Yolo-Solano-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Ball, Thomas D. 1826 - 1902
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2006, 10:08 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

THOMAS D. BALL

    One of the earliest settlers of Winters was Mr. Ball, who contributed
materially toward the development of this section, and whose death, February 27,
1902, deprived his fellow citizens of one of their most beloved friends and
co-workers.

    Mr. Ball was born May 10, 1826, in Columbiana county, Ohio, in which
locality he spent his youth, during the winter months attending district school
and during the summer assisting on the farm of his parents, William and Rachel
(Bradfield) Ball, natives of Virginia. The history of the Ball family has been
traced back to the year 1381 in England. Early representatives who came to
America settled in Massachusetts and some of them served in the Revolutionary war.

    At the age of twenty-two, Thomas D. Ball engaged in his trade of carpenter
and joiner, his services being greatly in demand in Marietta and vicinity. Later
he removed to Iowa, thence to Springfield, Ill., still continuing at his trade,
and in 1858 he came to California via the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San
Francisco after a journey of three weeks. Proceeding to Vacaville, Solano
county, he resumed his trade and among other buildings erected the Wolfskill
residence on the banks of Putah creek, after the flood of 1862. While living in
Vacaville he organized the Masonic lodge of that place. Afterwards he located in
Sacramento, where he soon became well known as a successful builder, and sixteen
years later he settled in Winters, where he purchased blocks two, three and four
and erected a comfortable home, devoting much of his attention to the
improvement of his property, which he beautified with many varieties of trees
and shrubs. His first marriage occurred in Virginia and united him with Miss
Polly Hoagland, who died in Sacramento. His second marriage was solemnized in
Sacramento, March 24, 1867, uniting him with Miss Elizabeth N. Stamper, of Bath
county, Ky., and the only child of their marriage, Mary Alice, died in infancy.
Mrs. Ball is of Scotch ancestry and was not only closely related to the Neely
family of Welsh descent, and the Ralstons of Scotch ancestry, but also to Martha
Washington, of Virginia. Her great uncle, John Neely, was one of the earliest
settlers of Virginia and an Indian fighter. Her great-grandfather, Joseph Neely,
before the Revolutionary war, with his wife and a few neighbors defended a
blockhouse in Kentucky from the onslaught of the Indians.

    Mr. Ball was a stanch Republican, and by means of wide reading and active
public labors, kept fully abreast of the times. Since the death of her husband
Mrs. Ball has continued to reside in the home place in Winters, and as a
conscientious and valued member of the Congregational Church has demonstrated
her strength of character and practical sympathy.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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