The THOMAS E. MILLSOP (U.S. 224662) was built as the WILLIAM C. ATWATER, at River Rouge, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works in 1924-1925. Hull 249 was launched on April 14, 1925. The original dimension for this steel hulled vessel were 589'2" X 60' X 27'7".

The Wilson Transit Company of Cleveland, Ohio was the first owner of the ATWATER and had this vessel sail under the original name into 1936 when the company changed the name to E.J. KULAS. This name was used until 1953 when BEN MOREELL was made the new name.

In 1955 the Nation Steel Corporation of Cleveland bought the MOREEL, and changed the name to THOMAS E. MILLSOP, the subject of this collection. The vessel remained the MILLSOP until March 1976 when the Reoch Transports and Robert Pierson Holdings firm from Ontario bought the vessel and changed the name to E.J. NEWBERRY. Pierson Steamships owned the NEWBERRY from 1977 to 1982. P & HS Shipping of Mississauga, Ontario bought the NEWBERRY in 1982 and changed the name to CEDARGLEN. In 1986 Goderich Elevators Ltd. of Goderich, Ontario bought the CEDARGLEN and used it as a storage barge.

The name THOMAS E. MILLSOP was derived from Thomas Elliot Millsop, chairman of the board of National Steel Corporation. Millsop was born December 4, 1898 in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Millsop started his business career as a riveter for the Standard Tank Car Co., in 1919. He switched companies to work for Weirton Steel in 1927. Millsop worked steadily upward and became president of Weirton Steel in 1936. In 1954 Millsop became president of Weirton's parent company, National Steel Corporation.

The THOMAS E. MILLSOP had the distinction during its career to have been the first Great Lakes freighter built with one-piece hatch covers. As the E.J. KULAS this vessel rammed the Livingston Channel Lighthouse in fog on September 11, 1952. In 1981 the E.J. NEWBERRY grounded in Lac St. Francois near Valleyfield, Ontario on August 12. In 1994, the now named CEDARGLEN was scrapped at Port Maitland, Ontario, Canada.