Historical Collections of the Great Lakes

Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

This two cubic foot collection was donated to the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes by Kenneth R. Hall on August 15, 1992. An instrument of gift was signed at the time of transfer. Literary and property rights were dedicated to the public. Photocopying is permitted for purposes of conservation and research.

Biographical Sketch

Kenneth R. Hall was born March 21, 1925 in Wyandotte, Michigan. During his childhood on the banks of the Detroit River, Hall developed an interest in the history of marine vessel design and the Great Lakes shipping industry. This childhood fascination developed into an adult's profession in researching the history of people, vessels, and companies associated with the maritime industry of the United States.

Hall's academic interest in marine history led him to complete undergraduate training at the Ohio College of Wooster. Graduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania earned him a master's degree and all the requirements for a doctorate, except the dissertation. In 1950-51 archival administration courses were completed at American University in Washington, DC. In November of 1951, Hall began his career with the National Archives and Records Service. A career of 33 years followed with retirement in 1985.

Kenneth Hall's efforts in assisting researchers using marine records in the Civil Archives Division, Industrial and Social Branch were frequently noted as exemplary due to his extensive knowledge of United States marine history and records sources.

The correspondence series in this collection introduces many researchers who worked with Hall over the years he spent honing his skills as a scholar and reference source.

Scope and Content

This two cubic foot collection provides research material for study of the vessels owned by the shipping interests headed by Eber Brock Ward and his family. Events covered in the collection date from 1782-1987. Most information in the collection is concentrated between 1840 and 1910.

this collection was created from materials acquired by National Archives employee Kenneth R. Hall during three decades of research into the Ward family shipping business. A series with .75 cubic feet of research notes prepared by Hall cites numerous newspaper accounts from Great Lakes cities that describe activities of vessels owned by the Wards. Genealogical materials on the Wards are also included.

A one-half cubic foot set of clippings primarily from newspapers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Detroit, Michigan offer examples of the types of sources Hall found in compiling his research notes. A small subject file broadens the collection focus into research sources on railroads and iron production.

The network of researchers with an interest in the Wards' venture can be viewed through a small correspondence series maintained by Hall with other scholars and reference personnel. Two copies of academic papers on the Ward interests provide further source material through their notes for study of this subject.

Kenneth R. Hall acquired microfilmed copies of papers on Eber Brock Ward at the Detroit Public Library. A three reels are with the collection.

Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
1965-1986
Arranged chronologically
Box 1, Folders 1-2
Series contains two file folders of Kenneth R. Hall's research correspondence with reference personnel and other researchers engaged in compiling information on the Eber Brock Ward family and fleet.

SUBJECT FILE

SUBJECT FILE, A-W
[1825-1985]
Arranged alphabetically
Box 1, Folders 3-17
Series contains fifteen file folders of a subject file retained by Kenneth R. Hall after his research into the Eber Brock Ward family and fleet. Railroad companies, shipping lines, individual vessls, and industry specific material on iron and steel manufacture form most of this series. Copies of vessel enrollment documents, article photocopies, and handwritten notes form most of the material in this series.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

RESEARCH NOTES, A-W
[1782-1972]
Arranged alphabetically
Box 1, Folders 18-61
This .75 cubic foot series is a two-part set of research notes compiled by Kenneth R. Hall in documenting the history of the Eber Brock Ward family and fleet. Part one is a set of 16 indexed notebooks of Hall's handwritten research notes and data clipped from other sources compiled in an alphabetical listing of vessels in the Ward fleet. These entries frequently are descriptions of information found in newspaper articles about each boat that Hall found in 19th century newspapers and records of registry. Citations are given to original sources for the information. Hall alphabetized the first letter of vessel names rather than surnames. O.H. PERRY is filed as "O" rather than "P," for example.

Part two of the series is an alphabetical file of loose notes not in the notebooks. Much of this material describes industries related to Ward interests as well as fleet vessels. Files on other Ward family members also appear. Contents are generally handwritten citations to articles in newspapers and clipped items.

NEWSCLIPPINGS

NEWSCLIPPINGS, A-W
[1839-1987]
Arranged alphabetically by source and then chronologically
Box 2, Folders 1-42
This one-half cubic foot series contains photocopies of newsclippings taken primarily from 19th century newspapers. Other 20th century sources are also included in smaller quantities. These articles describe Ward financial interests and the vessels in the fleet. Large concentrations of clippings were taken from the Detroit Daily Advertiser and the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel. An index is provided for the items from the Milwaukee newspaper.

PRINTED MATERIAL

ACADEMIC PAPERS AND CERTIFICATES
[1822-1973]
Arranged chronologically
Box 2, Folders 43-50
This .25 cubic foot series contains printed documents in the form of academic papers and loose vessel related certificates. The research papers include Bernhard E. Korn's 1942 doctoral dissertation from Marquette University entitled Eber Brock Ward: Pathfinder of American Industry, and Raymond M. Donahue's 1973 research paper from Wayne State University entitled Captain Samuel Ward: Pioneer of Great Lakes Transportation, 1784-1854.

The certificates include enrollment sheets from Buffalo, Detroit, and the District of Columbia regarding vessels in Eber Ward's fleet from 1822-1843. Ships articles and crew lists appear for 1929 regarding the S.S. PRESIDENT JACKSON and PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

MICROFILM

MICROFILM
1807-1875
Arranged by reel number
Box 2, Folder 51
Series contains three reels of microfilm of Eber Ward's papers housed at the Detroit Public Library purchased by Kenneth R. Hall during his research.

Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Correspondence, 1965-1986
2. Correspondence, 1965-1986
3. Subject File: American Iron and Steel Institute, 1965
4. Subject File: Bowling Green State University grant application re: Institute for Great Lakes Research, 1983
5. Subject File: Custom House Vessel Records, 1982
6. Subject File: Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Co., 1847-1941
7. Subject File: Engleman Line, 1847-1918
8. Subject File: Erie and Western Transportation co., 1857-1941
9. Subject File: "Give Us a Chance," by Richard J. Wright, 1984
10. Subject File: Goodrich Transportation Co., 1825-1930
11. Subject File: Kelly V. Bessemer, 1857
12. Subject File: "Lake Erie Steamer Designed by Frank E. Kirby," by Gordon P. Bugbee, 1955, 1966
13. Subject File: New York and Erie Railroad Company, 1844-1933
14. Subject File: Northern Transportation Co., 1845-1935
15. Subject File: POCAHONTAS, 1985
16. Subject File: SANDUSKY, 1976
17. Subject File: Western Transportation Company, 1839-1943
18. Research Notes: Vol. 1, Index
19. Research Notes: Vol. 2, A-B, vessel names
20. Research Notes: Vol. 3, C
21. Research Notes: Vol. 4, D-F
22. Research Notes: Vol. 5, G-I
23. Research Notes: Vol. 6, J-L
24. Research Notes: Vol. 7, M-MI
25. Research Notes: Vol. 8, MO-N
26. Research Notes: Vol. 9, O-P
27. Research Notes: Vol. 10, Q-T
28. Research Notes: Vol. 11, U-W
29. Research Notes: Vol. 12, A-W, (Port other than Detroit)
30. Research Notes: Vol. 13, 1809?-1868, vessels documented at Detroit
31. Research Notes: Vol. 14, vessels owned by Ward family
32. Research Notes: Vol. 15, Research notes
33. Research Notes: Vol. 16, clippings and notes
34. Research Notes: Card file, ca. 1950-1970
35. Research Notes: Detroit newspapers at the Library of Congress, 1819-1895
36. Research Notes: Detroit Shipping and Shipbuilding, 1769-1899
37. Research Notes: Grand Trunk Line, 1838-1873
38. Research Notes: Iron and Steel Making, 1860-1925
39. Research Notes: Iron and Steel in Chicago, 1813-1846
40. Research Notes: Iron and Steel notes from Milwaukee, 1832-1929
41. Research Notes: Iron and Steel Producer Directories, 1859-1892
42. Research Notes: Iron and Steel Making at Wyandotte, MI, 1853-1927
43. Research Notes: Milwaukee Newspapers in the Library of Congress
44. Research Notes: Milwaukee notes on vessel arrivals and departures, 1837-1971
45. Research Notes: Miscellaneous, 1840-1898
46. Research Notes: Northern Transportation Co., 1840-1879
47. Research Notes: Railroads, 1864-1918
48. Research Notes: St. Clair County and its boats, 1830-1898
49. Research Notes: Steel Making and Processing Plants, 1857-1889
50. Research Notes: Transportation Co's. Rail and Water,1948-1976
51. Research Notes: Vessel Lists, 1838-1942
52. Research Notes: Eber B. Ward, 1820-1913
53. Research Notes: Photocopy of Burton Historical Collection Catalog cards re: E. B., Sally, and Samuel Ward, 1813-1875
54. Research Notes: Emily Ward, 1809-1891
55. Research Notes: Ward Fleet, 1843-1888
56. Research Notes: Ward Fleet, 1848-1896
57. Research Notes: Ward Genealogy, 1782-1936
58. Research Notes: Eber Ward notes, 1954-1963
59. Research Notes: Eber Ward vessels, 1846-1895
60. Research Notes: Eber Ward vessels, 1852-1866
61. Research Notes: Ward and Goodrich Lines, notes from Herman Runge and Edward Middleton, 1968-1972

Box 2: Newsclippings, Printed Matter, Microfilm

Folders

1. Articles from journals, 1892, 1945, 1947, 1951, 1953-1956, 1962, 1969, 1987
2. Articles from book chapters, 1884, 1955
3. Cleveland Herald Weekly, 1847
4. Detroit Daily Advertiser, 1849-1852
5. Detroit Daily Advertiser, 1853-1859
6. Detroit Daily Advertiser, 1860-1866
7. Detroit Free Press, 1848, 1851-1853, 1855, 1858, 1896, 1905
8. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1869, items
9. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1871, items
10. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
11. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
12. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
13. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
14. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
15. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
16. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
17. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
18. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
19. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
20. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
21. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
22. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
23. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
24. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
25. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
26. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
27. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1839-1856, items
28. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1858-1859, items
29. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1858-1859, items
30. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1861-1862, items
31. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
32. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
33. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
34. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
35. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
36. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
37. Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Index for 1864-1871, items
38. Shipping companies, 1846-1859, n.d.
39. Toledo Blade, 1870
40. Vessels, C-W, 1837-1861
41. Eber Ward and family, 1855, 1874-1897
42. Eber Ward and family, [1887-1912], [1921-1926], 1960-1962, 1973, n.d.
43. Academic Papers Eber Brock Ward, Pathfinder of American Industry, by Bernhard E. Korn, 1942, pp. 1-149
44. Academic Paper Eber Brock Ward, Pathfinder of American Industry, by Bernhard E. Korn, 1942, pp. 150-371
45. Academic Paper Captain Samuel Ward, Pioneer of Great Lakes Transportation, 1784-1854, by Raymond M. Donahue, 1973
46. Certificates of enrollment, Buffalo, NY, 1822-1834
47. Certificates of enrollment, Detroit, MI, 1836-1840
48. Certificates fo enrollment, Georgetown, DC, 1843
49. Certificates, ship's articles, SS PRESIDENT JACKSON, 1929
50. Certificates, ship's articles, SS PRESIDENT LINCOLN, 1923, and SS PRESIDENT JACKSON, 1929
51. Microfilm, 3 reels of the Eber Brock Ward Papers at the Detroit Public Library, 1807-1875

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