"The career of Thomas A. Scottas a steamer was of short duration, for after a few years service she collided with an unknown vessel in the vacinity of the Straits and went to the bottom... Subsequently, the Scott was raised and put into service again as a steamer for a brief period, when her engine was removed and out into a new boat; the Scott was converted to a tow barge."
"October 29, 1880. The barge Thomas A. Scott had been on her way from Chicago with 44,000 bushels of corn in tow of the propeller Conemaugh. She came to anchor in the bay in order for the steamer to take on some of the rolling freight. While at anchor, the Thomas A. Scott was run into by the steamer Avon which "came crashing into the barge on the starboard side just forward of the main rigging, and opened a gap in her hull through which the cargo commenced pouring out." Within 25 minutes the Scott had sunk bow foremost." "Capt. Todd says the barge lies in about 50 feet of water, a mile due east of the harbor piers."
The vessel was found by local Milwaukee diver Jerry Guyer in 2005, near Milwaukee. The site lies in 30 feet of water, with 140 ft exposed from the sand.