Boatnerd Discussion Forum

You are right that the Reiss Brothers was launched as the William K. Field, but when she was renamed in 1934 that bell was removed and replaced with one that read "Reiss Brothers". Every item that had the name "William K. Field" on it was ordered to be removed by the newly-hired fleet manager who worked for Mr. Field previously. I believe the replacement bell was removed when she served as a grain storage in Goderich. The present owner of the William K. Field bell is the son of one of her last Reiss captains.

Ken- you listed the bell from Reiss Brothers- did you mean William K. Field?

The Robert Fulton bell is no longer available, but I am adding another Great Lakes bell for trade in a new listing when I have smaller photos to add. That bell is from the J.M. Jenks, a casualty of the Great Storm of 1913. It was missing for a week and found before food ran out, grounded in the Georgian Bay with fortunately no loss of life but extensive damage.

Ken,

Email message sent re. John A. Kling

Tim

Ken Niemi wrote:In event that you have a Reiss bell and do not know it, here is a list of the names of the bells for which I am searching (the names at the time of their launch). The Peter Reiss and Reiss Brothers are self-evident.

1.) Charles C. West, 2.) Emory L. Ford, 3.) Frank T. Heffelfinger, 4.) Frank H. Peavey, 5.) Frederick B. Wells, 6.) George W. Peavey, 7.) James S. Dunham, 8.) Joe S. Morrow, 9.) John A. Topping, 10.) John A. Kling, 11.) W.K. Bixby

Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

I forgot to list my father-in-law's first Reiss boat, the Centurion.

In event that you have a Reiss bell and do not know it, here is a list of the names of the bells for which I am searching (the names at the time of their launch). The Peter Reiss and Reiss Brothers are self-evident.

1.) Charles C. West, 2.) Emory L. Ford, 3.) Frank T. Heffelfinger, 4.) Frank H. Peavey, 5.) Frederick B. Wells, 6.) George W. Peavey, 7.) James S. Dunham, 8.) Joe S. Morrow, 9.) John A. Topping, 10.) John A. Kling, 11.) W.K. Bixby

Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Offered for trade is the original ship's bell from the Robert Fulton, launched in 1896 at the Detroit Dry Dock Company for the Bessemer Steamship Company. The bell is complete with clapper, is in excellent condition and has the name of the shipbuilder, vessel and year deeply engraved into it. Trade MUST be for an original bell from any of the boats that sailed for the Reiss Steamship Company. Please contact Ken Niemi at reissrecollections@hotmail.com with a photo of the bell you have to offer.