Annie Falconer

Wreck Location

Description

Two-masted schooner Annie Falconer was built in Kingston in 1867. She departed from Kingston on her maiden voyage on May 17th, destination Toronto. The cargo was 25 tons of stone. During her lifetime she carried a wide range of cargoes: stone, lumber, shingles, staves, salt, ice, wheat, barley and corn, coal, chemicals and ore. A trip was more productive if a cargo could be arranged for both directions. The Falconer frequently carried grain or lumber products to American ports and returned with coal to Canadian cities.

In October 1893 she was caught in a storm after leaving Kingston for Oswego. She dragged ashore in Weller’s Bay breaking her foregaff. There was only 1½ ft at her bow and her stern was up on the shore. She was left there high and dry all winter and dragged off in the spring when the water level was higher. She was loading timber three days later for Oswego so apparently there was little damage.

On November 12, 1904, the Anne Falconer left Big Sodus in the morning loaded with coal for Picton. The wind started picking up and when ten miles off False Duck Island the vessel started to leak. The captain tried to beach her on Timber Island but by mid afternoon, she went down. The crew escaped in the yawl boat and were blown to the shore of Amherst Island where they landed at 7:30 in the evening. Shell Sullivan, the mate, got separated from the rest and died from exposure. The others made their way to a farm house and survived.