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The Davis Ferry
by Eliot Johnson
Milestones Vol 22 No 4 Winter 1997

As a youngster, Alvin Nelson of Ambridge relates, when his parents went to Youngstown to visit, they took the P&LE Railroad to Ethel's Landing (South Heights) and then took the Davis Brothers' launch at French Point to Ambridge. He said the six passenger gasoline launch was a scary ride at times, especially when the boat rode up over waves in the wake of passing steamboats. They then boarded the Ft. Wayne passenger train for the "safe" ride to Ohio.

During the time John and William Davis owned the ferry they had built a boat of all steel welded construction used for ferrying, said to be the first on the Ohio River. The boat was given the name "Maggie Davis" after a daughter, Beryle Elizabeth Davis. We would like to hear a lot more about this ferry boat operation.