Diver1111 and I have been doing some research on the old steamer Seneca which was built and wrecked near Goose Egg Rock in the 1860’s. This past September we visited the Tuftonboro Historical Society through the courtesy of Susan Hunter Weeks. There we found several newspaper articles (Seneca clippings.PDF), a Reference document (Seneca synopsis.PDF) and an old Duncan map (MapPik-Seneca) related to the Seneca. All the artifacts are attached below. Sorry, but you will have to rotate the Reference document to properly view it by opening the .PDF and then hit Shift+Ctrl+Plus.
I have also re-uploaded 2 pictures of the propeller which currently resides on the lawn in front of the Tuftonboro Historical Society. Just added a few miscellaneous pics of the salvage operation.
A brief search was conducted to locate the 2 individuals who found the large propeller discussed in the newspaper articles. John “Jack” McWilliams was located in Baltimore, MD. He conveyed to us that he had an 8mm movie of the salvaging of the propeller in 1976. He had it converted to video which we have uploaded to You Tube. Jack is the person in the wet suit while Bill Chambers is the other snorkeler. Susan Hunter Weeks is somewhere on the Kitty Belle barge during the salvage process as it was her father's barge. Here is the link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wctlTcTlJQ
Everything we’ve found so far indicates that the propeller belongs to the Seneca. However, investigation has determined the following facts:
1. The steamer Seneca was built and wrecked in the 1860’s.
2. Per several books on Lake Winnipesaukee history, the first screw-driven steamer on Lake Winnipesaukee, the Mineola, was launched in 1877.
Therefore, since the Seneca was launched in the early 1860’s, she likely was a paddle wheeler and did not have a propeller. We have not yet found a picture of the Seneca so we can’t yet be sure that she was a paddle wheeler.
If you have any information regarding the Seneca or other possible mishaps/wrecks near Winnipesaukee flasher buoy #12, please share that information here or PM either one of us.
Thanks.