Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name: F.P. Sears
  • Type: Wooden Schooner-Barge
  • Year built and launched: 1870
  • Owner: Not conclusively recorded
  • Cargo: Lumber
  • Date lost: 16 November 1870
  • Location: Lake Erie (exact position not recorded)
  • Crew: No fatalities reported

Vessel Type

The F.P. Sears was a newly built wooden Schooner-Barge, designed for bulk lumber transport under tow of a Steamer, typical of Great Lakes operations in the post-Civil War era.

Description

Constructed of heavy oak frames with pine planking, she was built to carry large cargoes of sawn lumber from Michigan to eastern markets. As a Schooner-Barge, she would have had a Schooner rig but depended on steam tugs for movement most of the time, with minimal accommodation for a small crew.

History

On her first voyage in November 1870, the F.P. Sears departed Saginaw, Michigan, bound for Buffalo with a full cargo of lumber. She was in tow of a Steamer crossing Lake Erie when a severe November storm struck. The Steamer was forced to cast off its tow to protect itself, leaving the F.P. Sears adrift.

She was overwhelmed by the wind and waves, lost from view, and never recovered. No loss of life was reported, suggesting the crew may have been rescued or reached shore in a Yawl, though specific survivor accounts are sparse.

Final Dispositions

Declared a Total Loss after disappearing in the storm; no salvage or later wreck reports documented.

Located By & Date Found

No modern diver or archaeological discovery of F.P. Sears has been recorded. She is presumed lost in deep water in Lake Erie.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The F.P. Sears is an unfortunate example of a Schooner-Barge lost on its maiden voyage, overwhelmed by a Great Lakes autumn gale while under tow. Her disappearance underscores the dangers of lumber Barge traffic and the limits of tow operations during heavy weather in the 19th century.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

If you’d like, I can help look for period newspaper reports or survivor stories about the F.P. Sears — just let me know!