Ball Family Papers, 1650-1864

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Ball Family. Papers, 1650-1864. Accession 18770a. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Creator:
Ball Family
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Ball Family. Papers, 1650-1864. Accession 18770a. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers, 1650-1864, of the Ball family of Lancaster, Stafford, and Loudoun Counties, Virginia, consisting of bonds, contracts, deeds, genealogical notes, judicial records, land patents, legal opinions, letters, military orders, military rosters, money, petitions, powers of attorney, and regulations. Papers contain land patents and deeds for land in Lancaster, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Northumberland Counties, Virginia; judicial records for the Virginia General Court; and bonds to and from members of the Ball family. Correspondence includes letters to and from Burgess Ball (1749-1800) regarding the Revolutionary War, including a discussion of the Virginia assembly's wartime measures; rosters of Virginia and Continental Army officers; terms of a parole for Ball; the battle of Cowpens and the campaign in North Carolina; a letter from George Washington (1732-1799) concerning the war and affairs at Mount Vernon; and regulations and orders for the siege at Yorktown, Virginia; Correspondence also discusses Ball's construction of Traveler's Rest in Stafford County and his business concerns; efforts to get land warrents for military service; legal matters concerning slaves belonging to the Washington family; contract for a farm and slaves in Berkeley County, (West) Virginia; the education of Burgess Ball, Jr.; and Ball's move to Loudoun County, Virginia.

Papers also include letters to and from Dr. Charles Burgess Ball (d. ca. 1839) of Loudoun County concerning efforts to claim his father Burgess Ball's land warrants for military service during the Revolutionary War. Papers contain correspondence and depositions regarding Ball senior; petition by Charles Ball to the Virginia legislature; and two Vermont state notes. Correspondents include George W. Ball, Charles Ball's brother; William M. Thompson and Mildred Thompson, who assisted Charles Ball in his efforts; and Churchill Gibbs, William Jones, Robert Grayson Carter, Robert Porterfield, William Willis, and Philip Slaughter, all of whom served with or knew of Burgess Ball's military service. Also includes a stock certificate for a share of the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Rail Road Company, and two Civil War military passes for Charles B. Ball. Also contains genealogical notes for the Ball and Read families.

Biographical / historical:

Burgess Ball was born 28 July 1749 at Bewdley in Lancaster County, Virginia, to Jeduthan Ball (1725-1749/50) and Elizabeth Burgess. Ball served as an aide to George Washington (1732-1799), a relative, during the early years of the American Revolution. He was appointed captain in the 5th Virginia Regiment, then on 17 December 1777, he was appointed lieutenant colonel in the 1st Virginia Infantry. After the war, he moved from Lancaster County to Stafford County, Virginia, and built Traveler's Rest. By 1793, he had relocated to Loudoun County, Virginia. Ball married first Mary Chichester (1753-1775) 1 July 1770, and they had two children including Burgess Ball (1773-1793). He married second Frances Thornton Washington (1763-1815), a niece of George Washington, 7 April 1781, and they had eight children. One of their children was Charles Burgess Ball (14 December 1793-2 July 1823) who became a practicing physician in Loudoun County. He married Lucy Throckmorton Potter (1793-1870) 14 January 1814, and they had five children, including Charles Burgess Ball (17 February 1822-14 April 1883). Charles Burgess Ball represented Loudoun County in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1849-1850, 1852-1853, 1857-1858, and 1859-1861. He represented the county in the state senate from 1861 to 1865. Ball married Emma Read 27 May 1852, and they had five children. Ball died in Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Emma Road Ball, 24 December 1923
Arrangement:

Chronological

Physical location:
Personal Papers Collection, Acc. 18770a
Physical description:
.225 cubic feet