The schooner J. Walters or John Walters (1874)

General

Port of Picton Register, Number 50 :

Name: JOHN WALTERS	Type: Schooner
Official Number: 71205	Tons: Registered 176
Where Built: Picton	Port of Registry / Hail:
Build Year: 1874	Value:
Master’s Name: Wm. Ostrander
Builder’s name & date of Certification; Wm. Redmond. Aug 13, 1874
Length: 108 feet and 5/10ths.	Breadth: 23 feet and 5/10ths.
Depth of Hold: 8 feet and 33/10ths	Masts: 1 [sic]
Stern: Square	Bowsprit: Standing
How Built: Carvel	How Rigged: Schooner
Figure-head: None	Decks: 1
Subscibing owners: John Walters & Wm. Ostrander

NOTATIONS:

Schooner John Walters

See also the entry for the schooner JOHN WALTERS in our ships Database.

2. JOHN WALTERS Canadian Built Picton June 1874 by Wm. Redmond, Owned by Ostrander and Registered at Picton. Valued at &7500. A2 Class, formerly LOCH LOMAND. Underwriters Register for 1876
3. JOHN WALTERS built at Kingston by George Thurston in 1874. Owned by Walters and others. Registered at Picton. Remarks – formerly SARAH BOND Marine Insurance Index for 1878.
4. Schooner JOHN WALTERS [C]. Of 176 Tons. Built at Picton in 1874 by Wm. Redman. Owned by Walters et al. Home Port; Picton. Value $8000. Class A2. Remarks.—formerly LOCH LOMOND National Board of Lake Underwriters, Lake Vessel Classification 1875
5. Schooner JOHN WALTERS [C]. Of 176 Tons. Built at Picton in 1874 by Wm. Redmond. Owned by Ostrander. Home Port; Picton. Value $7,500. Class A2. Remarks.—formerly LOCH LOMAND.
6. Schooner JOHN WALTERS [C]. Of 188 Tons. Built at Kingston,-sic. 1874 by Redmond. Owned by Peters. Home Port; Picton. Value $4,000. Class B1. Remarks.—formerly schr. SARAH BOND. Association of Lake Underwriters, Lake Hull Register 1879.
7. Schooner SARAH BOND Of 200 Tons gross. Built Kingston, Ont. by George Thurston in 1852. Renamed LOCH LOMOND – Canada – 1875 [Rebuilt 1874 at Picton by Wm. Redman]. J. WALTERS – Canada – [C71205]. Herman Runge List

NOTE. -- In spite of the mention of LOCH LOMOND being given in the 1875, 1876, & 1877 Underwriters Registers, and the Runge List.—No vessel by the name of LOCH LOMAND could be found, and it is considered very doubtful that the name was ever used??? (Mr. McNeil’s observation)

Newspaper transcriptions

8. Daily News, 2 Sep 1874 p.3 Marine Intelligence New Vessel – Last week another new vessel, the J. WALTERS, set sail from Picton. She was built by Mr. Redmond, and is, in the opinion of competent judges, one of the finest vessels upon the lakes. She was purchased as soon as launched by Messrs. John Walters and William Ostrander of South Marysburg. Her dimensions are as follows: Length 108 feet, width 23 ft., depth of hold 8ft., capacity, (?) bushels. The J. WALTERS has a (unreadable) the complete outfit of this vessel has evidently been selected and put upon her with a determination to have the best regardless of expense.
9. Daily News, 9 May 1876 p.3 Marine Notes G.M. Miller & Co. – have discharged the schr. J. WALTERS, from Wellington, with 11,600 bush. Peas.
10. Daily News, 25 Jul 1876 p.2 Marine Notes Port Colborne, Down – schr. J. WALTERS, Ashtabula – Toronto, coal.
11. Daily News, 3 Aug 1876 p.2 Marine Notes Port Colborne Aug 2nd – Up – J. WALTERS, Charlotte – Chatham, coal.
12. Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, September 14, 1876 The schr. WALTERS is ashore at Eagle Deck, 25 miles below Rondeau. The tug BROCKWAY and barge PARAGON have gone from Detroit to her relief.
13. Daily News, 22 Sep 1876 p.2 Marine Notes Ashore – It is reported that the schooner J. WALTERS, of Picton, is ashore near Rondeau, Lake Erie, with a cargo of wood.
14. Daily News, 28 Apr 1877 p.3 Marine Notes The schr. J. WALTERS is being unloaded at Holcomb & Stewart’s.
15. Daily News, 9 May 1877 p.3 Marine Notes Port Colborne, May 8th - Up schrs. WALTERS, Toronto – Chatham, light.
16. Daily News, 8 Sep 1877 p.3 Marine News Port Colborne, Down – schr. J. WALTERS, Cleveland – Kingston.
17. Daily News, 13 May 1878 p.3 Marine Notes Holcomb & Stewart – Arrived – schr. J. WALTERS, Port Dalhousie 10,000 bush. Corn
18. Daily News, 9 Jul 1878 p.3 Marine News Port Colborne, Down – schr. J. WALTERS, Chatham – Thorold, lumber.
19. Daily News, 14 Aug 1878 p.3 Marine Notes Port Colborne, Down – schr. J. WALTERS, Chatham – Quebec, lumber.
20. Detroit Post & Tribune, Saturday, October 12, 1878 The schooner CANADIAN, loaded with a cargo of stone for Toronto, suddenly sprung an extensive leak and sunk near Gananoque. The schooner J. WALTERS relieved her of her cargo.
21. Daily News, 29 Apr 1879 p.3 Marine News Yesterday at eleven o’clock the schooner JOHN WALTERS, of Picton loaded with staves, and bound for Kingston passed through the Burlington Canal. She was the first vessel to clear so far this season, and was given a helping hand through by a large number of young men who were at the beach.
22. British Whig, 6 Mar 1880 p.3 W.W. - The schr. WILLIAM ELGIN, lying at Belleville, has been sold to Messrs. Curry, Reynolds, and Wilson of Picton, and John Walters, of South Marysburg for $3,500.
23. British Whig, 22 Apr 1881 p.3 Marine News The schr. J. WALTERS, laden with 6,000 bushels of barley, at West Point, has sailed for Charlotte.
24. British Whig, 12 May 1881 p.4 County News – John Walters has taken many horses and cows to Main Ducks.
25. British Whig, 16 May 1881 p.2 : CONSECON PRESENTATIONS Worthy of the Honour. Mr. McCuaig also read a letter from the Minister of Marine, dated 5th of May, to the effect that the Government would present to the four men of the JOHN WALTERS, for their services in attempting to rescue the crew of the GARIBALDI, a handsome silver medal with a beautiful inscription on it, as soon as they can be got ready. He was glad that the Government had recognized the principle that when men imperiled their lives to save the lives of others they should be rewarded for such services. The ceremony of presenting the testimonials was then proceeded with. It consisted of each of the gallant fellows being called to the platform, when some prominent gentleman made the presentation, which consisted of an address accompanied with a cheque for $25.
26. British Whig, 10 Jun 1881 p.3 Marine Notes The prop. KINCARDINE arrived last evening with barges HERCULES and J. WALTERS in tow on their way to Quebec. The barges are laden with timber from Goderich.
27. British Whig, 11 Jun 1881 p.3 Marine Notes W.W. Testimonials Expected -- The medals awarded by the Government to the crew of the JOHN WALTERS, for the bravery they displayed in rescuing the crew of the GARIBALDI on Weller’s Beach last November, are expected in a few days. The Picton Gazette says they will be publically presented this summer at Milford in the course of a week or so.
28. British Whig, 19 Jul 1881 p.3 Marine Notes Welland Canal -- Bound Down; J. WALTERS, Chatham -- Quebec, timber.
29. Cleveland Herald, September 12, 1881 Saturday Night Blow.--- During the blow Saturday night the schooner J. WALTERS, bound from Georgian Bay for this port with railroad ties, attempted to make the piers about 12 o’clock, and ran on the beach. Both anchors were thrown out, but these proved of little assistance to the vessel. The life-saving crew went to the ship, and the breeches buoy was the means of bringing part of the crew ashore yesterday morning. Some of the deck load was washed overboard, and the remainder was jettisoned. The tug LORMOR pulled her off yesterday noon, the lines being carried to the vessel by Captain Goodwin and his crew. The WALTER lost her rudder. Otherwise the damage was slight. She is owned by Captain Peters, who sails the KINCARDINE.
30. British Whig, 19 Sep 1881 p.2 Marine Notes The entrance of Picton Harbour is anything but pleasant on account of the unslightly vessels that range along its shore……. The medals to be presented to the crew of the JOHN WELLER (sic – WALTERS?) for the rescue of life in the gale of November last, have been received by Mr. McCuaig, M.P. and will be presented publically some time in the near future.
31. Cleveland Herald, Monday November 14, 1881. (Also reported by the British Whig on November 5, 1881, same wording.) Captain John Sibley, of the schooner JOHN WALTERS, was recently presented with his medal given him by the Dominion Government in recognition of his endeavors to rescue the unfortunate crew of the schooner GARIBALDI, which went ashore on Weller’s beach last fall.
32. British Whig, 5 May 1882 p.3 Marine News Capt. Donnelly has gone to the rescue of the schr. J. WALTERS, ashore and dismasted at Trenton, coal laden. The vessel will be taken to Toronto.
33. Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, November 20, 1883 The schr. JOHN WALTERS was ashore in Georgian Bay and a total loss.
34. British Whig, 29 Feb 1884 p.3 THE SKIPPERS SCHOOLED This morning the examination under the Act of the Dominion Parliament . . . ”respecting certificates to Masters and Mates of Inland and Coasting ships” . . . Examinations at Picton. Only two passed the competency examination, one being Henry Stanton, Picton. The following received service certificates as Masters for the lakes: Henry Stanton, John Flynn, Picton; John Walters, Picton; Wm. Ostrander, Picton; J.D. Vanalstyne, Picton; Daniel O’Hagen, James Collins, Picton; David O’Hagen, David Wood, Picton; W.H. Burdick, Picton. The following received service certificates as mates on the lakes; Hugh McCormick, Frederick Graves, Hugh Hudgin, Picton; A.W. Palmateer, Picton; John O’Hagen, Harvey W. Solves, Picton; Calvin Hicks, German Haskell, Picton.
35. British Whig, 6 July 1887 p.8 Marine Paragraphs Death Of A Mariner – Capt. Walters of Picton, became ill after searching for people from Ducks who got lost last spring.
36. JOHN WALTERS . . . Date of Loss: 1889 * Place of Loss: S.E. tip of Russell Isl., near Tobermory, Ont Lake: Huron Type of Loss: Storm Loss of Life: ? Carrying: ? Detail: Sank just offshore Owned by Henry Patterson of Chatham * year also given as 1883 Registration Closed: 12/31/1897 Sources: MMGL, polk, cas, slh, mpl, do
37. Many references to the schooner John Walters appear in C.H.J Snider's work:
    Schooner Days, CCLXVII (267) "From Grocery Scow To Great Eastern: More Ships That Jack Built - Jack Tait Of Prince Edward"
    Schooner Days, CCCCXIX (419) "One Garibaldi"
    Schooner Days DLXXXVI (586) "Sea Birds Get Together In Cherry Valley"
    Schooner Days, MLXXXVI (1086) "City Coal Late That Christmas"

Supplementary Reading: A) “A Diver’s Guide to Georgian Bay”, by Art Amos & Patrick Folkes, Page 8. B) “Dive Ontario”, by Cris Kohl, Page 179.

References and source notes

(various) Many of the contemporary newspaper cuttings can be found at Maritime History of the Great Lakes, Newspaper Transcriptons
(36) Online resource “The Great Lakes Shipwreck file" By David D. Swayze, Lake Isabella. MI
(37) C.H.J. Snider Schooner Days index, Naval Marine Archive.