Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-10

rous tokens remain Of once opulent and
elegant home
Traditions are still rife as TO the gay
and froiicksome habits OF the owners or
these two places, and documentary PROOF
I. not wanting that amidst the ease and
plcnty OF their prosperous years the god
dess OF the chase and the god Of the ban
quet led their pastImcs and pleasures
We have reason to believe the spirit OF
the song:
Landlord, I'll the flowing bowl
Until II doth run over:
For tonight wen merry, merry be
And tomorrow wen get sober"
was not wanting in their hospitable and
festive halls.
SPENCER MOTTRAM BALL,
the eldest son OF Colonel Spencer Ball.
succeeded his father I'm the occupancy
of the "Coan-Hall" homo. He was In
early manhood allured BY Cupid beyond
the Rappahannock. and found his re-
ward In winning the hand OF Miss Betty
Waring laughter Of Colonel Francis
Waring, Of Essex He held In his ire
time the Offices which his father had held
before him, besides serving in lf5 as
Sheriff. He was one OF the patriotic band
In 1866 TO the Westmoreland protest
against the memorable Stamp Act.
The womanly vine transplanted by him
from Essex proved TO be fruitful one.
and four sons and as many daughters.
eraced this ancsnt home during the
welded life of the above named couple
one OF their daughters became at her
marriage Mrs. Joseph Conway. and an
other, named Judith. having married
James Burwel bote 10 one OF the dlstanl
pioneer settlements In Tennessee ths
tender memories and Interesting tradl-
lions o. her early home on the Potomac
shore.
OF the sons Of Captain Spencer NJ. Ban.
two-.scencer aid Mottram-sought wives
in two families living Oh the head waters
of Nomini. In Westmoreland Their suits
were successful In each case. and spencer
married Betty Landon. one Of the hume
rous DAUGHTERS of Councillor Robert
Carter. Of "Nomony Hail." and the
Younger brother, Mottram. welded
Martha Corbin Turberville. daughter OF
John Turberville. Esq. The younger son.
Henry Waring. found bride In the per
son of Saliis SHELTON daughter Of Catesoy
jones' who survived her marriage only
Few years. He married secondly Miss
Catharine b. Frost.
n
generations had been allured to the
upper country, so the above named
Spencer and his young wife went to
Prince william. where they established
their home near the now historic Ma
nassas battlefield. They called their
residence "Portlsi," and under its shelter
reared a large family. whose descendants
are now extensively distributed.
DR.. Mottram Ball, who afterwards mar
red Miss Tuberville, returned from Eng
land where he had pursued his studies
in the universities Of Edinburgh and Glas-
cow. in 1890 and entered upon the prac-
tlce Of medicine in his native county.
Several children were born TO him under
the roof of the old Coan Hall home du-
ring the early years of the present cen
fury. In January, 1914 amidst the APP
prehensions and perils OF the war with
Great Britain, DR.. Ball concluded 20 sell
the old homestead on the Potomac, and
remove to Fairfax county. which he did
A few months later august s, 1910, whilst
the British feet was cruising in the
Potomac, a detachment of soldiers and
sailors, under Major Lewis and Lieuten-
ant Malcolm. entered Coan river in
barges. captured three schooners. and
burned the public warehouse and numer-
Gus dwellings near the water The Coan
Hall mansion fell a prey to this act of
vandalism.
Social interest in this old residence
died out with its loss. and but few, per-
haps, retained the impressions Of its form
er comfort social charm, and ele-
gance. But the widow OF DR.. Ban. who
survived him for more than a scor- OF
years. and died as late 1865. carried
into a green old age the freshest ana
fondest memories of the lowland home
which had welcomed her as a bride. and
where were disclosed the earliest bios
SONS of her welded Joy.
Mention may be made here, also. OF
two Of her sons, who looked back from
their subsequent homes, in Fairfax, 10
this old residence as the place OF their
nativity One OF these was Spencer NJ
Ball. who married Miss Mary Dulany in
the spring Of 1893. and reared a numerous
family at the home, which he called
.'Woo6berry." Two OF his sons were
dashing cavalrymen, under "Jeb" stuart
one Of whom, NJ. Dulany Ball. was lieu-
Of the Eleventh Virginia
cavalry. and died in 1876, whilst serving
as United States District Attorney at
Sitlxa- Alaska.
The other son Of Mrs. Ball, who. ! be
lieye. first saw the light at "Coan Hall,
was William Waring Ball, who dwelt
Langley" in Fairfax, where also, il
union with Dorothy II. McCabe, be
reared d large household of children
Two of his patriotic sons-Summerhe
and John Henry-sealed their devotion &c
Vjrsinis by laying down their lives In tn
army in her defence, whilst serving in th'
above-named cavalry regiment. Mos
of the other children Of this union hay
survived and have been happily married
and give liberal promise in their offsprini
of perpetuating the family name an
virtues.
The two residences which stood on th
unner part Of the "Coan HALF planta
ton probably met the same fate as tina
which befen the old mansion at tn
hands of the British. Their latest oc
cupants appear to have been James V.
and Spencer Ball, the sons of Jane
Hitler in 1905 came with his youthfu
bride
COLONEL JAMES VAUX BALL.
a lieutenant at the time in the United
States army He is interesting, as ID
last link that l can discover connectin
the family Of Ball with this old home
stead with whose fortunes they ha
been so closely united for more than
century sad memorial Of the bligh
that fell on the brief span of his wedde
10Y here remains In d slab. half hide
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Esss d SA,
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