A Mystery: Mary Braden (died 1849) and her husband, Stephen Ball (died 1819)

Another Loudoun Co., Virginia Braden who has not been placed in the known Braden families is Mary Braden who married Stephen Ball.

I don't have a birth date for Mary, but if she was 18 when she married Stephen in 1809, then she was born about 1791.

I do not know who her parents were.  Another (now deceased) Braden researcher shows her as a daughter of Joseph Braden and his wife, Sarah.  I don't believe this is correct.  While Joseph and Sarah did indeed have a daughter named Mary, their Mary married William Fox.  Both Joseph and Sarah named her in their wills as their daughter, Mary Fox.  And when Mary (Braden) Fox died, she was still Mary Fox, so she did not remarry.

No, Mary, wife of Stephen Ball is not the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Braden.  Nor is she the daughter of any of Joseph and Sarah's sons (Robert, John, or Joseph).  She is too old to be their daughter.  Robert married in 1795; John in 1806; and Joseph in 1806.

Mary might be the daughter (or even granddaughter?) of Joseph Braden (or Breden) and his wife, Phoebe Bartleson.  Joseph and Phoebe married in 1770 and had four children that we know of:  Jane, James, Ezra, and Bartleson.  They were in Loudoun County from about 1784 to about 1804.  Jane Braden married John Hough in 1788 in Loudoun.  If Mary was the youngest daughter of Joseph and Phoebe, she might have chosen to stay in Loudoun with her older sister when their parents moved on.  Or perhaps she is a daughter of one of Joseph and Phoebe's sons.

Another possibility is that Mary was married to a man named Braden before she married Stephen Ball and that Braden is her married name.  If so, the problem again is that none of the Joseph and Sarah Braden line has any men that this could be.  We don't yet know much about James, Ezra or Bartleson, sons of Joseph and Phoebe, so they are a possibility.

More information is needed before we can determine what is correct.

So here is what we DO know about Mary Braden and Stephen Ball.

On 13 June 1803 a deed was made from Henry Ashly Bennett of Great Britain to Stephen and John Ball of Loudoun Co. for a mortgage on 109 acres along the Catoctan adjacent to Ball's Mill.  Two days later, on 15 June 1803, Isaac Ball of Loudoun deeded to Stephen and John Ball 109 acres in the Catoctan tract purchased by Isaac's father, Farling Ball, near Ball's Mill.

On 14 April 1809, in Loudoun Co., a marriage bond was taken out for the marriage of Mary Bradon to Stephen Ball.  Mahlon Janney proved the bride's age.  They were married either April 16 or June 18, 1809.  Various sources give differing dates, but Spring 1809 seems correct.  They were married by James Saunders.  Stephen was probably a son of Farling Ball and his wife, Mary (maiden name Revels?).

I do not have a birth date for Stephen Ball, either.  I know that in 1797, a Stephen Ball witnessed the will of John Redman, so if this is the same person, he was probably 21 by 1797, making him born about 1776.  But I don't know if this is the correct man.

Stephen is found on the 1810 census in Loudoun Co., Virginia.  And on 4 August 1810, he witnessed a deed between Robert Braden and Isaac Hough.

He is found on the tax lists for Loudoun Co. until 1819.  He does not appear on the 1820 census.

The birth dates of their children have not been confirmed.  We know of these children:  Napoleon Ball, Armistead Mason Ball, Massena Ball, and Charlotte E. Ball.

On 13 August 1818, the executors of the estate of Mahlon Janney (James Moore, Asa Moore, and John Williams) sold to Stephen Ball 2 acres adjoining Murtho Sullivan.  This was witnessed by Robert Braden and Abiel Jenners.  Another deed made the same day by Elizabeth Sullivan (widow of Murtho) and her minor sons, Samuel and William, to Stephen for 20 acres.  Apparently, Murtho Sullivan and Stephen Ball had made an agreement to exchange a saw mill lot that Sullivan had purchased of Moses Coldwell for a lot that Ball got from the executors of Mahlon Janney.   And another deed dated 13 August 1818 (not filed in court until 1823), deeds an 87 perch lot from Isaac and Leah Steer to Stephen Ball.  This lot was adjacent the purchases by Ball from Mahlon Janney and Murtho Sullivan.  Yet another deed, this one dated 28 July 1818, conveys 200 acres from the heirs of Moses Coldwell to Elizabeth Sullivan and her sons, and says that Murtho Sullivan had sold the land to Stephen Ball before his death, but not conveyed it.  

Mary and Stephen were only married about ten years.  Stephen died in an accident on 18 November 1819 when he fell into a well on the property of James Moore in Waterford.

In a letter from Waterford dated, 6 December 1819, Samuel Hough (brother of Isaac Hough who married Fanny Braden) wrote to his nephew, John Hough James, and mentioned the death of Stephen Ball:

I must not forget to relate to you a sad accident which happened about 10 or [?] days since—Steven Ball was missing a particular evening and search was made for him the next day in vain. Another night his family and friends spent in the most dreadful apprehensions. On the next morning he was found in a situation that wou^d excite the pity of the most harden^d. He had been at work on that day at Mahlon Janney’s saw mill. In the evening on his way home to his family of which he was passionately fond, he call^d in at the House of James Moore on some little business where he staid until it became very dark. He appear^d rather jovial about the time of leaving, but poor fellow! he had not gone more than 15 steps [when?] he by some misstep fell and was precipitated to the bottom of the draw well buried all to one of his shoe toes by which he was at last found. We had a jury of inquest over him who were uniformly of the opinion that his death was the result of accident. There were two contusions in his head one in the center above his forehead, the opposite his skull was fractur^d so that if 20 men had seen him fall they could not have taken him out alive. He stood nearly erect on his head and arms put out as if to help himself out but “Alas poor Yorrick!!!” My love to your mother and the children as also to your Uncle Isaac’s family. I conclude your’s affectionately   Saml Hough Jr

An inquest was held inquiring into the circumstances of the death.  The inquest of 20 November 1819 concluded that:

"...Stephen Ball late of the said County, Labourer on the evening of the 18th came to the house of James Moore aforesaid in Waterford and there remained until between seven and eight o'clock at night and that the said Stephen Ball left the house of the said James Moore for the purpose as they suppose of returning home when the night being dark he by some unfortunate accident fell into a well in the yard of the aforesaid James Moore and thereby lost his life. The Jury further state that they find the skull bone of the deceased fractured and also some other contusions on the head and hands all of which they believe he received by the aforesaid accident whilst falling into the well. The Jury have heard evidence to satisfy them that the deceased was neither intoxicated nor in any way deranged...."

Stephen Ball did not leave a will.  Abiel Jenners was named the administrator of his estate.  The affairs of the estate had still not been settled when Abiel died in 1824 and so in May 1826, the sheriff took control of his estate.

On 23 February 1820, an inventory and accounting was made of Stephen's estate by James Moore, J.B. Stevens, and Thomas Phillips.  His estate consisted of farm and household items and $1390 in bonds.

On 14 March 1821, Napoleon Ball, orphan of Stephen Ball, was apprenticed to Daniel Mock until he was 17 years old to learn to be a farmer.

In October 1835, daughter, Charlotte Ball married Lial T. Beach in Loudoun Co., Virginia.

In 1838, son Napoleon Ball married Lucindy Robinson in Copiah Co., Mississippi.

In 1839, son Armistead Mason Ball married Hannah Hayman in Jefferson Co., Virginia.

Son, Massena Ball, does not appear to have married.  He died in 1851 in Montgomery Co., Texas.


Stephen's widow, Mary (Braden) Ball did not remarry.  I have no other information on her until she made her will 30 years after Stephen's death, on 5 April 1849.  Her will follows:

Loudoun Co. Will book 2D page 328:  Will of Mary Ball - April 5, 1849 - Aug 13, 1849:
    I Mary Ball of the County of Loudoun and State of Virginia do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following VIZ -
    I direct that my Executors herein after named, shall so soon after my decease as may be convenient pay all my just debts and funeral expenses, which debts and expenses I desire shall be paid out of such funds as may be collected by executor on account of debts due me at my decease and should be the amount derived from this source be insufficient then so much only of my personal property shall be sold as may be necessarily for that purpose.
    I further direct that the whole of my estate both real and personal after the payment of my debts and funeral expenses shall be held by my executor in trust for the sole use and benefit of my daughter Charlotte Beach during her natural life uncontrolled by her husband or any other person whatsoever, but my Executor shall not be held responsible for the personal property which he may place in the hands of my daughter Charlotte.  Should the debts due me at the time of my decease be more than sufficient for the payment of those due from me and my funeral expenses, the excess shall be loaned out at interest, and the interest accruing thereon together with the rents of my real estate shall be annually received by my Executor and by him paid over to my daughter Charlotte Beach during her natural life for her sole use and benefit, and at her death I will and direct that all of my real estate and such of my personal property as may then be in the possession of my Executor or my daughter Charlotte shall be sold by my executor and the proceeds thereof together with any money there is in the hands of my Executor or loaned at interest as before directed shall be equally divided amongst the children then living of my said daughter Charlotte Beach to whom (that is the said children) and their heirs - I give and bequeath the same forever.
    And lastly I hereby nominate and appoint Henry T. Gover Executor of this my last will and Testament and having entire confidence in his integrity I desire that me may be permitted to qualify as such without giving security.
    In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 5th day of April 1849.
Signed:  Mary Ball       signed and ack'd before us:  Noble S. Braden, Geo. W. Russell.

At a Court held for Loudoun County 13th August 1849
    A paper purporting to be the last will and Testament of Mary Ball dec'd was presented to the Court proved by the oaths of Noble S. Braden and George W. Russell the subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Henry T. Gover the executor therein named who made affirmation as such and entered into and acknowledged bond in penalty of one thousand dollars conditioned according to law, certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.  Teste; Chas. G. Eskridge Clk.
 
Mary (Braden) Ball died between the date she signed her will (5 April 1849) and the date it was entered into probate (13 August 1849).  Her burial site has not been found.

So here are the questions:

Who are Mary Braden Ball's parents?
When was she born?
Where is she buried?
How does she fit in with the known Braden families in Loudoun Co. at the time?

Mary Braden, d. between 5 Apr 1849 and 13 Aug 1849 at Loudoun Co., VA

+Stephen Ball, m. 18 Jun 1809 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 18 Nov 1819 at Waterford, Loudoun Co., VA

├── Napoleon Ball, b. circa 1815 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. before 1850

│   +Lucindy Robinson, m. 25 Mar 1838 at Copiah Co., MS

│   ├── Mary A. Ball, b. 1838 at MS

│   ├── Margaret A. Ball, b. 1841 at MS

│   └── Elizabeth Ball, b. 1843 at LA

├── Armistead Mason Ball, b. circa 1815, d. 8 Jun 1861 at Jefferson Co., VA

│   +Hannah Hayman, b. circa 1822, m. 31 Oct 1839 at Jefferson Co., VA, d. 1862

├── Massena Ball, b. circa 1820, d. circa 1851 at Montgomery Co., TX

└── Charlotte E. Ball, b. between May 1809 and 1819, d. 15 May 1900 at Loudoun Co., VA

    +Lial T. Beach, b. circa 1813, m. 12 Oct 1835 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 7 Jan 1884 at Loudoun Co., VA

    ├── Mary Beach, b. circa 1838

    ├── Mecena ? Beach, b. circa 1840

    ├── Stephen S. Beach, b. circa 1842

    ├── Sellma Beach, b. circa 1844

    ├── Armistead M. Beach, b. circa Feb 1848 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 26 Jul 1855 at Loudoun Co., VA

    ├── Silas W. Beach, b. circa 1850

    ├── Ann H. Beach, b. Nov 1850 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 27 Jul 1855

    ├── Cornelius Vernon Beach, b. 10 Apr 1853 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 8 Jul 1911 at Loudoun Co., VA

    ├── Thomas Ball Beach, b. 25 Jul 1855 at Loudoun Co., VA, d. 19 Feb 1926 at Loudoun Co., VA

    ├── Theadocia Beach, b. circa 1857

    └── Rachel Beach, b. circa 1860

I'd like to especially thank John and Bronwen Souders and Pat B. Duncan for their help with the research that is the basis for this post.