Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Temperance
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1877
- Builder: Joseph Forcier
- Dimensions: Length 66 ft (20.1 m); Beam 17 ft (5.2 m); Depth of hold 4 ft 1 in (1.24 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 38 tons
- Location: Lake Erie
- Official Number: 74062
- Original Owners: Anthony Morrison, P. Desmarais
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Temperance was a small working schooner typical of inland Great Lakes transport—designed for flexibility in cargo runs between small ports. Its size and shallow draft suggest use in both harbour and nearshore operations, likely carrying agricultural goods or light bulk freight.
Description
The Temperance is believed to have foundered or sunk in Lake Erie around 1900, though no specific wreck date, location, or circumstances have been recorded. The registry closure in 1920 serves as its only official acknowledgment of loss.
History
- 1877: Registered in Windsor, Ontario, under Anthony Morrison.
- 1878: Ownership transferred to P. Desmarais of Tilbury.
- 1898: Vessel still listed as “in commission.”
- 1920: Registry closed on April 14, with notation that Temperance had been lost on Lake Erie “20 years ago” (circa 1900), based on advice from L. Ouellette of Belle River.
Significant Incidents
- None noted. No navigational warnings associated with the wreck are currently active.
Final Disposition
No known vessel remains or wreck site have been documented. There have been no modern rediscoveries or dive reports associated with the Temperance.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Presumed to have sunk in open lake, with remains potentially degraded or lost in sediment.
- No accessibility or dive feasibility confirmed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”temperance-us-74062″ title=”References & Links”]
The Temperance exemplifies numerous minor schooners that quietly vanished from registry records and maritime logs. Reflecting a service life of roughly two decades, her undocumented loss near Lake Erie remains a silent footnote in Great Lakes history—a reminder of the many small vessels whose stories faded from view.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Temperance
- Official Number: 74062
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1877
- Location of Build: Tilbury West, Ontario
- Builder: Joseph Forcier
- Original Owner: Anthony Morrison, Tilbury West, Ont
- Dimensions:
- Length: 66 ft (20.1 m)
- Beam: 17 ft (5.2 m)
- Depth: 4 ft 1 in (1.24 m)
- Tonnage (Gross): 38 tons
Vessel Type Description
The Temperance was a small working schooner typical of inland Great Lakes transport—designed for flexibility in cargo runs between small ports. Its size and shallow draft suggest use in both harbour and nearshore operations, likely carrying agricultural goods or light bulk freight.
History & Chronology
- 1877: Registered in Windsor, Ontario, under Anthony Morrison.
- 1878: Ownership transferred to P. Desmarais of Tilbury.
- 1898: Vessel still listed as “in commission.”
- 1920: Registry closed on April 14, with notation that Temperance had been lost on Lake Erie “20 years ago” (circa 1900), based on advice from L. Ouellette of Belle River.
Final Disposition
The Temperance is believed to have foundered or sunk in Lake Erie around 1900, though no specific wreck date, location, or circumstances have been recorded. The registry closure in 1920 serves as its only official acknowledgment of loss.
Located By & Date Found
No known vessel remains or wreck site have been documented. There have been no modern rediscoveries or dive reports associated with the Temperance.
Notmars & Advisories
- None noted. No navigational warnings associated with the wreck are currently active.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Presumed to have sunk in open lake, with remains potentially degraded or lost in sediment.
- No accessibility or dive feasibility confirmed.
Conclusion
The Temperance exemplifies numerous minor schooners that quietly vanished from registry records and maritime logs. Reflecting a service life of roughly two decades, her undocumented loss near Lake Erie remains a silent footnote in Great Lakes history—a reminder of the many small vessels whose stories faded from view
temperance-us-74062 1900-07-10 12:34:00