People

Frederick Lincoln Ball was born in Liskeard, Ontario, Canada on September 9, 1887, to William and Sarah Ball. He came to the United States as a farm boy of 17 to live with an uncle in Cleveland. He graduated from Fenn College and then attended night classes at Cleveland Law School and graduated cum laude from Baldwin University (Baldwin Wallace University) in 1911.

He married Lulu Maude Bateman In Toronto on February 12, 1912. She was born in 1885. They had five children: Robert Lewis was born on August 7, 1913, Margaret Adele (Craig) born on April 30, 1916, Frederick James born on March 25, 1919, Gordon Bateman born on January 5, 1923, and Lewis Clark born on October 4, 1924.

Fred, along with Windsor White and Dwight Goddard, founded Park Drop Forge in 1907. Fred was the timekeeper and paymaster and occasionally even swept the floors. His career grew along with the company and he became a bookkeeper, assistant treasurer, secretary-treasurer, a director and in 1953 president and chief executive officer. Park Drop Forge started by making horseshoes and sewing machine parts and grew into making shoes for diesel crankshafts up to 6,000 pounds.

Fred retired from Park Drop Forge in 1963 at age 75. Nine months after retiring, he formed a law partnership with his son Frederick J. Ball. This was his first occasion to practice law since passing the bar in 1910.

Fred Ball had been on the Bratenahl School Board for 38 years. He was a member of Acacia Country, The Country, and Cleveland Athletic clubs.

Lulu Ball died on December 20, 1966. Following the death of his wife, Fred moved to the Wade Park Manor after having lived in the Hanna home for 21 years. Fred died on March 14, 1977. Both he and Lulu are buried in Lake View Cemetery.