THOMAS A. SCOTT

Year Built: 1869, Buffalo, New York
Official Number: 24785
Vessel Type: Wooden package freighter (later used as a Schooner-Barge)
Builder: Hitchcock & Gibson
Original Owners: James C. & Edwin T. Evans, Buffalo
Later Owner: William Wells
Rigging: Single mast (wire rigged), multiple decks
Dimensions: 201 ft length × 33.7 ft beam × 13.8 ft depth
Tonnage: 1,159.32 gross
Cargo Capacity: 25,000 bushels

Chronology & Operational History

  • 28 April 1869: Launched; enrolled Buffalo 12 May. Entered service with Evans Line carrying freight
  • 17 November 1869: Struck a reef and sank in the Straits of Mackinac (Lake Huron); subsequently raised June 1870 by Coast Wrecking Company and returned to Wolverton’s yard (Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • 1871: Ownership by Erie & Western Transportation Company; operated the Anchor Line between Buffalo, Erie, Chicago
  • 1877: Converted to a Schooner-Barge rig in Buffalo (reduced rig, retaining cargo capacity)
  • 1880 (29 October): While anchored in Milwaukee Bay with 44,000 bushels of corn in tow of Steamer Conemaugh, collided with Steamer Avon; a gash opened along the starboard side, and within 25 minutes she sank bow-first in about 50 ft of water, one mile east of the piers (Links to the Past, Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Final Disposition

  • Date of Loss: 29 October 1880
  • Location: Milwaukee Bay, Lake Michigan; ~1 mile east of harbor piers
  • Cause: Collision—rammed by Avon while at anchor; structural compromise led to rapid sinking
  • Cargo at Loss: Approximately 44,000 bushels of corn
  • Casualties: Not explicitly reported—no fatalities noted in primary sources
  • Wreck Depth: Approximately 50 ft (~15 m) (Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Wikipedia)

Wreck & Dive Notes

  • Condition: Structurally compromised but likely resting largely intact in about 50 feet of water
  • Accessibility: Site lie within diving depth; exploration by technical divers would be feasible pending precise location data
  • Modern Survey: No widely published survey records; sonar search in Milwaukee Bay may reveal remains

Research Recommendations

  1. Local Newspapers (Oct–Nov 1880): Milwaukee Sentinel, Evening Wisconsin, Buffalo Courier for collision details, crew accounts, and salvage reaction
  2. Harbor & Tow Records: Logs from Steamer Conemaugh and Tug Avon may contain eyewitness testimony and damage estimates
  3. Board of Lake Underwriters: Insurance records detailing vessel damage, cargo valuation, and salvage operations
  4. Marine Service Records: Milwaukee Life-Saving Service station logs may include rescue efforts or harbor reports
  5. Archival Surveys: Milwaukee Public Library’s Marine Collection may house photos or side-scan data; relevant digitized materials available (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Sources

  • Wisconsin Shipwrecks: Detailed description of the collision and sinking; confirms cargo volume and wreck depth (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
  • Milwaukee County Marine Disasters (Historical site): Confirms official number, collision details, cargo, and site context (Links to the Past)

Summary

The Thomas A. Scott was a sizeable wooden package freighter launched in 1869 and later converted into a Schooner-Barge. She sank in Milwaukee Bay on 29 October 1880 after being struck by the Steamer Avon while loading corn. Resting in approximately 50 ft of water, the wreck remains within diving depth but has not been formally documented. Recovery of harbor logs, insurance records, and period newspaper accounts may yield crew lists, salvage outcomes, and narrative details of the accident.