The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1939-04-28
STARK RECALLS
CAPI..E. B. WARD IND
B[$S[h[R STEEL

George w. Stark, in his Detroit
News old timers column, prints the
following concerning Captain Eber b.
Ward, the founder of WyandOtte, and
his production OF the first American
Bessemer steel:
1t was back in 1864 that Capt. Eber
Bnack Ward decided to make Besseaner
steel in the WyandOtte Rolling Mills,
an experiment that probably started
the down river industrial region on Its
program Of expansion
That Capt. Ward produced the first
Bessemer steel IN America L. affirmed
by Historian William l. Bancroft. In
MIR BanArUft'S memoirs he quotes
Samuel Ward, uncle Of Capt. Ward, as
follows: Capt Eber b. Ward prOduc-
ca in his WyandUtte rolling mills in
the early part Of September, 1864, the
first Bessemer steel made in America
and at his Chicago rolling mills on
May "a, 1865 rolled the first Besse1Der
steel rail"
MetallnrgiSts mly still discuss whe-
ther the first BeSsemer steel originated
In the old world or the new. William
+. Durfee, famous engineer who gave
experiments resulting in the pioneer
aiIa nufarture Of steel at WyandOtte
had this to say in the Popular Science
magazine for November, 1891: While
the EngliShmen, Besselner and Parry
and the American, Martien, were ex'
perimenting in England, the germ
which they were trying TO develop into
yleorOals Life had hten discovered III
America, for the evidence is unlm-
peachable that the late William Kelly
Tad been for several years experiment
ips In the same direction as his Eng
lish contemporaries.
The experts doubtless will continue
TO argue the question indefinitely. In
these narratives We Old Timers are
more conserved, however, with hunaI
equation 1t is interesting 10 know
that there are still two living persons
Who remember these first dim expert
T.lentS In BesSemer steel. One Is Mrs
Roswell H Post. who retains vivid
remembrance Of Capt. Ward The 9th,
or Is John feeling, who at 81 years OF
age, lives in WyandOtte and boasts
that there he saw the first BeSSemeI
steel made in America.
Old Timer William DOwnie. from
mlsose scrap books these chronicles OF
the Ward family are largely based
- ught out both these veterans. Mrs
Post remembers the first BeSselner con
vertOr made ut WyandOtte. After ii
was out Of use, She says, 1t hay III heI
fathers barn for some time until IL
was Grated up and shipped away.
Mrs. Post was born in Scotland and
came to this country when child
When. In 1864. Capt. Ward decided Ia
manufacture Bessemer steel in Wyan-
dette, it was Mrs. Posts father, Alex
ander Truenan. whose aid was en-
listed He was known in Scotland a>
an experienced. capable and thorough
rail maker. then holding a responsible
position IN an iron works in Glasgow
Capt. Ward brought the entire True
man family To Detroit: father. mother
and two daughters. He built a house
fer them there.
The Trueman family prOSpered i'll
Wyandotte Mles Post remembers how
when she was little girl. Capt Ward
often came To visit On one such Octzi-
sion Mrs. Trueman was making potato
scotch scenes. The captain was in
trigued by the OdOr Of the scenes "a
they were cooking. He waited until
they were done. ate some. dripping with
butter. insisted it was the best food he
had ever tasted and took the recipe
home.
In her later years Mrs Post became
the hOusekeeper a the old Cadillac no
tel
She had a first-hand interest in
Henry FOrd's first car. for she sslw him
make his first trial run from a window
in the old hotel
Today Capt Wards body reposes in
historic ElmweOd cemetery. Mrs. Post
has a summer home at AlgOnac where
she raises beautiful flowers. And every
Summer she makes pilgrimage to
EmgWOOd 70 lay some Of her lovely bios
5, ans on the grave, Of an old friend.
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