Biography of Henry Hutton Ball - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 544 HENRY HUTTON BALL, proprietor of the substantial and prosperous mercantile enterprise conducted under the title of the Hub Clothing Company at Princeton, Mercer County, is one of the representative citizens and merchants of the thriving little city that is the judicial center of this county, and he is serving at the time of this writing, in the winter of 1921-2, as president of the Business Men's Club of Princeton. He was born in Russell County, Virginia, May 15, 1879, and is a son of Isaiah Drake Ball and Rebecca (Lockhard) Ball, both likewise natives of Russell County and representatives of old and honored families of that sec- tion of Virginia. Isaiah D. Ball was seventy-nine years of age at the time of his death, June 29, 1821, his wife having passed away in 1907, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a saddler and harnessmaker and also owned a small farm in his native county, whence as a young man he went forth as a loyal soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war. He was a staunch democrat and took deep interest in party affairs, though never desiring to hold public office. He died in Prineeton, West Virginia, at the home of his daugh- ter, the wife of Dr. B. W. Bird. Mrs. Isaiah D. Ball died in Roanoke, Virginia. Both were zealous members of the Baptist Church, in which Mr. Ball long served as a deacon. Of the twelve children six are now living. Henry H. Ball attended the schools of his native county until he was fourteen years of age and thereafter worked his way through the high school at Tazewell, Virginia. He then obtained the position of timekeeper in the employ of Walton & Luck, railroad contractors, in McDowell County, West Virginia. Later he clerked in a general store at Welch, that county, and he next came to Bluefield, Mercer County, and took a position with the Ferrell Mercantile Company. This connection continued until 1906, when he came to Princeton and engaged in the men's clothing and fnrnishing-goods business. He had saved from his earnings about $1,000, and on this basis and that of timely assistance of friends, as coupled with his excellent business reputation, he was able to begin his independent business under favorable conditions. He now conducts one of the large and well equipped mercan- tile establishments of Prineeton, and has made the Hub Clothing Company known and honored for excellent service and fair and honorable dealings. In more recent years Mr. Ball has conducted also a prosperous real estate busi- ness, and associated in the same with his brother John K., he has erected a number of houses in Princeton, his civic pride and loyalty being such that he is ever ready to do all in his power to further the material and civic advance- ment of his home city. He was president of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce at the time when its title was changed to the Princeton Business Men's Club, and of the latter he is now the president. He is a democrat in politi- cal allegiance, is a member of the Baptist Church, and his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The year 1904 recorded the marriage of Mr. Ball and Miss Eva Bolin, daughter of F. A. Bolin, who formerly lived at Athens, this state, but who is now a resident of Princeton. Mr. and Mrs. Ball have two children: Helen Lockhard and Virginia Gordon. Another daughter, Mary Lee, died at the age of seven years. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************