Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-02-23
NEAREST OF KIN.

Major Ebenezer Burgess Ball. after q
careful investigation of his genealogy
by the Sons of American Revolution
has been declared by them to be the
nearest living relative of George Wash
ington. Aside from this fact, in itself
sufficient to awaken the interest of all
in the man, Major Ball, when dressed
in the uniform of the continental
army, bears remarkable personal re-
semblance to the great patriot. Al
first sight his picture is nearly always
taken for a likeness of General Wash
ington. Mary Ball, the mother OF
Washington, was a cousin of Col. Bur-
ges Ball, the grandfather of the sub
ject of this sketch. Washington re-
sembled his mothers family, and it is
from the same source that Major Ball
gets his likeness to his illustrious
kinsman.
Major Ball has led a varied and ro-
mantle life. He was born at the fam
| lily home, famous in history as Balls
bluff, not far from Leesburg, Virginia.
When a young man he began CONNER
cial life in Washington; but subse-
quently gave it up, went west and be-
came famous as an Indian fighter and
California pioneer. At the beginning
of the civil war he returned and fought
in the confederate army, for what he
thought were the outraged rights of
his native state. The close of the
war found him homeless and destitute
and he secured small business
privilege in the court of the pension Of
flee at Washington, where he still la
bors. His distinguished bearing and
remarkable resemblance to Washing
ton attracts much attention to him.
WASHINGTON WOMEN.
When Mary Bell was q years old
she was married to a widower ten
years her senior-a man with four
children. His name was Augustine
Washington and he had considerable
land, which was cheap at that time.
They entered upon their welded life
March 6, 1871. The 22d of February
following their first child was born
and they named him George. Mary
Washington had five other children,
and she brought up the entire flock Of
ten-four of them another woman's-
so that none disgraced her, and some
did her infinite credit, one, at least,
earning Lord Brougham's eulogy that
he was 1.-THE greatest man Of our own
or any other age"
All who are entitled TO nave an
opinion unite in saying that it was
from his mother that this great man
inherited his abilities, He was re-
markably like her in feature and like
her family in stature and figure. And,
like her, he did s duty, stopping at
no obstacle. Mary Washington was
woman OF her time-and it was a
harder time than this. Her husband
died after twelve years of married life,
leaving her the land and the children.
rhe house in which they all lived had
three rooms below and an attic above.
They we're simply dressed. the girls in
hnsey-woolsey spun at home; the boys
in suits of tow A suit in those days
consisted of a shirt and pair of trous-
ers. In summer they were hatless and
barefooted; in Winter they had caps
and shoes. II they felt cold they put
on another tow shirt and another pair
of tow pantaloons. II they were still
cold they put on three. Mary Wash
ington did the cooking, washing. tail
oring and all the rest She had little
help except from the older children.
For her one luxury she smoked a pipe
George Washington had a good eye,
and he never used 1t to better advan-
tage than in looking at pretty girls. He
began to fall in love with them when
be was 10 years old. He never fell
out of love with them. Ebert Hub
bard calls attention TO the fact that he
went long way out OF his road dur
ing his first journey westward to see
an InGian princess rejoicing in the
lame OF Aliguippa. The Indians
named him Conotancarius, n the