GENERAL VANCE (1838, Steamer)

Identification & Site Information

  • Name: GENERAL VANCE
  • Year Built: 1838
  • Built at: Perrysburg, Ohio
  • Vessel Type: Steamer
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Builder: Pratt & Hubbell
  • Original Owner: J. Smith et al, Perrysburg, Ohio
  • Dimensions
    • Length: 90 ft (27.4 m)
    • Beam: 14 ft (4.3 m)
    • Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
  • Tonnage (old style): 76 tons
  • Propulsion: Sidewheel
  • Engine Type: High Pressure (HPNC)

Vessel Type Description
GENERAL VANCE was a small, wooden Sidewheel Steamer built for early Great Lakes and river navigation, typical of the vessels used to move passengers and general cargo on interport runs before the Civil War. Its shallow Draft allowed it to navigate the smaller rivers and harbours along western Lake Erie.

History
The GENERAL VANCE was enrolled at Maumee City, Ohio, in 1840 and operated a regional trade between Detroit, Toledo, and Perrysburg. In 1842, she was chartered to run routes from Lower Sandusky (Fremont, Ohio) to Sandusky City, Ohio. In 1843 she was re-enrolled at Sandusky, continuing regular lake and river services.

Tragically, on June 25, 1844, while tied up at the dock in Windsor, Ontario, her boiler exploded. The resulting blast sank the vessel at the dock, killing the captain and three others. The Steamer was raised a week later on July 2, 1844, and taken to Detroit, but no details of further service or Rebuild are recorded, suggesting she may have been Abandoned or dismantled after salvage.

Final Disposition
Boiler explosion and sank at dock, Windsor, Ontario, June 25, 1844. Raised but no record of future service.

NOTMARs & Advisories
None noted.

Located By & Date
No confirmed location of any wreck remains.

Current Condition & Accessibility
Presumed dismantled or broken up after recovery in 1844.

Resources & Links

Conclusion
GENERAL VANCE represents the fragile nature of early steam navigation on the Great Lakes, where boiler explosions were a persistent danger. Her brief service life highlights both the expansion of passenger trade in the 1840s and the engineering risks of early steam propulsion.

Keywords: Lake Erie, Maumee River, Sidewheel Steamer, boiler explosion, early Great Lakes shipping, 19th-century maritime