Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Names: Eliza Caroline
  • U.S. Registry Number: 7314
  • Year Built: 1851
  • Place Built: Sandusky, Ohio
  • Date of Loss: 21 September 1871
  • Location of Loss: Off Madison Point, Lake Michigan
  • Final Disposition: Sank after grounding in a gale and being pulled off by USRC Sherman; Total Loss
  • Depth: Unknown (final sinking location offshore)

Vessel Type

  • Type: Great Lakes Schooner
  • Rig: Two-masted Schooner
  • Primary Use: Regional cargo transport (likely timber, stone, agricultural goods)

Description

  • Construction: Wood Hull, single Deck
  • Builder: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky, OH
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 13.65 m (44.8 ft)
    • Beam: 4.42 m (14.5 ft)
    • Depth: 1.83 m (6 ft)
  • Tonnage:
    • Original (1851): 32 24/95 tons
    • Later Measurements (1868): 21.48 gross tons

The Eliza Caroline was a relatively small trading Schooner by mid-19th-century Great Lakes standards, likely used in nearshore or regional trade routes.

History

  • 1851: Enrolled at Sandusky, OH
  • 1852: Owned by Nathan Kirtland et al, Sandusky
  • 1855: Re-enrolled Mackinac, MI
  • 1856: Owned Wilson & Newton, Moran, MI
  • 1865: Sold three times within months (to Sammons, Garfield, then O’Neill Jr.)
  • 1867: Badly stranded at Rondeau, Ontario; later salvaged
  • 1868–1871: Changed owners several times — Pierce, Sherman, Keyes, then Chapman
  • 1871, Sep 20: Driven ashore in gale on Lake Erie; pulled off by USRC Sherman; sank the next day
  • 1873, Mar 8: Registration surrendered

The Schooner had a long service life of 20 years, remarkable for a vessel of this small tonnage on the Great Lakes

Final Disposition

  • Date: 21 September 1871
  • Place: Off Madison Point (possibly the one near Lake Erie, not definitively Lake Michigan as indicated in one source)
  • Cause: Grounded during a gale, pulled free by U.S. Revenue Cutter Sherman but Foundered soon after
  • Casualties: None reported
  • Status: Total Loss

Resources & Archival Links

  • Enrollments & Ownership:
  • Original Builder Information: Daniel Dibble, Sandusky OH (via Labadie Collection)
  • Marine Directory Reference: Board of Lake Underwriters Directory (various years)
  • Noted in: Steamboat Era in the Muskokas, Richard Tatley
  • Wreck Notes: C. Patrick Labadie’s archival files

Conclusion

The Eliza Caroline represents the numerous small schooners that formed the backbone of 19th-century Great Lakes commerce, particularly in timber, grain, and stone trades. Though modest in size, her 20-year operational record—marked by frequent changes in ownership—illustrates the high demand for versatile cargo carriers across Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. Her final loss, shortly after a rescue attempt by a U.S. revenue Cutter, underscores the persistent dangers posed by sudden gales, even in near-coastal waters.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Region: Lake Erie
  • Vessel Type: Schooner
  • Cause of Loss: Gale, grounding
  • Material: Wood
  • Period: Mid-19th century
  • Owner Types: Independent merchant, regional freight operators
  • Significance: Representative of early small Schooner class