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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lawrence County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William J. Ball, retired merchant and farmer, was born near Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tenn., September 13, 1825. He is a son of W. T. Ball, an Englishman, and a native of Worcestershire, whose histories and adventures would till a volume. The elder Ball was a soldier in the English army, and fought under the famous Wellington. He took part in seven battles against the great Napoleon, and fought under Blucher on the memorable field of Waterloo. He was a member of the British army at the battle of New Orleans, but the principles of liberty were so strongly instilled in his mind that he found it impossible to fight against them, and deserted the ranks to join the younger nation in its struggle against the mother country. After the war had ended, he came to the State of Tennessee and settled in Rutherford County, where he was married to Miss Jane Jordan, native of that State, whose father was one of its pioneers. He resided in Rutherford County, one mile from Murfreesboro, up to the year 1835, when he moved to Bradley’s Creek, of the same county, and lived there till 1851,then selling out and moving to Gibson County, where he lived until 1867 He then moved back to Rutherford County, where he died in 1873. W. J. Ball remained with his father in Rutherford County until his eighteenth year, and then received the contract for carrying the mails by stage coach through that section until the fall of 1858. He then moved to Lawrence County, Ark., and bought a farm in Spring River Township for farming purposes, but shortly afterward entered into business at Powhatan, and was dealer in general merchandise up to the time of war, and during that period had charge of a distillery on Martin’s Creek, for the government. In January, 1866, he moved to Gibson County, Tenn., more for the purpose of giving his children the advantages of a good schooling than anything else, but while there, engaged in the general merchandise business. At the expiration of a year he returned to Lawrence County, and settled upon the place he now occupies, and began selling goods. He had been an active businessman up to the year 1886, when he turned the business over to his son, who continues at it with the same enterprise that characterized his father. In 1868 Mr. Ball was appointed postmaster at Opposition, and still has charge of the office. He owns 320 acres of land on his home place, with about 180 acres cleared, and has eighty acres in clover and meadow, and about 100 acres under cultivation. Mr. Ball was married on September 13, 1846, to Miss Mary Crouse, of Rutherford County, Tenn., a daughter of Harmon G. Crouse. There are five children living by this marriage: George W., Samuel H., Joseph, now carrying on the business here; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Hallowell; Hattie, wife of F. M. Graves, and William T. and John, who are deceased, the former in 1882 and the latter in 1889. Mr. Ball and his family are all members of the Christian Church, of which he is clerk, and he is also a Royal Arch Mason.

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This family biography is one of 111 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lawrence County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Lawrence County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Lawrence County, Arkansas family biographies here: Lawrence County, Arkansas Biographies

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