Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: WILLIAM O. BROWN
- Type: schooner
- Year Built: 1862
- Builder: J.W. Leach
- Dimensions: Length 139.8 ft (42.6 m); Beam 26.3 ft (8.0 m); Depth of hold 11.8 ft (3.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 400 tons (Old Style); 306.98 gross tons (1865 Remeasurement)
- Location: Near Point Maimanse, Ontario
- Official Number: 26915
- Original Owners: William O. Brown (original owner), later owned by Doyle, Chicago
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Three-masted wooden schooner, designed for bulk cargo transport across the upper Great Lakes. Commonly used for wheat, coal, and timber trades.
Description
- Builder: J.W. Leach
- Build Location: Buffalo, New York
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 3
- Dimensions:
- Length: 139.8 ft (42.6 m)
- Beam: 26.3 ft (8.0 m)
- Depth: 11.8 ft (3.6 m)
- Original Tonnage (Old Style): 400 tons
- 1865 Remeasurement: 306.98 gross tons
History
- 1862: Built and enrolled at Buffalo, NY; named for original owner William O. Brown.
- 1865: Collided and sank on Lake Erie; successfully raised by tug J.P. CLARK.
- 1867: Owned in Chicago, IL, likely active in grain trade between upper lake ports and Buffalo.
- 1870, Nov: Underwent repairs in Port Huron, including a new jibboom.
- 1871: Owned by Doyle, Chicago.
- 1872, Nov 27: While laden with wheat, she was caught in a gale on Lake Superior and driven ashore near Point Maimanse, Ontario. Six of her nine-man crew were lost in the wreck.
Significant Incidents
- 1865: Collided and sank on Lake Erie; raised by tug J.P. CLARK.
- 1872: Caught in a gale on Lake Superior, leading to grounding and loss of six crew members.
Final Disposition
Wrecked in a violent late-November storm on Lake Superior’s north shore. The high winds and icy conditions likely contributed to the grounding and rapid loss of life. No known salvage or recovery took place.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no known discovery of the wreck. Its position is presumed offshore or scattered near Point Maimanse.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”william-o-brown-us-26915″ title=”References & Links”]
The WILLIAM O. BROWN represents the many schooners that braved the volatile conditions of Lake Superior’s late season wheat trade. Her loss near Point Maimanse with significant crew fatalities highlights the hazards faced by 19th-century mariners, particularly during November gales. The absence of wreck discovery adds her to the list of lesser-known but tragic shipping losses on the lake.
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: WILLIAM O. BROWN
- Official Number: 26915
- Year Built: 1862
- Final Location: Near Point Maimanse, Ontario, Lake Superior
- Date Lost: 27 November 1872
- How Lost: Driven ashore in storm
- Final Cargo: Wheat
- Casualties: 6 of 9 crew perished
Vessel Type
Three-masted wooden schooner, designed for bulk cargo transport across the upper Great Lakes. Commonly used for wheat, coal, and timber trades.
Description
- Builder: J.W. Leach
- Build Location: Buffalo, New York
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 3
- Dimensions:
- Length: 139.8 ft (42.6 m)
- Beam: 26.3 ft (8.0 m)
- Depth: 11.8 ft (3.6 m)
- Original Tonnage (Old Style): 400 tons
- 1865 Remeasurement: 306.98 gross tons
History
- 1862: Built and enrolled at Buffalo, NY; named for original owner William O. Brown.
- 1865: Collided and sank on Lake Erie; successfully raised by tug J.P. CLARK.
- 1867: Owned in Chicago, IL, likely active in grain trade between upper lake ports and Buffalo.
- 1870, Nov: Underwent repairs in Port Huron, including a new jibboom.
- 1871: Owned by Doyle, Chicago.
- 1872, Nov 27: While laden with wheat, she was caught in a gale on Lake Superior and driven ashore near Point Maimanse, Ontario. Six of her nine-man crew were lost in the wreck.
Final Disposition
Wrecked in a violent late-November storm on Lake Superior’s north shore. The high winds and icy conditions likely contributed to the grounding and rapid loss of life. No known salvage or recovery took place.
Located By & Date Found
There is no known discovery of the wreck. Its position is presumed offshore or scattered near Point Maimanse.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – Bowling Green State University
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- Newspaper accounts (via Chronicling America, Library of Congress)
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
Conclusion
The WILLIAM O. BROWN represents the many schooners that braved the volatile conditions of Lake Superior’s late season wheat trade. Her loss near Point Maimanse with significant crew fatalities highlights the hazards faced by 19th-century mariners, particularly during November gales. The absence of wreck discovery adds her to the list of lesser-known but tragic shipping losses on the lake.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Keywords: schooner, Lake Superior, Point Maimanse, wheat cargo, November storm, shipwreck fatalities
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks, schooner losses, Lake Superior maritime history, 19th-century vessels
Glossary:
- Driven ashore: Forced aground by storm or wind, often resulting in hull loss
- Jibboom: Spar extending from the bowsprit, part of a ship’s rigging
- Remeasurement: Recalculation of tonnage under changing registry or structural modifications