SS Lewis, formerly Samuel S. Lewis was designed by Captain Richard F. Loper. Loper experimented with screw propulsion and marine steam engines. A practical engineer, Loper's vessels were "remarkably successful." Sold in February 1852 to George A. Osgood of New York, an agent of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, Samuel S. Lewis was readied for a new career. Vanderbilt had established the "Independent Line" to carry gold-seekers to California by way of Nicaragua.

In the early morning of April 9, 1853, SS Lewis ran aground on Duxbury Reef, north of the point and close to Agate Beach. The thick fog obscured the land, and like the steamer Tennessee, lost just a month before, SS Lewis was wrecked through an error in navigation. William Tecumseh Sherman, who was a passenger on board, noted that the ship did not completely sink: ...as the water gradually rose inside to a level with the sea outside, the ship swung broadside to the sell, and all her keel seemed to rest on the rock and sand. At no time did the sea break over the deck--but the water below drove all the people up to the main-deck and to the promenade-deck, and this we remained for about three hours.... " The 385 passengers on board were safely landed along with the ship's specie, mail and some of the baggage. The U.S. surveying steamer Active arrived at the wreck on April 10 along with the Revenue Cutter Forlic.