Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.G. Buckner
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1837
- Builder: Gershom Thayer, Irving, NY
- Dimensions: approximately 75 ft (23 m) × 21 ft (6.4 m) × 7 ft (2.1 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 107 tons
- Location: Approximately 6 miles off Ozaukee, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Number of Masts: Two-mast sail rigging
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small to mid-sized wooden schooner used primarily in the lumber trade—designed for coastal freight service on the Great Lakes.
Description
Built with a single deck and two-mast sail rigging. She measured around 75 feet in length, with a beam of 21 feet and a depth of 7 feet, and registered at approximately 107 tons.
History
- 1837: Constructed at Irving, NY for lumber transport operations.
- Pre-1849: Active in Lake Michigan freight trade, including hauling lumber.
- September 1849: Caught in a violent gale off the Wisconsin coast. She sprang a leak before ultimately capsizing, breaking apart, and sinking. Five individuals perished (paper unclear, at least that many), including the owner’s wife and three of their children.
Significant Incidents
- Storm-induced leak and capsizing led to the loss of the vessel.
- At least five fatalities, including the owner’s family.
- Survivors clung to the wreck for over 24 hours before rescue.
Final Disposition
After capsizing, survivors remained aboard the partially submerged wreck for over 24 hours before rescue. The family of the owner was largely lost. The vessel itself sank and was lost.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No formal archaeological survey of the wreck site is recorded. It remains uncharted, though debris washed ashore following the wrecking.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-g-buckner-w-g-bucknor-1837″ title=”References & Links”]
The tragic wreck of the W.G. Buckner in September 1849 serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by small sailing schooners during Great Lakes storms. The capsizing, high personal toll, and lengthy ordeal for survivors underscore both the unpredictable nature of autumn gales and the vulnerability of timber-built vessels. Though never located, her story contributes significantly to local maritime history.
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.
W.G. BUCKNER (built 1837 – lost 28 September 1849)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.G. Buckner (also reported as W.G. Bucknor)
- Year Built: 1837 by Gershom Thayer, Irving, NY
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
- Dimensions: approximately 75 ft (23 m) × 21 ft (6.4 m) × 7 ft (2.1 m); 107 tons (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Final Location: Approximately 6 miles off Ozaukee, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan (near Racine Reef/Milwaukee area)
- Date Lost: 28 September 1849
- Cause: Storm-induced leak and capsizing
- Casualties: At least five fatalities; entire family aboard (wife + five children); survivors clung to wreck for over 24 hours (flybridge.proboards.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Vessel Type
A small to mid-sized wooden schooner used primarily in the lumber trade—designed for coastal freight service on the Great Lakes.
Description
Built with a single deck and two-mast sail rigging. She measured around 75 feet in length, with a beam of 21 feet and a depth of 7 feet, and registered at approximately 107 tons.
History
- 1837: Constructed at Irving, NY for lumber transport operations.
- Pre-1849: Active in Lake Michigan freight trade, including hauling lumber.
- September 1849: Caught in a violent gale off the Wisconsin coast. She sprang a leak before ultimately capsizing, breaking apart, and sinking. Five individuals perished (paper unclear, at least that many), including the owner’s wife and three of their children. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, flybridge.proboards.com)
Final Disposition
After capsizing, survivors remained aboard the partially submerged wreck for over 24 hours before rescue. The family of the owner was largely lost. The vessel itself sank and was lost.
Located By & Date Found
No formal archaeological survey of the wreck site is recorded. It remains uncharted, though debris washed ashore following the wrecking.
Notmars & Advisories
None exist, as the wreck occurred before navigational advisory systems were established.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – detailed loss account (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The tragic wreck of the W.G. Buckner in September 1849 serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by small sailing schooners during Great Lakes storms. The capsizing, high personal toll, and lengthy ordeal for survivors underscore both the unpredictable nature of autumn gales and the vulnerability of timber-built vessels. Though never located, her story contributes significantly to local maritime history.
Keywords
- Wooden schooner, lumber transport
- 1849 Lake Michigan storm
- Racine Reef wreck
- Maritime disaster, capsizing
- Great Lakes 19th-century shipping
- Family tragedy at sea