Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Sanderson, William
  • Official Number: 26562
  • Year Built: 1856, Oswego, NY by Goble & Crockett
  • Type: Wooden, single-Deck Schooner (3‑masted)
  • Dimensions: 41.4 m (136 ft) × 7.9 m (25.8 ft) × 3.6 m (11.9 ft)
  • Tonnage: 385 tons (old style); remeasured 307 gross tons
  • Final Location: Offshore near Empire, Michigan (Sleeping Bear region), Lake Michigan
  • Loss Date: 22–23 November 1874
  • Loss Cause: Foundered in a severe storm while laden with wheat
  • Cargo: Approximately 20,000 bushels of wheat
  • Loss of Life: Entire crew (7–10 souls lost) (usdeadlyevents.com, usdeadlyevents.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type

A large-capacity, three-masted wooden Schooner—a principal workhorse for grain transportation across the Great Lakes.

Description

  • Construction: Full-length Keel, single Deck, wood-framed
  • Rig: Three-masted Schooner, heavily sparred for bulk cargo sailing
  • Engine: None (pure sail-powered)
  • Cargo Capacity: Large hold suited for grain

History & Chronology

  • 1857 (Nov 28): Ashore 15 miles from Buffalo; Tug freed her next day
  • 1860 (Jun 9): Lost rudder near Port Huron, MI
  • 1863–1873: Passed through multiple owners (Clark & Co.; Page & Dobbie), with rebuilds in 1865, 1868, and 1873
  • 1871: Captain lost overboard and drowned during an incident
  • Oct 1874: Heavily damaged near White Rock, MI
  • Nov 22–23 1874: Departing Chicago for Oswego, hit by a violent storm. The Schooner broke up and sank offshore near Empire, MI—and drifted submerged before discovery (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Final Disposition

The Schooner Foundered and broke up offshore during the storm. Wreck drifted underwater; no salvage performed. All crew lost.

Located By & Date Found

The Hull was discovered in November 1874 by a former owner five miles below Long Point Cut—about 150 miles from original sinking location (usdeadlyevents.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files). No formal archaeological survey has been reported.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None; the wreck lies in open Lake Michigan, present-day hazards unknown.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Sanderson, William was a large-capacity grain Schooner whose final voyage ended violently in late-season Lake Michigan storms. Laden with 20,000 bushels of wheat, she went down just off the Sleeping Bear coast in November 1874, claiming all aboard. The discovery of her wreck miles from the sinking site underscores lake drift dynamics and the risk of storms during autumn voyages.

Keywords & Glossary

  • Wooden grain Schooner
  • Lake Michigan November storm
  • Foundering
  • Shipwreck off Empire MI
  • 1874 maritime disaster
  • Entire crew lost