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
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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.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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