The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-03
Death of Col. b. w. Ball.

March, 1894, editor OF THE ADYERTI-
SER, died at his home on Hampton
Street, in this city, at 5 40 O'Clock on
the morning Of Thursday, March 9th,
months and II days. Col, Ball con-
tracted a severe cold early in Novem-
Der and was in feeble health through
out the winter. On February 18th he
had an attack. with symptoms of heart
failure, but from this he quickly raj
lied, though he did not again leave his
room. He was not then regarded as In
immediate danger and it was hoped
that he would be able to return to his
office. At 20 minutes to 10 O'Clock on
the night Of March 9th, he was
being affected. After that he grad
ually sank until he passed away. His
funeral was held from the Church Of
the Epiphany, Episcopal, at IL A. Nj.
on the 18th, the services being con.
Quoted by Rev. w. S. Holmes, until re.
Gently the Rector. The interment
was in the family lot at the city GENE.
terry.
The pall-bearers were: Active-H,
X. Aiken, M. L. Copeland, w. e. Lu-
cas-, Jas. Il. Crews, Col. III. Y. Simpson,
Il. Bolt; honorary-Dr. Jno. A. Banks.
dale, III. w. Anderson, DIR. w. @. Irby,
w. w. Jones, L. w. Simkins, j. Henry
Kennedy, Col. T. b. Crews, w. III. Mar.
tin, S. ID. Darlington, DR. II. e. Todd.
DR.. j. j. Boozer, Col. j. w. Ferguson,
Judge o. G. Thompson and VIM. l..
Gray.
The funeral was attended by a large
c%oncourse, among those present being
a number of Confederate veterans
from various parts of Laurens county.
10 poll xuno hNrn N~.,N1a. 10
/ 1880, on the banks of Cane Greek near
it's confluence with the Saluda, in Gross
Hill township. John Ball, o well-to-
do farmer, was his father and Narcissa,
daughter of Capt. John Watts, was his
mother. His father died when the son
was four years old. The late DR.. John
p. Watts, of Cross Hill, his uncle, was
appointed his guardian. He was named
for another uncle, Col. Beaufort Taylor
Watts and by him in large measure
was brought up.
He attended neighborhood schools in
Cross Hill and when about ID, came to
school here, living at the home of his
second cousin, the late w. ID. Watts,
afterwards his father-in-law. At IA or
Is he entered Erskine College, where
he went through the sophomore class.
he then attended a high school in Co.
lumbia for a year, living with his uncle,
Col B. II. Watts, and the next year
entered the Junior Glass of the South
Carolina College,, gadua ing in 1851,
18th in a class of SO members. Return
office of the late g. p. Sullivan and was
admitted TO practice in 1854. Ia 1859
he was elected colonel of the 10th Mill
tia Regiment. When the wal between
the States began he was elected 1st
Lieutenant of a company commanded
by Col. Matt Jones, but when the COM
pany reached Columbia the regiment
was found TO be made up and 1t was
not mustered in. Col. Ball then VOL
nnteered in Co. B, Capt. M. w. Gary,
Hampton's Legion, and as a private,
became Colonel of the regiment and
made him Adjutant, and when Col.
Gary became brigadier general in 1864
he appointed Adjutant Ball Assistant
Adjutant General with the rank of
Captain, and as such he served until
Lees surrender. He was wounded
slightly once, a partially spent ball
striking his head and knocking him
senseless from his horse. Three horses
were killed under him, and once he was
a prisoner for five minutes, but by a
bold dash escaped.
In 1865 Col. Ball, (the old Militia IT,
tie stuck to him always, was elected a
member of the South Carolina Consti-
tutional Convention and in 1866 of the
House of Representatives. 10 1868 the
"radicals" backed by Federal soldiers
took charge of the State and all Dem
Ocrats were retired. In the late sixties
and early seventies Col. Ball edited the
Laurensville Herald. His editorial
policy was n Of savage d~enunciation
of ca~fpetbaggers and scalawags. the
| h,,rlar IF ~ hnin~ that u,htfo Sorth
Carolinians must be united, thus help.
ing to pave the way for the coming
great contest Of 1876. In 1876 he was
a member Of the Convention which
nominated Hampton for Governor and
favored the ''straightout" movement.
While In Columbia he was nominated
for Circuit Solicitor. The Laurens
Democracy elected him county Chair.
man and he held this position through
out the 1875 campaign and was success
sively reelected each two years until
1890 when he opposed the candidacy Of
Capt. TIllman. He was elected and
served as solicitor from 1877 to 1881.
In 1882 and 1884 he was an uusuccess-
full candidate for Congress but receiv.
ed the hearty and undivided support
of his county. In the last race he mar
rowly missed election. Col. Ball,
however, had few gifts as a politician.
In times like 1875 he was q cool, capa-
BILE and inspiring leader, the man of &c
tion for q critical emergency. But he
was little able to take care of himself as
an electioneerer. In fact he was as
ignorant of the ordinary, even legiti.
mate arts of seeking and getting Office
as a child. His last candidacy was for
tho Legislature In 1892 when he ran az
a Conservative. Defeat was a certain
ty but with Col. Ferguson, DIR. Banks.
dale and Capt. James Bell, he believed
it his duty to make the race.
In 1877 Col Ball was elected Grand
Master of Masons for South Carolina.
He was made a Mason by Palmetto
Lodge, No. 10, early in life aud filled
its various chairs. In 1890, long after
he had held all the honors that the
Lodge and Grand Lodge could bestow,
Palmetto needed his services as wor.
shipful Master again. He accepted
and faithfully served for about three
years and the present great prosperity
of the Lodge Is largely due to the re-
vival of interest then begun.
Since 1894. when the proprietor OF
this paper left the county, he has ed
tied THE ADVERTISER. From about
1878 to 1880 he p~racticed law with his
cousin, Richard @. Watts, now Judge
of the 4th Circuit. In 1892 he formed
a partnership with l.. w. Simkins
which continued until the failure of
his health caused him to suggest a dis