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.

Identification Card (Site Style)

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.

Final Voyage & Loss

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.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck has not been located or surveyed. No sonar or diver expeditions have identified remains attributable to the Wm. Raynor.

Notmars & Advisories

No official U.S. or Canadian advisories exist for the wreck site. “None noted.”

Dive Information

Access: Not possible; wreck remains undiscovered.
Entry Point: Closest port would be Oswego, New York.
Conditions: Lake Ontario offshore—high winds, variable visibility, strong currents.
Depth Range: Unknown (likely deep water, >40 m).
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo.
Permits: Would be required for archaeological work if site discovered.
Dive Support: None—no charter operations currently associated with the site.

Crew & Casualty Memorials

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.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“She foundered in a westerly gale. The crew clung to her rigging until rescued by a ‘government boat’ … Date of loss 1857, Oct (ca. 20th).” — Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (secondary account)

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

No official number or registry documents are yet traced. Built at Port Nelson, Ontario, in 1855. Further archival investigation in Canadian vessel registries (Toronto, Kingston) may yield details.

Site Documentation & Imaging

No known documentation, imaging, or sonar records exist. The wreck is absent from NOAA VR and Ontario archaeological survey databases.

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Rex Shipwreck Files: Wm. Raynor
• Bruce Museum: Weichel Research Files
• Great Lakes Rex Maritime Loss Records

References

1. Great Lakes Rex Shipwreck Files, “Wm. Raynor” (1857 loss)
2. Bruce Museum, Weichel Index Files — Great Lakes maritime losses, A2006.179 & A2013.093

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card