Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Wm. Raynor
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder: Port Nelson, Ontario
- Dimensions: Not documented
- Registered Tonnage: ~180 tons (estimated)
- Location: Off Oswego, New York, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Not documented
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Two- or three-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Wm. Raynor was a medium-tonnage wooden schooner, likely designed for bulk cargo such as grain, lumber, or general freight across Lake Ontario.
Description
The Wm. Raynor was a medium-tonnage wooden schooner of about 180 tons, built at Port Nelson, Ontario, in 1855. She was likely two- or three-masted, designed for bulk cargo such as grain, lumber, or general freight across Lake Ontario. No exact dimensions survive in currently available records.
History
The schooner operated regionally on Lake Ontario in the mid-1850s, carrying bulk commodities. Her service history remains sparsely documented in registry files. By autumn 1857, she was engaged in trade near Oswego, New York.
Significant Incidents
Around 20 October 1857, Wm. Raynor encountered a severe westerly gale on Lake Ontario. Caught in heavy seas, she capsized and sank off Oswego. All aboard were lost; one body was later recovered. No salvage was attempted and no further remains were reported. This was considered a total loss.
Final Disposition
The schooner was completely destroyed in the storm, leaving no accessible wreckage. No insurance or recovery claims are known to exist. The incident was one of multiple schooner losses during autumn gales of 1857.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck has not been located or surveyed. No sonar or diver expeditions have identified remains attributable to the Wm. Raynor.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”wm-raynor-1855″ title=”References & Links”]
All crew perished; only one body was recovered. Names of crew remain undocumented. Further research in Oswego and Ontario newspapers (Oct 1857) may reveal identities or memorial notices.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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