Wooden Schooner, Lost December 15, 1851

Identification & Basic Details

  • Name: Saucy Jack
  • Vessel type: Small, wooden two-masted Schooner
  • Cargo: Flour (bound for Saugeen River / Southampton, Ontario)
  • Boats lost: All 3 crew perished

Circumstances of Loss

According to Great Lakes Shipwreck Files:

  • The Saucy Jack departed Goderich aiming to reach the Saugeen River, destined for Southampton, early December 1851.
  • She stranded during a heavy storm, but was initially refloated to continue her voyage on December 14.
  • The following morning (Dec 15), she was discovered capsized and wrecked approximately 5 miles south of the mouth of the Saugeen River on Lake Huron.
  • Her cargo—flour—was strewn along the beach, and her masts were found down.
  • Tragically, all three crew members drowned(Trove, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, saugeentimes.com).

Aftermath & Regional Impact

  • Local tradition holds that this wreck contributed to food shortages in Southampton that winter(cnrs-scrn.org, saugeentimes.com).
  • Contemporary newspaper accounts from Southampton likely report the incident and the loss of supplies(cnrs-scrn.org).

Research Gaps & Recommendations

  • Archival Continuation:
    • Examine local newspapers (Southampton, Goderich weeklies) for December 1851 coverage.
    • Investigate coroner or parish records in Saugeen Township for crew names and death records.
  • Field Inquiry:
    • Conduct shoreline surveys in the aftermath areas for possible remnants of wreckage or cargo traces.
    • Seek out Bruce County (Ontario) historical accounts or oral histories preserved in local archives.
  • Historical Context:

Summary

The Saucy Jack illustrates the peril of mid-19th-century lake commerce: a small Schooner lost in a brief, deadly storm with total crew loss, and possible local hardship due to the cargo’s failure to arrive. Her wreck is emblematic of human risk and regional vulnerability in the early settlement period. While Hull remains are unlikely, archival research could surface names, narratives, and broader historical context—including whether the vessel’s loss materially affected Southampton in the critical winter of 1851.

Would you like assistance obtaining historical newspaper transcripts, crew death certificates, or locating Bruce County maritime records for further detail?