Thomas P. Sheldon – Lake Huron Schooner Shipwreck (1901)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Thomas P. Sheldon
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1871
• Builder: William Croswaithe, East Saginaw, Michigan
• Dimensions: 194 ft (59.13 m) X 33 ft (10.06 m); Depth: 12 ft (3.66 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 669.46 Gross; 635.99 Net
• Location: Off AuSable Point near Oscoda, Lake Huron
• Official Number: 24871
• Original Owners: John Kelderhouse, Buffalo, NY; later registered to Brown & Co., Buffalo, NY
• Number of Masts: 3

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A three-masted, wooden-hulled schooner, built for bulk cargo transport—particularly lumber and iron ore. She was the largest schooner constructed on the Saginaw River at the time of her launch.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood
• Decks: 1
• Length: 194 ft (59.13 m)
• Beam: 33 ft (10.06 m)
• Depth: 12 ft (3.66 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 669.46
• Net Tonnage: 635.99
• Masts: 3
• Cargo Capacity: Approx. 6,000,000 board feet of lumber

The vessel was representative of post-Civil War Great Lakes schooners designed for maximum cargo volume and durability in tow by steamers.

History

• 19 Oct 1871: Grounded on Lake Huron.
• 29 Oct 1874: Struck reef at the Lime Kilns in the Detroit River; later repaired.
• 1876: Registered to Brown & Co., Buffalo, NY.
• 18 Jun 1881: Struck by the schooner Pensaukee in fog off Racine, Wisconsin (Lake Michigan).
• May 1886: Damaged in St. Mary’s River; raised in August 1886.
• 18 Nov 1886: Aground near Alpena, Michigan, Lake Huron.
• 3 Aug 1894: Sprang a leak off Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior.
• 10 Aug 1901: Collided with her towing steamer Waverly near Oscoda, Michigan; foundered in shallow water and subsequently broke up in a storm on 25 August 1901.

Significant Incidents

• Grounded on Lake Huron (19 Oct 1871).
• Struck reef at the Lime Kilns in the Detroit River (29 Oct 1874).
• Struck by the schooner Pensaukee in fog off Racine, Wisconsin (18 Jun 1881).
• Damaged in St. Mary’s River; raised in August 1886.
• Aground near Alpena, Michigan (18 Nov 1886).
• Sprang a leak off Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior (3 Aug 1894).
• Collided with her towing steamer Waverly (10 Aug 1901).

Final Disposition

The Thomas P. Sheldon sank after colliding with her tow, the Waverly, during transit near AuSable Point in Lake Huron. Though she initially rested in shallow water, a storm on 25 August 1901 destroyed the remaining structure. The wreck was never recovered.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No known modern discovery of wreck remnants. Presumed fully broken up and unrecoverable.

Resources & Links

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The Thomas P. Sheldon was an emblem of late 19th-century wooden schooner construction on the Great Lakes, particularly noted for its size and carrying capacity. It experienced a long and eventful career, surviving multiple incidents before finally being lost in a towing accident. Its history highlights both the utility and vulnerability of large wooden sailing vessels during the transitional era of steam propulsion and composite iron/steel construction.