James Ball (abt. 1690 - aft. 1717)

Born about 1690 in Watertown, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Mauge) Ball — married 12 Aug 1708 (to after 1716) in Boston, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died after 1717 after about age 27 in Northborough, Worcester, Province of Massachusetts Bay Massachusetts Bay

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bonnie Saunders [send private message]

Biography

Immigrant Ancestor

The New England Ball Project site (NEBP) ^[1] cites James Ball born in 1690 as the likely immigrant ancestor of one of several New England Ball family branches. While considerable information about the Balls circulates on the internet, few actual documents were located for persons named James Ball in the correct time period. A James Ball arrived in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1622, listed as "Jas Ball" ^[2] but details regarding the ship name, departure port, etc., are not available, much less any information regarding his descendants. He may or may not be related to the NEBP James.

Popular genealogy sites such as Ancestry.com ^[3] and Geni.com ^[4] link James Ball to General Ninian Beall (Bell/Ball) in Maryland as his father. Wikitree mentions a possible son James: "Alice Norris Parran in Register of Maryland's Heraldic Families (1938, pp. 86-88) states that Ninian Beall married first in Scotland, wife's name unknown and of Ninian's children, four (Thomas, John, Sarah and James) were born in Scotland." However, the comment is not substantiated, and Wikitree does not actually list him among General Ninian Beall's children. Other sites link James to Ninian Beall, but as his brother. Nevertheless, as tempting as the Maryland Beall family is for investigation, because of the abundance of James Bealls/Balls/Bells within its ranks, ^[5] subsequent follow-up shows that while a James Beall/Ball born in Maryland in 1690 had a son James, born in 1728, this James, married to Elizabeth Edmonston, did not have a son Samuel H, i.e., he is not the James in question. ^[6]

James was born circa 1690, ^[1] probably in the Kingdom of England. One source, related to his great grandchild, Reverend Eli Ball (1786-1853), ^[7] states that his [Eli's] father was of French descent. However, though possible, this has not been established and if true, may not come via James, but through Eli's Grandmother (Unknown) or Great Grandmother (Mary Mauge) instead. His death date has been estimated @ after 1716 in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, based on the birth of his last son Thomas in 1717. His parents' names are not known. One user-submitted source cites F. Ball (1664- ) as his father and Wfb (1668- ) as his mother, but documents were not located. ^[8] James' grandson was also named James Ball (1747-1773). The grandson's Find a Grave entry mentions that his father was James Ball III, which if true, means that the father of the James being examined now was also named James Ball. ^[9]

James married Mary Mauge (abt 1689-aft 1717), also known as Magie, Major, Mange, Magle, on 12 Aug 1708, at Boston, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay. ^{[10] [11]} Death dates are not available for either, i.e., the marriage end date has been estimated @ after 1717, based on the birth of Thomas, their last child. James and Mary had three children: ^[1]

1. Amos Ball (20 Jan 1709-abt 1791)
2. James Ball (abt 1715-Dec 1762)
3. Thomas Ball (abt 1717-abt 1749)

One source cites the following, regarding Thomas and James Ball (both the son, (1715-1762), and the father, (1690-aft 1716): ^[12]

"According to Dr. Joseph L. Druse, this James Ball's father was James and probably the immigrant ancestor of this family. He married Mary Major/Mauge 12 August 1708. He was quite possibly the same James "formerly of Boston" who was held captive by the Moors in Mequinez in 1695.They had at least 3 children: Amos, James and Thomas who was feeble minded and put in James care."

While the information regarding Thomas may be accurate, and has been reflected in his profile, the information about James (father) in Morocco is probably not. If he was born circa 1690, it is unlikely he was imprisoned in Meknes (Mequinez) at the age of 5.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} _ The New England Ball Project Site: James Ball (abt 1690-aft 1716)
2. ↑ _ U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
3. ↑ _ Ancestry.com: Ninian Beall Family Tree (user-submitted)
4. ↑ _ Geni.com: Ninian Beall Family Tree (user-submitted)
5. ↑ _ e-familytree.net: Alexander Beall and his descendants
6. ↑ _ Familysearch.org: Alexander Beall and his son James Beall 1690 from Maryland Family Tree (user-submitted)
7. ↑ _ Virginia Baptist Ministers by James Barnett Taylor, published in 1859
8. ↑ _ Familysearch.org: James Ball Family Tree (user-submitted)
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #71131745 James Ball on 27 Jan 1773
10. ↑ "The Stivers of East Tennessee and Allied Families" - Volume II. Compiled by Dorothy Stivers Brown and Forest David Brown, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Summer 1976.
11. ↑ _ MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE: James Ball (father) and Mary Mauge on 12 Aug 1708
12. ↑ _ Thomas Ball, James Ball (father), James Ball (son & brother)

Find a Grave Entries in this Biography

1. James Ball: Find A Grave: Memorial #71131745