Eighteenth Century

1701 -- French fort erected at Detroit by Cadillac.

1703 -- French fort at Detroit partially destroyed by Indians.

1718 -- French fort at Detroit rebuilt by Tonti.

1720 -- Governor Burnett, of New York, began the erection of a trading post at Oswego. New York Legislature prohibited New York merchants from trading with Canada for furs.

1725 -- French rebuilt Fort Niagara.

1726 -- English launched two vessels at Oswego.

1747 -- French fortify scattered posts from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior.

1750 -- Little Fort Niagara, one and one-half miles above Niagara Falls, completed by the French.

1755 -- English built two sloops, the Oswego and the Ontario, at Oswego, besides several other boats. French fortify and strengthen their lake forts.

1756 -- French captured Oswego, six sloops of war, 100 boats and large munitions of war.

1758 -- Colonel Bradstreet captured Fort Frontenac, and with it seven vessels.

1759 -- Fort Niagara surrendered to the English, who thereby secured control of Lakes Erie and Ontario.

1760 -- Major Rogers took possession of Detroit.

1761 -- English took the French posts at Mackinac, St. Mary's, Green Bay and St. Joseph's and gained control of the entire lake region.

1762 -- English built at Detroit the schooners Beaver and Gladwyn.

1763 -- Pontiac's conspiracy against the English. Fall of Fort Sandusky, May 16, Indians captured St. Joseph's Fort, May 25. Massacre at Mackinaw, June 4. English post at St. Mary's and at Green Bay abandoned. Presqu'Isle surrendered, June 17. Detroit invested by Pontiac's Indians. Gallant service aboard the small armed schooners Beaver and Gladwyn. Beaver wrecked at Cat Fish creek, 14 miles from Buffalo, August 28. Massacre at Devil's Hole, Niagara river, September 14.

The New York Mercury of 1763 says: ''There are five brigs from 30 to 80 tons, and 18 armed flush-decked cutters on Lake Ontario. The navigation of that lake will soon equal for trade that of the Caspian Sea."

1764 -- Sir William Johnson attempted to pacify the savages. Bradstreet relieved Detroit. Captain Howard regained Mackinaw, and English detachments reoccupy Green Bay and St. Mary's. Great Britain again in complete control of the lakes. Three new vessels built, the Victory, the Boston and the Royal Charlotte.

1766 -- English fur trade at Mackinaw began, and extended rapidly.

1767 -- The Brunswick launched.

1769 -- The Enterprise built at Detroit. Sloop Betsey launched.

1770 -- The Charity, of 70 tons, launched at Niagara.

1771 -- The Chippewa, Lady Charlotte and Beaver 2nd launched. Beaver 2nd lost near Sandusky in May with her entire crew of 17 men. Schooner Hope, 81 tons, built at Detroit; Sloop Angelica, 66 tons, built at Detroit.

1772 -- Sloop launched on Lake Superior by the English trader Henry and others in an attempt to develop copper mining. British brig-of-war General Gage, 154 tons, built at Detroit. Schooner Dunmore, 106 tons, built at Detroit.

1774 -- The Lake Superior sloop sold by Henry to fur traders. Sloop Felicity, 55 tons, and Schooner Faith, 61 tons, built at Detroit.

1776 -- Sloop Adventure, 34 tons, built at Detroit.

1779 -- Sloop Wyandotte, 47 tons, built at Detroit.

1780 -- British schooner Ontario, probably built several years earlier, lost during a fearful gale between Niagara and Oswego, with 172 English soldiers. The Ontario carried 22 guns, and was commanded by Captain Andrews. The soldiers lost were a detachment of the King's Own Regiment, commanded by Colonel Burton.

1781 -- Spanish detachment from St. Louis captured St. Joseph (the British garrison retreating to Detroit), and fly the flag of Spain over Lake Michigan. The Spaniards, fearing an attack from Detroit, retired to the Mississippi a few days later.

1783 -- By treaty the boundary between Canada and the United States established along the middle of the chain of Great Lakes. Northwest Fur Company organized at Quebec, and established posts at various points on the upper lakes.

1784 -- Northwest Fur Company built at Detroit the schooner Beaver, 34-feet keel, 13-feet beam and 4-feet hold.

1785 -- Unsuccessful attempt to take the Beaver up St. Mary's Falls.

1789 -- Hudson Bay Company owned a vessel called the Speedwell on Lake Superior, and others on Lake Ontario. John Fellows, of Massachusetts, crossed Lake Ontario in the first American boat on the Great Lakes, with tea and tobacco.

1792 -- English merchantman, the York, constructed at York. A vessel named the Missisaga, sailed on Lake Ontario that year.

1793 -- English vessels on Lake Ontario included the armed schooner Onondaga, the Lady Dorchester, 87 tons, Mohawk, Caldwell and Buffalo.

1795 -- The Sophia was a quick-sailing vessel on Lake Ontario. Captain Lee, of Chippewa, owned the only boat on the south side of Lake Erie, a small vessel, name unknown.

1796 -- Great Britain surrendered to the United Slates the posts at Oswego, Lewiston, Schlosser, Miami, Detroit and Mackinaw. At Detroit this year there were owned 12 merchant vessels, and several sloops, brigs and schooners of from 50 to 100 tons each. British built a fort on the island of St. Joseph, 20 miles above Detroit. Schooner Swan first vessel to float the stars and stripes on Lake Erie. Erie Packet sailed on Lake Erie.

1797 -- Canadian vessel, Governor Simcoe, 87 tons, owned by the Northwest Company, sailed on Lake Ontario. Sloop Detroit wrecked near Erie. American schooner Wilkinson, 80 tons, built at Detroit.

1798 -- The Jemima built at Hanford's Landing, below Rochester. Sloop Weazel sailed on Lake Erie. Sloop Washington, 36 tons, launched near Erie.

1799 -- The York wrecked in November, on a rock off the Devil's Nose. Genesee and Peggy sailed between Oswego and Niagara. Good Intent, 30 tons, built at Mill Creek.

1800 -- This year there sailed on Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan the schooners Nancy, 94 tons, and Swan, and the sloops Sagima, Detroit, Beaver, Industry, Speedwell and Arabaska; on Lake Superior, the sloop Otter. The Harlequin built at Erie was lost during her first season with all on board.

Return to Home Port

Volume II

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.