Early Life, Family and Training Auguste Ballin was born on March 17, 1842, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. His early years were shaped by a sudden change in his household when his father, a lawyer, passed away. Auguste was only nine years old at the time. This loss led him toward a different path than the one his father had walked. He spent time studying law and eventually worked as a clerk of the court, a role that required a steady, me…