Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

William O. Brown US 26915

Explore the wreck of the William O. Brown, a wooden schooner lost in a storm on Lake Superior in 1872, with a tragic crew loss and no known recovery.

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

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

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.