Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Thomas Overton
- Type: Wood-hulled scow-schooner
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: Gould (or Goulet), Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: 66 × 19 × 6 ft; 62 GRT/62 NRT
- Registered Tonnage: 62 GRT / 62 NRT
- Location: W of Kingsville dock, Lake Erie, Ontario
- Official Number: C61144
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A scow-schooner, designed with a shallow flat-bottom suited for inshore shipping—often used in underdeveloped harbors where deeper vessels couldn’t navigate.
Description
Construction: All-wood, typical mid-19th century scow-schooner.
Cargo on final voyage: Wooden bolts (fastener wood), secured in the hold.
History
Incident timeline: Ran aground on October 2, 1877, near Kingsville, Ontario—left stranded.
Storm impact: Before salvage or refloating, a powerful storm struck on October 8. Waves battered the vessel until she broke up—pounded to pieces on submerged shoals.
Crew status: All crew survived; no fatalities were reported.
Significant Incidents
- Ran aground on October 2, 1877, near Kingsville, Ontario.
- Stranded and subsequently broken apart by a storm on October 8, 1877.
- All crew survived the incident.
Final Disposition
The wreck site is located west of Kingsville dock in shallow coastal waters of Lake Erie. The debris field likely includes broken hull remains, wooden framing, scattered bolts, and cargo remnants. The wreck has not been formally surveyed or located, and there are no known navigation hazards associated with the site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is unlocated, with no formal survey or dive report available. The navigation impact is unknown, with no LNM or charted hazard warnings reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”thomas-overton-c-61144″ title=”References & Links”]
Thomas Overton represents a class of humble yet vital work vessels in late-19th-century Great Lakes commerce—delivering bulk wood products to emerging ports. Her loss, stranded and broken apart in a mid-season storm, underscores the precarious nature of coastal scows during fall gales. Documenting her remains could shed light on scow construction, small cargo logistics, and coastal hazard responses of the era.
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: Thomas Overton (built as Industry; renamed circa 1872–73)
- Official No.: C61144
- Type: Wood-hulled scow-schooner
- Built: 1868 by Gould (or Goulet), Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: 66 × 19 × 6 ft; 62 GRT/62 NRT (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Date of Wreck: October 8, 1877
- Location: W of Kingsville dock, Lake Erie, Ontario (GovInfo, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Vessel Type & Construction
- A scow-schooner, designed with a shallow flat-bottom suited for inshore shipping—often used in underdeveloped harbors where deeper vessels couldn’t navigate.
Description & Cargo
- Construction: All-wood, typical mid-19th century scow-schooner
- Cargo on final voyage: Wooden bolts (fastener wood), secured in the hold (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, UW-Madison Libraries)
Final Voyage & Loss
- Incident timeline: Ran aground on October 2, 1877, near Kingsville, Ontario—left stranded
- Storm impact: Before salvage or refloating, a powerful storm struck on October 8. Waves battered the vessel until she broke up—pounded to pieces on submerged shoals (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Crew status: All crew survived; no fatalities were reported (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Wreck Site & Physical Condition
- Location: W of Kingsville dock, Lake Erie (shallow coastal waters)
- Debris field: Likely includes broken hull remains, wooden framing, scattered bolts, and cargo remnants
- Discovery status: Unlocated—no formal survey or dive report
- Navigation impact: No LNM or charted hazard warnings known
Sources & Documentation
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – O: Comprehensive entry with build data, loss details, cargo, and cause (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia, UW-Madison Libraries, Wikipedia)
- Additional context about typical scow-schooners and Lake Erie storms provided by regional maritime sources
Research Gaps & Next Steps
| Area | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Exact coordinates | Analyze historic charts of Kingsville shoals for possible wreck location |
| Newspaper accounts | Search October 1877 issues of Kingsville Reporter, Windsor Border Cities Star, Cleveland Leader |
| Crew/passenger list | Review shipping registries and crew agreements held at Port Huron or Ontario Provincial Archives |
| Diver survey | Conduct shallow-water side-scan sonar or magnetometer survey in suspected grounding area |
Conclusion
Thomas Overton represents a class of humble yet vital work vessels in late-19th-century Great Lakes commerce—delivering bulk wood products to emerging ports. Her loss, stranded and broken apart in a mid-season storm, underscores the precarious nature of coastal scows during fall gales. Documenting her remains could shed light on scow construction, small cargo logistics, and coastal hazard responses of the era
thomas-overton-c-61144 1877-10-08 12:39:00