historical Gaps
- Construction info: Year, builder, dimensions, tonnage not found in standard indexes (e.g., BGSU vessel lists, HCGL).
- Ownership: No record of owner or homeport; likely privately owned or single‑voyage charter.
- Crew/passenger manifest: Absent—crew complement and identities unknown.
- Loss confirmation: No newspaper accounts or maritime registers have been located confirming the event specifically for this vessel.
Suggested Next Steps & Archival Threads
- Newspaper archives (1841–1843):
- Buffalo Courier, Buffalo Morning Express, Erie Times—for October storm coverage; likely to note schooner losses.
- Chronicling America and newspapers.com hold partial collections; search terms: “schooner South America Buffalo October 1841/42/43.”
- BGSU Great Lakes Vessels Database to verify registry listings for “South America” or vessels carrying salt.
- Merchant Vessels of the United States (annual volumes) around 1841–43 for registry entries.
- Bowling Green HCGL Accident Index: cross‑reference storm losses on Lake Erie during mid‑October.
- Provincial records (e.g., Ontario) for salvage notices or notices to mariners if wreckage washed ashore.
- Local historical societies (Buffalo & Erie County) may hold port departure logs or insurance claims.
Conclusion
The schooner South America remains an undocumented disappearance with minimal known facts: departed Buffalo, laden with salt, vanished in a storm around October 17. The lack of registry data, crew info, or wreck location highlights significant archival gaps. To progress, a focused deep dive into mid‑October storm reports and port records in 1841–43 is essential.
south-america 1843-10-14 12:17:00