Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-11
VASHTNGTON'S MOTHER.
ugr OLD VIRGINIA FAMILY OF
H. MARY BALL.
~.,L with One of the Three Persons
- cIaim to be Nearest of Kin of
,rashingtOn-COl. William Ball of
,SnIsnbeck'' and His Line.


From the Washington Star.
Mr.. Ebenezer Burgess Ball, who resides,
.his city. is a member of the Ball fami-
~ y, virginia, which gave to the world
worv Ball, the mother of Washington. If
=. wore matter of controversy whether
remington was most like his mother or
~, fotber in appearance Mr.. Ball would
~ us,r in his own person evidence in behalf
" tba mother. This testimony would
s.,rever. be rendered little doubtful, be-
.orsa through intermarriage Mr.. Ball has
n bis veins some of the blood Of the
II family as well as that OF the
Dali, Though over 70 years of age Mr..
Baii "a tall, erect and large-limbed. His
200 200 hears a striking resemblance to that
"a Washington. The firm, we'll cut
~ylortb and nose and the general contour
"a tho face are the same as those seen in
a, portrait of Washington.
THE NEAREST OF KIN.
1.-THE impression that those who bear
Ne neme are of nearest kin of Washing
~. alO ia not correct" said Mr.. Ball to re-
sortor when asked for some facts in rela-
f ion IN his family. SPY intermarriage the
Rolls became nearer related than any one
aIsot N Washington. Col. Burgess Ball,
v,lC was my grandfather, and served with
Sistinction in the Revolution, was related
"a washington, not only through his
fWasbingt0n's) mother, Mary Ball, but
married Washington's niece, Frances
Washington. There are now only three
If tbe direct descendants of Col. Burgess
Rail and Frances Washington living, and
thew are the nearest OF kin of Gen.
Washington. They are my cousins,
George washington Ball, of Fauquier
county. Va, and Mrs. Catherine Little
tOp. Of Loudoun, and myself. Ny grand
father was very near to washington, a
relative, a member for while of his mill
tsry family, and then he married Wash
ingtop's kinswoman. He was Colonel,
and raised troops at his private expense.
Several years ago." continued Mr.. Ball,
"a society was formed for the purpose of
erecting monument to Mary Ball, the
mother Of Washington. This object was
George Washington Bail, who was in
terested in the project, commenced at that
time TO investigate the genealogy of the
Bali family, and traced it back to the year
Of 1880"
The GENEALoGY OF THE BALL FAMILY.
Theresults of George w ashington Balps
researches into the family history are set
forth in a monograph which he has re-
Gently written on "The Maternal Ances-
try and Nearest of Kin of Washington"
The family tree begins with William Ball,
lord of the manor of Barkham, Berks,
England, who died 1850. This line has
been traced In England, without inter-
ruptiOn. down to Col. VIM. Ball, who mar
RED Hannah AtheTall, of London, emf
grated to Virginia 1857, settled "Millen-
beck" plantation, on the Rappahannock,
and died 1850. One of his sons was Joseph
Ball. of "Epping Forrest" the father Of
Mary Ball and the grandfather of Wash
ington. Another son was Capt. VIM.
Ball, Of "Millenbeck," who was the great
grandfather of Col. Burgess Ball. Capt.
Balrs son, Maj. James Ball, married Mary
Conway, daughter of Anne, half-sieter
Of Mary Ball. Mai. James BalPs son Jed
uthon In turn married Elizabeth Burgess,
great granddaughter of Hannah Ball,
the only daughter of the original Col.
Wm. Ball, who settled "Millenbeck."
COL Burgess Ball was son Of Jeduthon
and Elizabeth. and could claim, through
his father, his grandmother, Mary Con-
way, and his mother, Elizabeth Burgess, a
treble relationship to Mary Ball and her
illustriOus son. Col. Burgess Ball in turn
married Frances Washington, daughter of
Charles Washington, brother of George,
and the descendants from this marriage
claim fourfOld relationship to the hero
Of the struggle OF independence. Col,
Burgess Ball lett six children, Mildred T.
Ball, Fayette Ball. who was a gOdson of
Washington, Capt. G. W. Ball, DR..
i Charles B. Ball, Frances Washington
Ball and Martha cambridge Ball. The
ines Of the latter two and of Capt. q.
v. Ball are extinct. Mildred married
VIM. NJ. Thompson, Of Culpeper county,
a., and her only surviving descendants
/ s Mrs Catherine Littleton, of Loudoun,
halt sister of Hon. Richard W. Thomp.
! son, Of Indiana. Fayette BalPs only
cllId was Mr.. George Washington Ball,
WHO IS now living. DIR. Charles B. Ball
iad two sons, MIR. Ebenezer Burgess Ball
ana Judge Charles b. Ball. The latter
died in 1882.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BALLS.
Mr.. Ebenezer Burgess Ball stated to a
reporter that strangers who knew moth
ng Of his family connections had fire.
lently spoken to him of his resemblance
Washineton. The family character
sues Of the Balls, he SAID, were mani
ssled in Washington. The men of the
amlly were tall and large.
mr. q. W. Ball, in tracing out the fami-
history discovered probable connec-
lOh OF the Virginia Balls with Sir Alex
sller John Ball, Admiral of the blue, who
sungulshed himself at the siege Of
aslta with Maj. Ball, who half century
slOre took his life in his hand and went
fnpnqf CfT u n11 90 ma r.Io wit
wy highland deserters, aud with other
slls who have figured in English histo-
Z The family had as coat OF arms a
1a rampant with a globe in his paws,
lIn helmet, shield and visor, and on
'toll the motto ''Coelum Tueri."
The MOTHER OF WASHINGTON.
MARY BAN was descended from good
usush stock not only on the Ball side,
oOn the side of her mother, who APP
ars 70 have been a Miss Montague, a
euOer Of the English family Of that
NV sIe descended from the extinct earls OF
so9ry. Unfortunately no portrait OF
sy Ball exists. Only a few trinkets re-
a'l as relics. AS girl she was known
p.IWe Rose Of Epping Forest' and the
le OF the Northern Neck" When %
az az Oh she married Augustine Wash
9n, gentleman ten years her senior.
s.Wen years afterwards she was left
~ow with the care OF five young chill
y, among whom was the boy destined
oeuome the Father OF His Country.
-, appears TO have discharged her
SERIAL duties in a most exemplary
s ssler' Her training and precepts
SsIihgton himself acknowledged 10
9een the foundation Of his fortune
Nme. George Washington Parke
wv, 10 his memoir Of her, says moth
sIs not lived better fitted than she was