Harrison Loring (1822-1907) was born in Duxbury, MA. In 1847 he built a machine/boiler shop in South Boston, and ten years later purchased some land along the water. There he established the City Point Works, one of the first shipyards in the United States devoted to the construction of iron steamships, engines, and boilers.

The merchant ships MASSACHUSETTS, SOUTH CAROLINA, MERRIMAC, MISSISSIPPI, and DE MOLAY, were all built at the City Point Works. During the Civil War, Loring constructed several vessels for the Navy, including the WINNIPEC, HURON, and the Monitors CANONICUS and NAHANT. He also built the engines and machinery for the U.S. sloop HARTFORD.

Harrison Loring also ran steamers to the West Indies, and at one time owned a Boston/Halifax steamship line. For a time he was President of the Boston Towboat Company.

In the 1890s Loring built four U.S. Lightships, three sea-going tugboats, and a cruiser for the Navy (U.S.S. MARBLEHEAD). It was at this time that he was forced by financial problems to turn the yard over to a group of three assignees - one of them being his son, Harrison Jr. - in order to complete these government contracts for the benefit of his creditors. The plant was eventually sold at auction in 1894.

In 1904, Bay Farm Co., a dairy farm and family estate at Island Creek, MA was incorporated and managed by Harrison Loring Jr. Beggining in 1902, the family, especially sons Harrison Jr., Atherton, and Robert, were involved with claims against the Navy totaling over $170,000, for money owned in the construction of the CANONICUS in 1863. By 1910, after years of testimony and legal investigation, the case had still not been resolved.