A shocking incident happened in 1850 involving one man who was on the Anthony Wayne when it sunk. The big question for more than a year was - did Robert Shean survive the sinking or not? Most friends and family thought him dead.
"THE DEAD ALIVE
Robert Shean, a resident of Middletown in this county, was on board the Anthony Waynne, at the time she blew up on Lake Erie last April. After that dreadful catastrophe, a body was found floating on the Lake, which answered his description and no doubts were entertained but that he had lost his life by the explosion, and that the body which had been found was his.
The body was taken and buried in one of the churchyards of Sandusky City. A large circle of friends, to who he was endeared during life, and who sorely lamented his untimely and dreadful death, raised a subscription among themselves, and erected over his supposed grave a suitable monument to his commemoration.
Judge of their surprise when the actual Robert Shean made his appearance in their midst, a living, moving being, in good health, but covered with scars. Judge of the welcome which he received when they were really convinced that it was indeed him. One actually have risen from the dead, could not have received a more heartfelt, joyous welcome. Others were promptly dispatched to Sandusky City to have the monument removed from the supposed grave.
It appears that when the Anthony Wayne blew up, he was severely scalded, but clinging to a piece of the wreck, he floated up on the Lake until he was taken up by a vessel and carried to Detroit. He laid under medical treatment at Detroit for a long time, but having at length recovered, he repaired to Sandusky City.
In examining the grave yards, with a view of ascertaining who on board the Anthony Wayne had perished, he read the inscription on the monument which his friends had erected to his memory. His surprise on reading it was a great as theirs was to see him return. He immediately returned to his friends, for the purpose of assuring them that he was still among the living. 'Truth is stranger than fiction.'"
Rossville Democrat
Reprinted in the Zanesville Courier, November 16, 1850, p. 2, as well as the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette.
Efforts to find out what happened to Robert Shean have been unsuccessful. His last name could be spelled so many different ways, and the times were early in Ohio, so nothing discovered has been conclusive.
