1889 Shipwreck on St. Lawrence River is Popular Dive Site
Three-masted schooner A. E. Vickery sunk near Clayton in 1889. Author’s collection
Remarkably intact, the A. E. Vickery rests on the bottom of the St. Lawrence River. Photo courtesy of Dennis McCarthy.
By Richard Palmer
One of the most popular dive sites on the St. Lawrence River is the remains of the sunken schooner A. E. Vickery, off Rock Island Light near Clayton. At one time it was thought the name of the vessel was the Victoria, but research proved it was actually the A.E. Vickery, which struck a shoal there late in the evening of August 15, 1889 and sunk. Fortunately everyone aboard got off safely.
The three-master left Chicago on August 5 with a cargo of 21,000 bushels of grain consigned to the J. B. Wiser Distillery in Prescott. Shortly before this incident occurred, river pilot Henry Webber Jr. had come aboard at Fisher's Landing to take her down river. Webber was aboard barely 15 minutes when the vessel suddenly struck the shoal at 10:15 p.m. A stiff wind was blowing at the time.
When Captain John Massey discovered what had happened he was so angry he rushed to his cabin, grabbed his revolver and returned topside. He started cursing out Webber for being so careless and aimed the gun at him. He got off one shot but the bullet ricocheted into the deck. He was about to try again when his brother, the mate, rushed up, knocked the gun out of his hand and it dropped into the river. Webber unsuccessfully tried to escape but was quickly apprehended. He was asked to produce his pilot’s license and did. According to newspaper accounts, “he then made himself scarce.” Webber was the son of Captain Henry Webber Sr. of Clayton who was also a river pilot.
Captain Massey, who said he’d sailed the river aboard the Vickery at least a dozen times, said he was ready to shoot Webber, but fortunately cool heads soon prevailed. He had commanded the vessel for seven years. It was not recorded if any legal action was taken against him. As the ship filled with water, the captain and four crewmen scrambled into the yawl boat with what belongings they could save and made it safely to shore. The vessel quickly sank in the channel in about 50 feet of water off Rock Island Lighthouse, opposite Thousand Islands Park where it remains to this day.
The point where the ship struck at the time was one of the most dangerous on the river and was the approximate location of numerous wrecks. The channel was very narrow and crooked and had a strong current. Some of the grain aboard is said to have been scooped up by local residents who rowed to the scene before it became too waterlogged.
But the story didn’t end here. The following spring, after the vessel had been libeled for a claim over salvage rights, the U. S. Marshal was sent to post a notice of seizure on the vessel. Unfortunately he wasn’t aware it was 100 feet underwater. Undaunted, the marshal donned a suit of diving armor to make his seizure in true naval style. But not finding a convenient place to affix the notice he returned to the surface and posted it on a nearby tree. Eventually some salvable items were sold at a sheriff’s sale. Later the masts were removed as a hazard to navigation. Over the years various remnants of the wreck have been removed.
The schooner was built by noted shipbuilder Asa Wilcox at Three Mile Bay, in 1861 as the J. B. Penfield (US #13303). She was 136 feet long, 26 feet wide, had a 10 foot hold, and registered at 291 tons. Her original owner was Duncan M. Callum and Asa Wilcox, and was originally enrolled at Oswego. It was sold to J.T. Vickery of Chicago and renamed A. E. Vickery on Feb. 25, 1884.
The vessel was owned by Vickery & Co., a Chicago shipping firm, and valued at $20,000. The cargo was worth $10,000 but was a total loss. The following day the vessel drifted off the shoal and in to deep water with only the spars showing. It was only partially insured. It was abandoned by the owners to the underwriters. Eventually it was declared a total loss. The masts were removed. The helm is at the Antique Boat Museum at Clayton. The anchor was put on display in front of a gift shop in Alexandria Bay.
The specific location of the Vickery at GPS: N44 16.820 W076 01.183 is along side Rock Island Reef Light, where divers can follow a buoy line into a very quick surface current onto the shoal head in 25-30 feet of water. The bow of the Vickery lies about 15 feet off the shoal at a depth of 65 feet. The stern end hangs out over a ledge which drops to 110 feet with its wooden rudder intact. The broken masts on the Vickery can be followed out into the channel to a depth of 180 feet. This dive site has a strong surface current, with a mild current on the wreck itself. It is recommended that one of the local dive services be employed to access the wreck as it is in the shipping lane with a swift current.
Born at Chippewa Bay near Ogdensburg in 1855, Massey came from a seafaring family. Of his nine brothers, all but one were sailors. One reason for being angry of the loss of the Vickery may have been because it was his first command at the age of 19. He was very familiar with her when she was called the J. B. Penfield. Even at such a young age, it was customary for lake captains to be called the “Old Man.” He also served as master of the schooners Frank Cole and Thomas Parker. The first steamer he commanded was the Josephine. Over the years he was master of numerous Great Lakes steamers. He died in 1915 at his home in Milwaukee at the age of 60. He was survived by his wife, two sons, both lake captains; four daughters, five brothers (also lake captains); and five sisters.
Sources
Brockville Recorder and Times, Aug. 21, 1889
Chicago Inter Ocean, Aug. 21, 1889
Great Lakes Maritime Database, Alpena Public Library
Ogdensburg Journal, March 26, 1915
Oswego Daily Times, Aug. 17, 1889
Port of Oswego Enrollment records, Penfield Library, SUNY-Oswego
Syracuse Standard, Aug. 17, 1889
Toronto Globe, April 10, 1890
Watertown Herald, Aug. 24, 1889
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