Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Southerner
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
- Year Built: 1847
- Builder: A. C. Keating, Monroe, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 176 ft 10 in (53.9 m); Beam: 28 ft (8.5 m); Depth of hold: 11 ft 7 3/4 in (3.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 550 17/95 tons
- Location: West of Ashtabula, Ohio
- Original Owners: Benjamin F. Field et al, Monroe, Michigan
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Mid-19th-century wooden sidewheel passenger and freight steamer, operating regional routes along the southern Great Lakes.
Description
Southerner was a single-deck, wooden-hulled sidewheel steamer, designed to serve as both a freight and passenger carrier. Its broad beam supported side-mounted paddle wheels, while a single high-pressure steam engine provided power. The vessel was later equipped with an upper passenger cabin after its initial layup in 1847–48, reflecting the rapid growth of combination passenger/freight trade.
History
The Southerner was launched in 1847 in Monroe, Michigan, initially running unfinished in local trade to support the Southern Railroad’s freight connection. During the winter of 1847–48, she was rebuilt with an upper passenger cabin to improve accommodations.
In the following seasons, Southerner worked:
- 1848–50 in the Buffalo–Toledo–Monroe trade
- 1851 on the Cleveland & Detroit Line (suffered damage losing its smoke stack in an April storm, then towed to Detroit)
- 1852 enrolled in Cleveland trade
- 1853 operated on the Dunkirk, Cleveland, Sandusky & Toledo route linked to the New York and Erie Railroad
On 28 October 1853, while carrying a cargo of hogs and flour, she struck a crib (breakwater structure) west of Ashtabula Harbor in a storm, suffering catastrophic structural failure that broke her back. She drifted ashore near the harbor entrance, where she broke apart and was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- 1851: Suffered damage losing its smoke stack in an April storm.
Final Disposition
Total loss; vessel broke in two and was destroyed near Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio, on Lake Erie.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern survey has confirmed identifiable remains; they are presumed scattered or buried in sediment.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”southerner-1847″ title=”References & Links”]
The Southerner represents an important transitional period in Great Lakes commerce, moving from freight-only trade to combination passenger–freight service. Its loss in 1853 illustrates the challenges of navigating early Lake Erie ports during heavy weather, especially with wooden-hulled sidewheelers vulnerable to grounding damage.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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