Edward Ball (abt. 1642 - 1724)

Born about 1642 in Wales [uncertain]

Descendants

Died Jun 1724 at about age 82 in Mill Brook, Morris, Province of New Jersey,

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jean Ball [send private message], Kath Belden [send private message], and Connecticut Project WikiTree [send private message]

Edward Ball is a part of Connecticut History. Join: Connecticut Project Discuss: connecticut

Notice:The Puritan Great Migration Project, the New Haven Colony One Place Study, and the Connecticut Project have identified several significant errors and some duplication in the wikitree profiles for the early Ball families of New Haven. We relied on the published research of Donald Lines Jacobus to make corrections. If you have questions, comments, suggestions, concerns, objections please contact us. B-404 08:50, 14 June 2017 (EDT) or Smith-32867 13:44, 17 June 2017 (EDT)

Edward Ball was a Newark Founder

Disputed Origins

A previous version of this profile claimed Edward was born in New Haven 10 Oct 1642. There is no such record. In fact, there's no record of Edward in New Haven at all.

Some online trees claim he was son of Alling Ball-- either the immigrant or his son. Jacobus in 1934 wrote this:^[1]

"Some have claimed that Edward Ball, who was at Branford, Conn., in 1666 and removed to Newark, N.J., was a son of Alling Ball, ,Sr. The name of Edward does not occur in any New Haven record, and although that is not conclusive, the presumption is that he was not a son of Alling. Since there was no probation of Alling's estate [in 1689], Edward's name should have figured in conveyances of Ball property if he had been Alling's son. Births of the three known sons of Alling were all recorded; and of these only John and Alling left issue. Only John and Alling were mentioned in deeds of their first cousin, Hannah (Russell) Kimberly... Edward, unless he came to Branford from elsewhere in New England, may conceivably have been a son of Alling's supposed brother William [who died in CT in 1648]; or he may have been a more distant relative and a late comer from England."

In addition, Y-DNA^[2] demonstrates that the DNA signature of a descendant of Alling is noticeably different the the DNA signatures of the descendants of Edward.

Biography

The following claims about Welsh descent, and crossing with brothers who went to Virginia have not yet been sourced; use with caution:

The Ball family is of Welsh descent, and the ancestry can be traced back to Edward Ball, one of the original settlers of Newark, New Jersey. He and his two brothers crossed the Atlantic from Wales to Connecticut, and later he removed to Newark, while his brothers went to Virginia. He was born about 1642, married Abigail Blatchley of Connecticut, and to them were born six children. In 1667 he removed with his family to New Jersey, and the last mention of him in any available record was in 1724, when he was about 81 years of age. He was a prominent man of Newark, and held a number of offices, including that of sheriff and that of committeeman of boundaries, on settlement with the proprietors, the Indians and others. ^[3]

Edward's name appears among the first settlers of Branford, Connecticut in 1665. In 1666, he was one of the signers of the "fundamental agreement" made by those about to remove to Newark, New Jersey. He was last recorded in Branford, CT 20 Jan 1667. He was listed on the first tax list of Newark, and was sheriff of Essex (New Jersey) in 1693, also serving as committee-man on boundaries and on settlement with the ord Proprietors, Indians, etc. He married Abigail Blatchley of Connecticut by whom he he six children (below).^[4]

Fundamental Agreement

"Deut. 1:13; Ex. 18:21; Deut. 17:15; Jer. 36:21.

1. That none shall be admitted free men or free burgesses, within our town upon Passaic river, in the province of New Jersey, but such planters as are members of some or other of the Congregational churches; nor shall any but such be chosen to magistracy, or to carry on civil judicature, or as deputies or assistants to have power to vore in establishing laws, and making or repealing them, or to any chief military trust or office, nor shall any but such church members have any vote in such elections: though all others admitted to be planters have right to their proper inheritances and do and shall enjoy all other civil liberties and privileges according to all laws, orders, grants, which are, or shall hereafter be, made for this town. 2. We shall, with care and diligence, provide for maintenance of the purity of religion as professed in Congregational churches. Where unto subscribed the inhabitants from Branford:

Jasper Crane, Abra. Pierson, Samuel Swaine, Lawrence Ward, Thomas Blatchley, Samuel Plum, Josiah Ward, Samuel Rose, Thomas Pierson, John Ward, John Catlin, Richard Harrison, Ebenezer Canfield, John Ward, Sen., Ed. Ball, John Harrison, John Crane, Thomas Huntington, Delivered Crane, Aaron Blatchley, Richard Lawrence, John Johnson, Thomas Lyon (his mark)." ^[5]

Mentions in Various Documents

'"The Last will and testement of mee Sarah Davis in hope of Eternal Life throw Jesus Christ my Lord," dated March 27, 1691, was proved May 16, 1691, by the oaths of Stephen Davis and Edward Ball, before Thomas Johnson, Justice.' ^[6]

"1689 April 1. Broadwell, William, of Elizabeth Town; will of. N. J. Archives, XXI., pp. 173, 183
"1689 April 16. Inventory of the estate (£67.9.1, all personal), made by Hur Thompson and Benjamin Griffith.
Essex Wills
"1688-1690. Receipts for debts, due by the estate, from Edward Guy, Edward Ball, James Emott, Aron Thompson, Jasper Crain, Tho. Carhartt for Derrick Hoaghlandt, Joseph Willson, John Warren, Abraham Pierson, of N. Y., clerk; Benjamin Meeker, Hur Thomson and Joseph Meeker.
"------- -----------. Account of the administration of the estate of, by his widow Mary, who has paid £102.12.5 to Joseph and Benj. Meeker, Edward Ball, Col. Dunham, John Baldwine, Jas. Emott, Joseph Wilson, John Warren, Edward Gay, Diwerk Houefland, Aron Thomson, Jasper Crain, Abraham Pearson and funeral expenses.
"1685 April 21. Bond of William Broadwell to Covernour Doagan for the delivery of lumber at Dougan's mill on Staten Island. Receipted for by Tho: Carhartt in part November 22, 1690, to Mary Broadwell and in part February 21, 1693-4, to Mary Johnson.
Essex Wills" ^[7]

"1674-5 Jan. 9. Cox, John, of New Barbados. Administrations on the estate of, granted to Edward Ball.
N. J. Archives, XXI., p. 33
"1674-5 Feb. 17. Cox John, of Essex Co. Inventory of the estate of (£2.15.6, all personal), made at the request of Edward Ball, administrator, by Wm. Sandford and Emma Mandeuell. The estate owes to said Ball £14.17.6 for payments to Cattlyn, Wheeler and Baldwyn and for other expenses." ^[8]

"1676-7 March 16. Harisson, John, of Essex Co. Inventory of the estate of (£60.-.- real, £17.16.6 personal); made by Edward Ball and John Catlin." ^[9]

Will of Samuel Plum: listed as a witness. ^[10]

"Newark
"The conflicting titles created by Governor Nicholls of New York as contrary to those of the Board, were bound to cause differences and disputes which ultimately led to serious disorders in this town. Settlers and inhabitants, with little material resources, would not give up thir land or pay quit rents without a struggle. The Board, on the other hand, made offers of land and compromises in order to adjust the problem amicably.
"At the same time as the inhabitants of Elizabeth petitioned for a patent to their township, several settlers of Newark offered £50 quit rent per annum for a patent to the entire township. The Board was compelled to reject the request as many parcels had been granted and patented to former owners. Later, Thomas Johnson, John Ward and 11 others acting as a committee on behalf of the town, petitioned the Board to grant them a patent and a confirmation of their rights in purchased lands. The Board agreed to their proposal after arrears of quit rents were paid.
"In February of 1692/3, another committee consisting of John Curtice, Edward Ball, Thomas Richards and George Harrison brought the same subject before the Board. It was proposed that it the inhabitants took up patents and paid their arrears of quit rents, then all of the old settlers and their associates could have 100 acres of land a piece at 6 d per acre quit rent. The committee asked 14 days time to acquaint the town with the situation and secure their answer. The matter was discussed again on April 20, 1694, several inhabitants having complied with the proposal, provided he agreed to a waiver of any rights under the Nicholls patent.
"Even when Azariah Crane and Edward Ball petitioned for permission to run the lines of their town bounds, the Board refused to grant the request until the inhabitants settled their quit rents with the Proprietors.
"The Board granted the petitions of Newark, as well as of Piscataway for patents for their streets, burial, training, water and landing places. Acreages were granted for the parsonage and church sites." ^[11]

"[16]95...Ezariah Craine and Edward Ball came here before this Council and in behalf of the Town of Newark, made application for a warrant or license from the Board, to run the line of their town bounds, and being taken into due consideration by the members of this Council, it's agreed and ordered that when the inhabitants of the said town shall settle with the proprietors for their quit rents for the land to which they make their pretenses, then their bounds to be made good to them, and ascertained." ^[12]

"Upon a former order of this board made the 28th February, 1692, proposed to the inhabitants of the Town of Newark who are old settlers of the said town, upon the encouragement of which order and proposition, several of the said old settlers of Newark have already complied and some others do now offer to comply and do petition to have the same terms granted to them as others of the province and the rest of the neighbors have had after a full debate and deliberate consideration by this board it was put to the vote whether it be for the interest of the proprietors or not that the inhabitants of Newark, who are old settlers of the said town, shall have 100 acres of land to each of them granted, at 6 pence per 100 per annum quit rent within the bounds of the said Town of Newark upon their amicable agreement with the proprietors and taking out their patents and paying all their by past arrears of quit rent and in time to come; it is the unanimous sense and opinion of this board in the affirmative that it is for the interest of the proprietors to grant, etc. as above said especially considering the badness of the land except George Willocks who dissents as not judging it for the proprietors' interest. Agreed and ordered that all the old settlers of Newark who already have and this do do petition for the same, have 100 acres of land each of them within the said bounds of Newark at 6 pence per annum quit rent, they (who want) taking out their patents and paying their arrears of quit rent for time past and in time to come. The person to whom the said 100 acres of land is now granted, are as follows, viz:...Edward Ball...and all within the bounds of the said Town of Newark unappropriated." ^[13]

Children

1. Caleb Ball, b abt 1663 (therefore in Connecticut); he m. .Sarah
2. Abigail m Daniel Harrison.
3. Joseph Ball d 25 Apr 1733, age 60; m1 Hannah Harrison; m2 Elizabeth ___
4. Lydia Ball d 22 Aug 1742, age 66; m Joseph Peck of Connecticut
5. Moses Ball, b ab 1685; d 20 Apr 1747; m Mary (Tichenor?); no children.
6. Thomas; m Sarah Davis and had nine sons and three daughters.

Residence

The 1666 map of Newark, New Jersey [Note this link does not work correctly but it may be Rutgers.edu problem] shows that Edward owned what is today roughly the area from Cedar Street to Academy (The 1806 map does not show Edward's land running down to Academy) and from Broad Street to Washington. It may be of interest to note that Halsey Street runs through the middle of that property today.

Edward's second property by this 1696 map of Newark Mountain.

A map published in 1806 has been modified to show where the original settlers lands were. It is roughly the same as the 1666 map. Its orientation is different.

If the links above break again. Please go here, then click on "Historical Maps of New Jersey," then "ESSEX COUNTY" (which is about the middle of the page under the heading "THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF NEW JERSEY'S COUNTIES"). Once that is selected, find "NEWARK" in the list and click on it. A list of maps of Newark will be provided; please select either "Newark Town Lots 1666," "Newark Mountain 1696," or "Newark c 1806" to see the maps as mentioned above.

Offices Held in Newark

Edward Ball held the following offices^[14]:

Messenger, 1675, '77

Town Attorney, 1679, '80, '86

Constable, 1683, '89

Overseer of the poor, 1692

Town's Men, 1679, '80, '85, '91

Surveyor and Layer-out of highways, 1674-1678

Pounder and pound keeper, 1691

Grave digger, 1679

Research Notes

"Often a full church organization, complete with its pastor, arrived."^[15]

As is stated above, one wonders if the Ball family removed from Newark-on-Trent because of the following mention of the pastor with whom they moved to New Jersey: "In the month of August 1664, Governor Philip Carteret arrived off Elizabethport. Soon thereafter he dispatched messengers to New England to announce the generous terms of the Lords Proprietors directed to all who might move into Jersey. These messengers of the governor must have found interested ears among certain in Milford and nearby Branford. An investigating committee under the leadership of Robert Treat was sent to confirm these reports; and in May 1666, 'friends from Milford and the neighboring plantations thereabout' landed and organized their settlement not far from Elizabethtown, which was settled about twenty months earlier. During the same month of May 1666, neighboring Branford and Guilford families arrived and signed an agreement with Captain Treat's Milford group in their new home, which they had named Newark. "Among the Branford members of this early Jersey settlement was Rev. Abraham Pierson, who had come from Newark-on-Trent to New England in 1639. Ordained pastor of the Congregational Church at Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1640, he moved to Branford, Connecticut, as pastor in 1644, where he served until the exodus that brought about the beginnings of the Newark Congregation. ^[16]

There is also mention of "The Mountain Society" which was formed around 1718 when some "withdrew from the First Church in Newark and organized the Mountain Society in what is now Orange. Planters about the mountain, area now occupied by Montclair, Bloomfield, and the Oranges, built their first church to continue the Congregational form of government... in 1748, the church became Presbyterian." ^[17]

The Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York: "Edward C. Ball, born in England in 1642; name of the latter's father is uncertain, but John, his grandfather, was born in Oxford, England, in 1585[-1640]." ^[18]

There is no proof that Edward was the son of William and Hannah (Atherold) Ball.

Father of 5 children: Joseph Ball; Lydia Peck; Moses Ball; Thomas Ball; Abigail Harrison. His wife was Abigail Blatchley. Edward died in 1724 in Newark, New Jersey.

Sources

1. ↑ Donald Lines Jacobus, "Notes on the Ball Family of New Haven, Conn.," in The American Genealogist, 10(Apr 1934):208-
2. ↑ The Ball Surname Y DNA Study at Family Tree DNA (kit number 112954
3. ↑ Biographical and Genealogical History of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin Counties, Indiana, Volume 2, (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1899) p. 769 as numbered, 280th page of Vol 2. Accessed 16 Mar 2017 at Archive.com
4. ↑ Kate L, Burnet, "Edward Ball Family," in The Connecticut Nutmegger, 22:387-
5. ↑ A history of the First Church and Society of Branford, Connecticut, 1644-1919, by J. Rupert Simonds, pp 31-32, downloaded 2/17/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE7711612. Printed 1919, by The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Co., New Haven, Connecticut.
6. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc, Honeyman, Hutchinson, and Tindall, p xxxvi (A section entitled: A NEWARK RECORD OF SOME WILLS, .pdf p 42) downloaded 3/24/2018, from https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE9649175
7. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc, Honeyman, Hutchinson, and Tindall, p 61 downloaded 3/24/2018, from https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE9649175
8. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc, Honeyman, Hutchinson, and Tindall, p 113 downloaded 3/24/2018, from https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE9649175
9. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc, Honeyman, Hutchinson, and Tindall, p 210 downloaded 3/24/2018, from https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE9649175
10. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc, Honeyman, Hutchinson, and Tindall, p 369 downloaded 3/24/2018, from https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE9649175
11. ↑ The Minutes of the Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey; v. 01, p 39, downloaded 3/24/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE3443830
12. ↑ The Minutes of the Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey; v. 01, p 170, downloaded 3/24/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE3443830
13. ↑ The Minutes of the Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey; v. 01, p 209, downloaded 3/24/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE3443830
14. ↑ Records of the town of Newark, New Jersey from its settlement in 1666 to its incorporation as a city in 1836, p284 (APPENDIX), downloaded 12/31/2021, from: https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/37320-records-of-the-town-of-newark-new-jersey-from-its-settlement-in-1666-to-its-incorporation-as-a-city-in-1836?viewer=1&offset=39#page=284&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=Ball
15. ↑ Inventory of the church archives of New Jersey: Congregational Christian church, p 2 downloaded 2/17/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE6043956
16. ↑ Inventory of the church archives of New Jersey: Congregational Christian church, pp 4-5 downloaded 2/17/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE6043956
17. ↑ Inventory of the church archives of New Jersey: Congregational Christian church, p 6 downloaded 2/17/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE6043956
18. ↑ Imagine a reunion of more interest, dated 13 Apr 1901, Sat. Downloaded 4/18/2018 from: https://www.newspapers.com/image/135253024/?terms=%22Caleb%2BBall%22#

• Find a Grave, database and images ( accessed 9 January 2021), memorial page for Edward Ball (1642–1724), Find A Grave: Memorial #177058006, citing Fairmount Cemetery, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by lifescribe (contributor 48569208) .

• The Edward Ball family of New Jersey: a study, by Claudette Maerz. pp 1-2. Viewed online via ILL from UW-Madison, OCLC number: 34770265. call# 95-3607, available at Google Books to purchase

• Edward Ball profile, New England Ball Project. Accessed 17 June 2017.
• New Jersey Census, 1643-1890 Author: Jackson, Ronald V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data - Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls
• Genealogies of Connecticut Families (Genealogical Pub. Co., 1983) Vol. 1, Page 80
• Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey; Vol. 01, p 179, downloaded 1/30/2018 from: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?from=fhd&dps_pid=IE3998016
• ancestors.family search.org

https://www.findagrave.com/177058006/edward-ball Created by: lifescribe ID# 48569208; Added: 06 Mar 2017

Edward Ball in the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560 - 1900. Source number: 1918.049; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1; Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560 - 1900 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.