Ball Brothers Afloat
Extended families can get us involved in the most interesting things. One such family member was George Ashley Tomlinson.
Tomlinson was born in Lapeer, Michigan on January 28, 1868. After attending the University of Michigan, he spent two years in Wyoming, working as a cowboy. He then worked as a newspaperman in Detroit and New York, until 1893, when he became interested in steamships. He went on to own his own fleet of Great Lakes freighters.
He went into business with James E. Davidson, an experienced sailor, ship owner and shipbuilder. Davidson’s wife, Ellen, was the sister of Lucius L. Ball’s wife, Sarah. In 1902, Tomlinson married Laura, daughter of James and Ellen Davidson.
The Ball brothers were always looking for a good investment, and here was one with solid family ties: Tomlinson’s Globe Steamship Company. In 1904, Globe had a new steamer under construction in the American Shipbuilding Company’s Lorain yards. The ship, which was launched on December 22nd was named Ball Brothers, to honor three principal stockholders. The ship was christened by Joy Mauck, daughter of Professor Joseph and Frances Ball Mauck. Frances was the younger sister of the Ball brothers.
SS Ball Brothers was 500 feet long with a 52-foot beam (width) and a depth of 30 feet. On July 23, 1907, The Buffalo Commercial stated that the steamer Ball Brothers was scheduled to take out the largest cargo of coal ever shipped from Buffalo, totaling 10,000 tons. Four months later, on November 26th, The Sandusky Star-Journal announced the imminent arrival of Ball Brothers, touting her as the largest steamer to ever enter the port.
A year later, Tomlinson launched another steamer, this time from Great Lakes Engineering Works’ Ecorse yard. On December 9, 1905, the ship was christened Frank C. Ball. Among those in attendance were Frank C. Ball, Edmund B. Ball, William C. Ball, Dr. Lucius Ball and Professor Joseph Mauck. The freighter, which entered service in 1906, was 550 feet long with a 56-foot beam and a depth of 32 feet. She had self-stowing anchors and water tight steel hatch covers.
Over the years, both freighters experienced many of the same problems which beset all Great Lakes shipping. Heavy fogs which can lead ships astray, forcing them onto the rocks. Strong currents and poor weather which can end in collisions with bridges and other vessels. Ice jams which trap and hold ships in a frozen grip. Violent gales which can snap anchor chains and run ships aground.
In September 1963, SS Ball Brothers traveled through the Welland Canal, headed toward Hamilton, Ontario, where she was scrapped.
In 1930, SS Frank C. Ball was sold and converted to a self-unloading sand dredge. She became the first commercial ship on the lakes to be powered by a steam powered turbo-electric engine. In 1931, she was sold again and her name changed to J.R. Sensibar. She was then sent to dredge landfill material for the Chicago World’s Fair. She was sold for scrap in 1983.
SS Ball Brothers docked in Cleveland
SS Frank C. Ball
SS Ball Brothers
Professor Joseph W. and Frances Ball Mauck
Dr. Lucius L. and Sarah Rogers Ball in Japan (1917)
