In 1823, two years before the Erie Canal was officially completed, the Mary and Hannah made a historic first journey from Seneca Lake to New York City by canal, carrying a cargo of western wheat, butter, and beans. The ship made the 430-mile voyage in fourteen days, proving that agricultural products could be shipped east via the canal and river far more cheaply than by other methods. The successful canal navigators John H. Osborne and Samuel S. Seely were presented with this ewer to celebrate their feat.