(wooden Schooner, built 1869)

Identification & Voyage Details

Incident Overview

In fair weather, W. T. Sherman was en route to Oswego when she struck an underwater obstruction—likely a rock or shoal—causing her Hull to spring a leak. The leak overwhelmed the pumps, and despite efforts to stem the intake, the vessel began to founder. The Schooner was forced toward shore and ran aground near the eastern Ontario shoreline.

Cargo & Crew

  • Cargo: Barley
  • Crew: Likely a small crew (typically 5–7), none of whom were reported lost. Crew either Abandoned ship as she grounded, or were rescued—no fatal casualties recorded.

Final Disposition

  • Declared: Total constructive loss once she grounded
  • Salvage: No significant salvage efforts are documented; the vessel was Abandoned in place.

Archival Gaps & Research Opportunities

  • Construction Records: Documentation needed on builder, dimensions, and registry entry from 1869. Suggested sources include U.S. Merchant Vessel Registers and port records from Buffalo or Milwaukee.
  • Official Incident Report: Oswego or Cape Vincent customs or port authority may have a wreck notice filed following the grounding.
  • Crew & Ownership: Naming the master and crew could be achieved via newspaper records in Oswego County (Oswego Palladium) or Kingston/Kingston Whig-Standard from late October 1877.
  • Wreck Location: Though reported ashore, precise coordinates are absent. Local Ontario shoreline surveys or coastal charts from 1877 might indicate her location or subsequent removal.

Conclusion

The W. T. Sherman was a typical lake Schooner of the period, lost in autumn 1877 after striking an underwater hazard on her way to Oswego. Though she managed to reach the shoreline, she was declared beyond recovery and Abandoned. Without records of casualties, the crew presumably survived. To complete this profile, further study of maritime registries, customs documents, and regional newspapers is essential. Field surveys on the eastern Ontario shore could potentially locate remnants of her Hull or cargo.

Recommended Next Actions

  • Access the 1877 U.S. Merchant Vessel Registry for construction and registration data.
  • Retrieve Oswego and Ontario newspaper articles from October–November 1877 for incident descriptions.
  • Query local port authority ledgers in Oswego or Kingston for wreck declarations.
  • Review Ontario coastal surveys for markers denoting wrecked vessels on shore.