The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-05-05

The lady, Mrs Spears, Of New Jersey,
who intends placing an iron railing
around the graves Of the Montagues
whose mutilated tombs are lying near
that Of Capt Richard Ball, in the old
Ball burial ground, near Lancaster
Court house. is descendant Of the
Montagues. it is said.
This place the widest and most weird
that can be conceived by the lmaRina-
tion. where cedars stand OF century +
growth. and where owls and other dis
agreeable things make night hideous, was
once the scene Of busy life. The homely
appellatiou of Burnt Ohimneys. does
not convey 10 the mind what 1t really
was In the time that John Esten Cooke
termed, The golden age Of Virinia. "
Those mute symbols Of the past. the
immense chimEeys, have long ago fallen,
and the moss covered bricks carried of.
Years ago Mr.. Harvey GTes-
ham, Of this county, succeeded in col
lecting the scattered fragments Of the
huge stone slab which covered the re-
mains Of his remote ancestor, Capt.
Richard Ball and with pains and pa.
tience placed them together thus re-
vealing the folly Of what we are wont
to term the good old times. " in
bringing 70 the light OF modern eyes the
rhyme Il many lines We do not know
why oG where such large blocks Of stone
were Quarried. or why so much yarbsge
vas used This Capt Richard Ball
must have figured as captain Of militia
during the Indian troubles He died in
1925. and was grandson Of the first
William Ball, who settled at Millen-
beck, so consequently he was nephew
Of Joseph Ball, made famous in history
as the father Of Mary Ball, mother Of
Washington. Near the tombs Of Capt.
Il Ball and his wife, who was Sarah
Young. are those of TWO Of his daugh-
ters, Mrs Montague and Mrs Seldom
Two daughters, Mrs Margaret Ball,
who married his first cousin, and Mrs.
Esther Glasscook. are not buried at
Burnt Chimneys." The latter, who
married Capt. William GlAsscock, a
wealthy Scotch merchant. was happily
domiclled at her husbands lovely plan
tation on the RAppAhannock in Rich.
mond county. and probably buried
there. This Capt. VIM. G. brought not
only money to this country but brains,
commodity which many Of that day
lacked. His daughter, Priscilla Glass
cock a grand. daughter Of Capt. Richard
Ball. married first her Aunt Margaret S
son. williamson Ball, and was left q
young widow with two children. Aft.
erwArd she married Muugo Harvey
who, like Glasscock, was Of Scotch ori-
gin. The compiler Of the history Of the
Ball family, the Rev. Mr.. Hayden, has
unfortunately placed Mungo Harvey in
his book in three separate pages as
Mango Henry. Mrs. Margaret Ball re-
membered her niece and daughter.in-
law, Priscilla, in her will leaving her
Westmoreland property TO her two Ball
children, as we'll as to the Harvey chill.
dren. Mrs Mungo Harvey also owned
large estate near the KilmsrnOck Bap'
tist church, in Lancaster. The writer
will be excused in trying to correct the
mistake inadvertently made by Mr..
Hayden in his book, as there are many
in Westmoreland, in Lancaster and in
many Southern and Western States who
are interested, and like herself, are the
great grand. children Of Mungo and
Priscilla Harvey, and thus are direct
descendants Of the first VIM. Ball, of
Miilenbeck. The early Balls brought
plenty Of means to this country. and
possessed the happy gift Of making
money but unfortunately, they married
among brainy people who possessed the
unhappy faculty Of spending it
There was a "match game" Of base
ball between the White Marsh and
Lively.Oak clubs last Saturday at Ian.
caster o. H., the Lively's coming out
victorious. OF the most successful
players was the mascot Of the White
Marsh club, little thirteen year.old Joe
Douglass, son Of Mr Robt. L. Doug
lass. who was not much taller than the
bat he he in his hand. He received
blow In -. eye, bat all unflinching,
he played on. declaring it "did
not hurt - Several ladies were
among the spectators which ac-
counts for the universal enthusiasm
among the ranks Of the various clubs in
the county.
Mr.. Thomas Pinksrd, of "Melrose, ="
died Saturday night. the 2Sth. at an
advanced age, and will be buried today
at his home. He had been feeble for
some time.
The apple and pear trees are full OF
oaterpillars, which are very destructive
A hen egg in our possession measures
6lS inches one way and little over s
inches lengthwise. eleanor.