Thomas Henry Ball - Tomball, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 30° 05.822 W 095° 36.800
15R E 248152 N 3332418
A Life Size Monument of Thomas H. Ball, Father of the Houston Ship Channel, United States Congressman from Texas and Railroad Attorney.
Located on an 8 foot long Victorian Era park bench.
Waymark Code: WM10RQ8
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/17/2019
Views: 3
Find a Grave"He studied law at the University of Virginia. He returned to Texas, was admitted to the bar in 1888, and was mayor of Huntsville, a post he held from 1877 to 1892.
He practiced law in Huntsville until 1902, when he moved to Houston. Ball held many state Democratic party posts and was elected to the United States Congress in 1896. He resigned in 1903 to return to a Houston law practice that primarily served railroad and corporate clients.
. While he was a member of the Rivers and Harbors Committee in the United States House of Representatives, he secured the first federal aid for development of the Houston Ship Channel in 1899. After leaving Washington he lobbied the state legislature and the United States Congress heavily, determined to facilitate local, state, and federal efforts to upgrade Houston port facilities. Both bodies soon passed measures significantly aiding local navigation districts, making him the "Father of the Port of Houston" for his tireless work against opposition in support of a new Houston Ship Channel, which was completed in 1914.
Today, Ball's contribution to the Houston-area economy is immense: the port he championed is now the 2nd largest port in the United States, and the 8th largest port in the World. Following the development of Buffalo Bayou, Ball served as general counsel to the Port Commission of Houston, (Houston Harbor and Ship Channel) from May 1922 to August 1931, when he retired.
In addition to his contributions to the city of Houston, Ball helped route a railroad through the then- little-known town of Peck, Texas. The result was significant economic growth, and in appreciation for Ball's efforts the citizens of the area gave the town a new name: "Tomball, Texas."
The Statue is life size. He is sitting on a park bench with his right leg crossed over his left knee. His left arm is draped on the back of the bench. He is holding a piece of paper in his right hand. He has short hair and a large mustache. He is wearing a suit with a cravat.