Identification & Site Information

  • Name(s): Mercer
  • Year Built: 1849
  • Builder: Likely Cleveland, Ohio (unconfirmed but typical of schooners of that era)
  • Registration Number: Not documented
  • Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted Schooner
  • Dimensions: Estimated length 25–30 m (82–98 feet); beam approx. 6.5 m (21 feet); tonnage approx. 150–200 tons
  • Final Resting Place: Lake Huron shoreline, exact location uncharted
  • Coordinates: No modern charted wrecksite
  • Date Lost: 21 November 1868
  • Depth: None — stranded and broken up on shore

Vessel Type

The Mercer was a standard mid-19th-century Great Lakes Schooner, designed for versatile cargo work in grain, lumber, and coal trades, with a shallow Draft suitable for rivers and harbours.

Description

Constructed of white oak with iron fastenings, the Mercer was a two-masted, centreboard Schooner, built for general cargo, capable of entering smaller ports around Lake Erie and Lake Huron.

History

On 21 November 1868, the Mercer was operating on Lake Huron during late-season cargo runs when she stranded under unclear circumstances. There is no clear documentation of cargo at the time of loss. Weather conditions that day were reported poor, but there is no confirmed gale record in surviving logs, suggesting navigational error or wind-driven grounding.

The crew survived, with no loss of life noted, but the vessel went ashore hard enough to be declared a total constructive loss.

Final Dispositions

After the stranding, the Mercer was Abandoned as a Total Loss. She was most likely broken up or salvaged piecemeal on the beach.

Located By & Date Found

No known modern survey or archaeological investigation has documented the remains.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No current Notmar warnings or advisories exist on Lake Huron charts concerning this wreck.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Mercer is typical of mid-century Great Lakes schooners that met their end on Lake Huron’s shifting shallows and unpredictable shores. While her location remains unknown, her story reflects the risks faced by schooners in a time before reliable charts, navigation lights, or modern weather forecasts.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Mercer, 1868 shipwreck, Lake Huron, Schooner, stranded
  • Categories: Great Lakes schooners, stranded losses, 19th-century shipwrecks, wooden vessels
  • Glossary Terms: stranded, constructive Total Loss, centreboard Schooner