Guide to the FSU Shipwreck Index

Shipwrecks of Southern Florida 1828-1911

Each two-line entry in the text on the right side of the screen represents a single shipwreck present in the Admiralty Records of the Southern Florida District. Each entry is made up of two lines of abbreviated words and numbers providing information on the ship, the date and location of the wrecking, the final status of the ship (lost, saved, salvaged, etc.), where to find the Admiralty report in the microfilm archives, the ship¹s cargo, and other useful information.

Each entry is made up of the following 11 categories of information in two lines of text:

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First Line:

1. Ship¹s Name 2. Ship Type 3. Final Status of Wreck 4. Date of Wreck 5. Location of Wreck

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Second Line:

6. Wrecking Fee or Notes 7. Reel Number 8. Page Number 9. Port Ship Departed From 10. Port of Destination 11. Cargo or Other Notes.

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Some of the above categories are represented by abbreviations. Each category of information is explained in detail below:

1. Ship¹s Name: The name of the ship in question.
2. Ship Type: The type of vessel, as mentioned in the Admiralty records, that wrecked. 15 different types are abbreviated:

• bot ­ boat
• brg ­ brig
• brk ­ bark
• brq ­ barque
• gnb ­ gunboat
• rnc ­ revenue cutter
• sch ­ schooner
• shp ­ ship
• slp ­ sloop
• spr ­ steam pro.
• ssp ­ steamship
• stm ­ steamer
• ysh ­ yacht schooner
• ywl -- yawl

3. Final Status of Vessel: This is the eventual fate of the vessel after rescue and salvage attempts. 21 possible outcomes are abbreviated.

• ab ­ abandoned
• cd ­ case dismissed
• cs ­ custom seizure
• db ­ disabled
• dl ­ derelict
• fr ­ forfeited
• hs ­ hull saved
• lk ­ leaking
• lw ­ lost at Key West
• lt ­ lost
• sc ­ sick crew
• sd ­ seized and dismissed
• sm ­ seized by Mohawk
• so ­ seized and returned to owner
• sr ­ ship raised
• ss ­ seized and sold
• st ­ storm damage towed to port
• sv ­ ship saved
• sw ­ seized by Wyandotte
• tk ­ towed to Key West
• tw -- towed

4. Date of Wreck

5. Location of Wreck

6. Wrecking Fee or Notes: This is the monetary fee in dollars awarded to the Key West wreckers or salvers. Sometimes a fee is dismissed, and sometimes there are abbreviated notes of other information listed in this category. 7 abbreviations may appear in this category:

• BC ­ bales of cotton
• C ­ of cargo
• FNS ­ Fraud No Salvage
• FS ­ From Sale
• P ­ Pilotage
• SF ­ Ship Forfeited
• SL ­ Seize for Loan

7. Reel Number: The microfilm reel, 2 - 19, upon which the account of the shipwreck is archived. The source is the Admiralty Final Record Book for U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida volume 2 through 19, Microfilm copy number 1360, Reels 2-19.

8. Page Number: The pages that the shipwreck account appear on.

9. Port From: The city the ship departed from.

10. Port To: The destination of the ship before it wrecked.

11. Cargo or Notes: This space is reserved for any notes about the ship or cargo. "Blockade," for instance, means the ship was associated with the Union blockade, while cargoes such as slaves, ice, sugar, tobacco, hides, or whatever else may be noted as well.

This index was compiled in 1988 by Tom Hambright of the Monroe County Public Library in Key West, Florida. The list is an index of all ships wrecked between 1828 and 1911 as recorded in the Admiralty Final Record Book for U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, volume 2 through 19 Microfilm Copy Number 1360, Reels 2 through 19.

Florida State University would like to thank Mr. Hambright for all of his work compiling this index and for allowing FSU to put it online for students and researchers of Florida's maritime history.