John Bateman

**John Frederick Bateman** (October 23rd, 1868 – February 7th, 1942), was an American businessman, born in Toledo, Ohio, United States, who founded Cristorian Lines, establishing the first shipping line to be intercontinental that is based in the Great Lakes.

## Childhood

John was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Elizabeth Bateman and George Bateman. Throughout John's childhood, he would sometimes skip school to gander at ships coming in and out of the Port of Toledo. Typically, he'd see ships of the Lake Freighter class, hauling steel, iron ore, grain, and sometimes salt to the City of Toledo. His sight-seeing would ultimately spark his life-long interest in ships and the maritime industry in collective.

## Adulthood

Bateman graduated school in 1884 and did not pursue higher education than high school. In 1886, Bateman met a woman named Audrey Evans, who'd Bateman would fall in love with and eventually have a kid with in 1892, named Charles Bateman in 1892. In 1887, he was able to get a job with C.W. Elphicke and worked on the SS *Ohio* until 1889, where he'd become unemployed until 1892, where he'd work at the Port of Toledo, assisting ships dock and un-dock, with the addition of assisting loading and unloading of ships that entered the harbor (or departed) for cargo such as grain, iron ore, steel, and salt. In 1897, Bateman formally quit his job as an assisting employee at the Port of Toledo and became interested in ships, however on a new level.

## **Founding of Christopher Lines**

Bateman, being more interested in ships than ever, would sign a contract with the United States Government in June 1898. The contract stated that Bateman would ultimately establish a government-recognized shipping company wherein it had the permission to operate civilian manned vessels and even armed vessels in North America. Bateman, wanting to assist the U.S. Army in Cuba after the explosion of the USS *Maine* in Havana Harbor in April 1898, launched a ship, known as the SS *Sturges*. The *Sturges* assisted with evacuating American citizens from Cuba.

## Later Life

Bateman would eventually have a child with Evans in 1892, naming the child Charles. In 1907, Bateman formally married Evans in New York City (also formally staying the night in the city before returning to Toledo), forming a second generation of the Bateman family. With the marriage, Audrey was appointed as vice-CEO of Christopher Lines. With the outbreak of World War I in Europe and America's involvement, John was forced to send his son out to war due to the recent act that was passed in the Congress of the United States. Following the war and the safe return of Charles Bateman, Christopher Lines remained a major success and even assisted with the war effort. Throughout the Great Depression, the Bateman family upkept their wealth via Christopher Lines. In the 1930s, John Bateman became the most noble man in Toledo due to his history with the Armed Forces and the Government.

## Death

In the early 1940s, John became eternally ill and was hospitalized in the Toledo Hospital. His health deteriorated rapidly, and it was proven that he had contracted both the influenza and yellow fever. John, seemingly knowing his fate was on the horizon, made it clear that his son would be the successor of him as role of CEO of Christopher Lines. In February 1942, John peacefully passed away in his bed at Toledo Hospital and was buried in the Toledo cemetery.

Bateman's official portrait with the U.S. Government after the signing of the Christopher Lines contract, circa 1899Bateman, circa WW1Bateman's wedding portrait, circa 1907