 Photo date: Aug. 4, 1895. |
According to the 1891-6 editions of the Record of American and Foreign Shipping, the Ballymena was a 134.7' long steel steam yacht . It was built in 1888 in Bristol, RI by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. In 1891-6 its owner was listed as G. S. Brown (probably Georgette Sherman Brown), and its homeport was Baltimore. During 1897-1900 it was owned by John Nicholas Brown of Baltimore.
According to http://brown.edu/Research/JNBC/JNB1inventory.pdf:
"John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) was born on December 17, 1861, to John Carter Brown and Sophia Augusta Brown (Brown). He had two younger siblings, Harold and Sophia. Sophia married William Watts Sherman of Newport in 1885 while she was still under age; she was Sherman’s second wife. Harold married Georgette Wetmore Sherman, the daughter of W. W. Sherman by his first marriage, on October 4, 1892."
"...The Ballymena was a 125-foot steam yacht purchased by John Nicholas Brown in 1893 for $55,000 from Alexander Brown of Baltimore, Maryland. The Ballymena was used as a means of transportation, as well as a place to entertain. He entertained various club members, business associates, churchmen, as well as the commander of the French Atlantic Division Fleet. There is also correspondence regarding Ballymena’s commissioning during the Spanish American War in 1898.
"In 1895, John Nicholas Brown explored the idea of purchasing a new yacht, but he decided to refurbish Ballymena instead. Ballymena was known in sailing circles as first rate vessel, and numerous requests to purchase her came to John Nicholas Brown."