John Ball (c1585-1655)

Vital Statistics
John Ball was born about 1585 in Barkham Manor, Barkham, Berkshire, England and died November 01, 1655 in Concord, MA. He married Johanna King who was born Abt. 1598 in Wiltshire, England.John Ball came to America in 1636 with Gov. Winthrop's colony and settled in Watertown and later in Concord, Mass. He was admitted as Freeman 22 May 1650.


 * 1585 - Birth at Shalluck, Wiltshire, England
 * 1615 (?) - Marriage to Ruth (?)
 * 1620 - Marriage to Joanna King (1598-1634) in England - she died in England before 1634.
 * 1635 - Trip to America aboard the ship Planter in Winthrop's Fleet to Watertown, MA
 * 1642 - Settles Nashaway Plantation
 * 1650-May-22 : becomes freeman at Watertown, later moves to Concord with his son.
 * 1655-Nov-01 : Death at Concord, Massachusetts Colony

Biography
John Ball was born in England probably about 1585 and came to America, from Wiltshire England, on the ship Planter, in 1635 with the Winthrop Fleet. He settled in Watertown where he was made freeman May 22, 1650 and later moved to Concord where he lived with his son Nathaniel. In 1642 he was sent out to occupy and take care of land at the Nashaway Plantation, where a trucking house was built to trade with the Indians. He eventually moved back to Concord where he died in 1655.

John Ball is reported to be the son of William Ball of Wiltshire, England, whose six sons emigrated to New England. If this was the case, no proof can be found to support the report. In the scanty records no mention is made of his wife (by some authorities his wife was Joanna King). It is thought that she did not come to this country and had probably died before embarkation. The records show only two children, sons John and Nathaniel, although there may have been others.

Nashaway Plantation
The son John Ball later removed to Lancaster, a town on the western frontier at the time of King Phillip's War. It was originally called Nashaway Plantation when Sholan, sachem of the Nashaway Indians, deeded an 8 by 10 mil e tract to Henry Symonds and Thomas King. Sholan offered to sell this tract, which is 35 to 40 miles west northwest of Boston, if King and Symonds would build a trucking house on the land and trade with the Indians. The General Court confirmed the deed, and the trucking house was built in 1642 on the southeast side of George Hill. Three men were sent out to occupy the land and take care of the trucking house. These men were Lawrence Waters, Richard Linton, and John Ball, all three of whom are ancestors of Hattie Bruce. The first two built houses and settled with their families, but John Ball disappeared from the records. He evidently moved back to Watertown and was possibly the John Ball who died in Concord in 1655, although it was more likely his son John.

Inventory of John Ball's Estate - 1655
The inventory of John Ball's estate was taken on October 6, 1655 and totaled 30.6.10.[3/1:73]


 * [1] History of Watertown - Henry Bond, 1860
 * [2] Descendants of John Ball of Watertown - F.D. Warren, 1932
 * [3] Middlesex County Probate (First Series Docket 895)
 * [4] Records of Births Marriages and Deaths, First Book - Watertown Records, Vol. 1, 1894
 * [5] Middlesex County Probate (First Series Docket 895)

Marriage & Family

 * 1) John Ball, born 1620 in Norwich, Norfolk, England; died September 10, 1675 in Lancaster, Worcester, MA.
 * 2) Abigale Ball, born 1622 in England.
 * 3) Nathaniel Ball (1625-1705), born November 01, 1625 in Wiltshire, England; died January 14, 1705/06 in Concord, Mass. (or died 18 Apr 1709 ?)

References:

 * http://www.genealogy.com/users/r/o/w/Steven-Jon-Rowe/FILE/0002text.txt - Ball Family History Register
 * http://www.cjwrightpictures.com/wright/Wright/ball.html - Wright Family - Ball Ancestors