Early Steam On The Lakes (1835)
On November 11, 1835, a southwest wind swept across the lakes, taking numerous vessels. This was still early in the life of commercial shipping on the Lakes, so most of the losses were on the lower lakes where settlements were greatest.
Buffalo was a major port on Lake Erie and felt the force of the storm as water from the lake forced ships onto the piers and shoreline of the city. The creek rose 20 feet as the wind and the harbor front were swept away.
| Ship | Port of origin | Lake | Location | Lives lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trader | Fort Burwell, Canada | Lake Erie | Off Dunkirk, New York | all hands but one |
| Comet | Madison | Lake Erie | near Fairport | all hands |
| North America | Lake Erie | beached at Erie, Pennsylvania | n/a | |
| Sandusky | Buffalo, New York | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Henry Clay | Buffalo | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Sheldon Thompson | Buffalo | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Two Brothers (sch) | Buffalo | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Tecumseh (sch) | Buffalo | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Col. Benton (sch) | Buffalo | Lake Erie | beached at Buffalo | n/a |
| Godolphin (sch) | Lake Erie | beached at Fairport | n/a | |
| Lagrange (sch) | Buffalo | Lake Erie | capsized at Point Pelee | all hands but two (clinging to mast) |
| Robert Bruce | Kingston, Ontario | Lake Ontario | near Henderson Point | all hands |
| Medora | Oswego, New York | Lake Ontario | all hands | |
| Chance (sch) | Lake Michigan | 7 lost | ||
| Bridget (sch) | Lake Michigan | near St. Joseph, Michigan | 16 lost | |
| Sloan (sch) | Lake Michigan | 6 lost | ||
| Delaware (sch) | Lake Michigan |
Read more about this topic: Great Storms Of The North American Great Lakes
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