(Wooden Schooner, 2‑mast; built 1857; lost circa September 11 or 21, 1882)
Vessel Identification
- Official Name: St. Andrew (often also spelled St. Andrews)
- Built: 1857 at Milan, Ontario (or Milan, OH) by Merry & Gay
- Official No.: 22416 (Canadian registry)
- Dimensions: Approximately 116 × 23 × 11 ft; 214 gross / 202 net tons with registry specs)
Incident Record — 1882 (or 1886)
- Loss Date: Often listed as September 11, with some records citing September 21, 1882
- Location: Approximately 10 miles offshore south of Big Creek, Ontario
- Route & Cargo: Bound from Toledo for Kingston; carrying 14,000 bu of wheat
- Cause: Sprung a leak in storm conditions, began sinking; crew attempted to reach shore but vessel sank in ~60 ft of Lake Erie
- Outcome: Crew survived; vessel lost without recovery
- Registry Surrender: Vessel formally surrendered post-loss; dredging of wreck not recorded
St. Andrew & Historic Misattribution
Notably, there has been long-standing confusion linking a wreck identified as St. Andrew in Lake Huron’s Straits of Mackinac. However, the site recently investigated (with 1857 coin found in mast step and photographic analysis) turned out to be the Port Huron-built St. Andrew lost in 1878, not this 1882 Erie loss ([turn0search5], [turn0search6], [turn0search4]). The Lake Erie St. Andrew fits its own record and location distinctly.
Assessment of Match
| Feature | St. Andrew (Erie, 1882) |
|---|---|
| Build Year & Specs | 1857; 116×23×11 ft, ~214 tons |
| Cargo at Loss | 14,000 bu wheat |
| Route | Toledo → Kingston |
| Loss Location | ~10 mi S of Big Creek light (Ontario) |
| Loss Conditions | Sprang leak in storm; sank in ~60 ft |
| Crew Outcome | All survived |
| Mis-ID Risk | Distinct from 1878 Mackinac wreck |
Archival Sources & Citations
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“S” entry) — provides build info, Registry Number, cargo, sinking conditions, and location of loss.
- Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve — discusses the misattribution of a Lake Huron wreck as St. Andrew, eventual resolution.
Recommended Follow-Up Research
- Newspaper Reports (Sept 1882):
- Examine Toledo Blade, Buffalo Courier, Oswego Palladium, or Kingston Whig-Standard for accounts of sinking, crew rescue, cargo, and wreck location.
- Registry & Inspection Files:
- Canadian vessel enrollment papers may include the construction plan, rigging type, owner (Shickluna?), and tonnage breakdown.
- Geographic Echoes:
Final Summary
The Schooner St. Andrew of 1857, lost during a storm south of Big Creek on Lake Erie in September 1882, is a well-characterized vessel with measurable registry match to the listed incident. Despite confusion with a separate wreck in Lake Huron, recent historical re-evaluations clarify that the Erie loss is distinct and historically separate. Proper archival research should resolve vessel identity conclusively.