Bark Kong Sverre, G. H. Vedeler

The bark Kong Sverre (ex Lübeck) was built in 1841 at Lubeck, Germany. Her tonnage was 348 tons gross, 336 tons net, or 144½ Norwegian Commercial lasts. She was flying flag X 92 (Bergen No. 92) She was owned by G. H. Vedeler 1851 - 1861. The Kong Sverre had a long career as an emigrant ship, but there were probably 3 different ships by this name, all of them at some stage involved in the transportation of emigrants from Norway.

In 1850 the Kong Sverre departed from Bergen in ballast, and was carrying 152 passengers. Master was Capt. Didirich N. Fischer. Cargo 3000 Dollars. She arrived New York on July 13th, and after disembarking her passengers she departed for Quebec on July 17th. In Quebec she picked up a load of lumber and departed for Weymouth. On the 5th of September, in thick foggy weather the Kong Sverre was struck by another incoming ship and was filled with water so the crew had to abandon the ship; "8 P.M. We had the misfortune to be struck by a three masted vessel, being in the impossibility of getting clear from her, being so thick fog and not having seen her before. She was quite close to our vessel. She run her bowsprit between the main mast and the mizzen mast of our vessel, and broke the mizzen mast into three pieces, broke at the same time the larboard quarter abaft the mizzen mast to the stem and the stern too. When the mizzen mast fell down, it broke and dashed to pieces the deck cabin, the wheel binnacle and ship log house. The vessel being heavily injured, we thought that the rudder received damages at the same time, but we could not ascertain it was the case in consequence of the cabin, wheel, binnacle being last broke to pieces and lying on deck. The man who worked the helm at the time was killed and thrown overboard, it is supposed because we did not hear him nor see him since." Read the full report at the Lower St. Lawrence Maritime History web site. The wreck was found by local fishermen the on September the 7th, and brought to Little Metis. On September 15th the ship returned to Quebec for repairs before setting off for Weymouth again.