Identification & Site Information
- Name: Mary Ann Rankin
- Official Number: 16329
- Built: 1857 by W. Callister, Charlotte, NY
- Type: Wooden Schooner
- Tonnage: ~108 tons (recorded as 126 tons) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Shotline Diving)
- Date of Loss: October 31, 1870
- Location: Stranded at Sugar Loaf Point, near Port Colborne, Ontario (Lake Erie) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Voyage Details: Out of Buffalo, exact cargo unknown
Vessel Type & Description
A mid-19th-century wooden Schooner, two-masted, used for coastal Great Lakes trade. Built robustly but vulnerable in late-season storms typical on Lake Eire.
Circumstances of Loss
Caught in a gale on October 31, 1870, Mary Ann Rankin was driven ashore on Sugar Loaf Point. She broke apart on the rocks during the storm (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Casualties & Rescue
- Crew: Four crew members aboard. One crewman washed overboard.
- Rescuers: Three rescuers from the Schooner Hippogriff capsized and drowned in the heavy surf while attempting a rescue. Remaining crew survived and were rescued by Hippogriff (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Rescue Vessel – Hippogriff
The Schooner Hippogriff (built 1863, Cleveland, Official No. 11143) was recognized for rescue efforts in November 1870 following this tragedy (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Final Disposition
The vessel was completely wrecked and broke apart on site. There is no record of salvage or remaining structural remnants.
Located By & Modern Investigations
No modern rediscovery or archaeological survey is documented. The wreck site remains unmarked and submerged near Sugar Loaf Point; however, local charted hazard markers exist for navigation.
NOTMARs & Navigational Advisories
No formal Notices to Mariners were issued. Sugar Loaf Point is charted as a historic hazard, noted in historical lighthouse and marine navigational records.
Primary Sources & References
- Account of wreck and losses: Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Rescue of survivors: Wisconsin Shipwrecks – profile on Hippogriff (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- Contemporary newspaper report: Terre-Haute Weekly Express, Nov 2, 1870 (Hoosier State Chronicles)
Conclusion & Next Steps
The Mary Ann Rankin tragedy encapsulates the perils of late-season lake navigation, highlighting perilous surf conditions and the heroism of rescuers like Hippogriff’s crew. As no modern identification exists, it remains a candidate for underwater archaeological investigation off Sugar Loaf Point—especially given the loss of multiple rescuers, an aspect often underrepresented in wreck histories.