James Ball, Sr.

James Ball was chosen at town meeting 28 Mar 1698 as one of the "hogereifes".[4/2:118] I'm not exactly clear what this job was, but it appears these men looked into the hogs and cattle of the town and sometimes levied fines regarding livestock. At town meeting 2 Mar 1723-4 James was chosen as one of the "Tythingmen".[4/2:307] This was either James Ball or may have been his son James. In March 1706 James and Elizabeth Ball, for six pounds, sold to Scipio Finney, negro, 12 acres, bounded north by Allen Flagg, south and east by Chester Meadow, and west by Jonathan Sanders.[1/676] This is the negro sought by the town in 1694 who may have been hidden and/or protected by James' father. This may be the James Ball who appears on a list of Watertown men dated 15 Apr 1690 "Being listed in the service of the country against the French".[5/109]

James Ball's will is dated 21 Feb 1729-30. He died the next day. Like his forbears, James' profession was that of a weaver, but he also kept a farm and livestock as he called himself "husbandman" in his will. Mentioned in the will are his youngest son John, sons James and Nathan, eldest daughter Sarah Hastings, daughters Abigail Livermore, Elizabeth Fuller, and Susannah Stearns. The will was witnessed by John Cutting, John Chadwick, and Thomas Harrington.[2/19:39]

REF: [1] History of Watertown - Henry Bond, 1860

    [2] Middlesex County Probate (First Series Docket 890)

    [3] The Diary of Reverend Ebenezer Parkman - Francis G. Walett,

        1974

    [4] Watertown Records, 1894

    [5] Soldiers in the Expedition to Canada in 1690 - Walter Kendall

        Watkins, 1898

    [6] Records of Births Marriages and Deaths, First Book - Watertown

        Records, Vol. 1, 1894

    [7] Births, Marriages, and Deaths, Second Book - Watertown Records,

        Vol. 2, 1900

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 14 2016, 0:51:00 UTC

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James Ball was born on March 7, 1670 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA the son of John Ball and Sarah Bullard. James was a WEAVER by trade.
On January 16, 1693/4, he married ELIZABETH FISKE.

WILL of James Ball, Proved March 23, 1729
- In the Name of God Amen. February 21st, 1729/30, I James Ball of Watertown. Husband man Being very sick and weak in Body But of a perfect mind and Memory thanks be given to God therefore calling unto mind the Mortality of My Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die. Do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I Give and Recommend My Soul Into the Hands of God that gave it And my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian deacent manner. At the Discretion of my Executors. Nothing doubting but at the General ResurrectionI shall receive the same again by thee mightly Powers of God and a touching such worthy Estate whare with it hast pleased God to Bless me. In this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and Form.
- I Give and Bequeath unto Elizabeth my Dearly and Well Beloved wife the Income of the one half of all my Estate During her widowment and my will is also that she shall have the Use of my House and have firewood Reddy Cut at the rear and also that she shall have my Roan Mare and two cows and a heffer and all the moveables within doors at her own disposal and also two sheep.
- I Give and Bequeath unto my youngest son John Ball all my Estate Both Real and Personal excepting what I have given my well beloved wife and some other articles I shall hereafter mention to him and his Heirs forever.
- My Will is that my son John Ball Shall Pay unto eldest son James Ball of his Heirs the sum of Ten pounds at a years end after my decease and at my deceas. for him to have my Plow Chain.
- My Will is also that my son John Ball Shall pay unto my son Nathan Ball or his Heirs the sum of Ten pounds two years after my deceas. and at my Deceas. to have the Plow Shear and two Augers.
- My will is that my son John Ball Pay unto my Eldest Daughter Mary Hastings or her Heirs the sum of Ten Pounds at two years and an half after my deceas.
- My will is that my son John both pay unto my Daughter Abigail Livermore or her Heirs the sum of Ten pounds Half a year after my Deceas.
- My will is that my son John shall pay unto my daughter Elizebeth Fuller or her heirs the sum of Ten Pounds one year and an half after my deceas.
- My will is that my son John Ball shall Pay unto my Daughter Susanna Starns the sum of Ten Pounds at three months after my decease.
- Moreover my will is that Twenty Pounds out of my estate be paid by my son John Ball to my six other children to be equally among them one year after my decesa over and above the Legacies before mention.
- And also my will is that my son John Ball pay unto my daughter Susannah Starns or her heirs Four Pounds over and above what is before mention in the will.
- Moveover my will is that my son John Ball who I likewise constitute make and ordain my sole Executor of this my Last Will and Tetiment and that he when at my deceas Bury me in a christian deacent manner also my wife when at he deseas to be Buried in Like Decent manner and all and singelor my Lands Manages tennements by him freely to be possess and enjoyed and I so he by unterly dissolough, Revoke and Disamal all and Every other former testiments Will Leagacies and bequest and exacutors by me in aney ways before named will and Bequeathed Ratifing and Confirming this and no other to be my Last will and testiment in witness ware of I have be have unto seet my hand and seal the day and year above mentioned signed sealed published and pronounced and Declared by the Said James Ball as his Last will and testiment in the presnts of us the subscribers - John Cutting, John Chadwick, Thos Harrington.

Children:

1. James Ball
Born Feb 2, 1694-5; settled in 1720, with his brother Nathan, on Ball Hill in Northboro, Mass, where he died in 1756, His will, dated May 25, 1755, proved June 10, 1756, mentions wife Sarah, sons, James, Stephen, Nahum, John and daughters, Hannah, Patience and Elizabeth. His son Stephen was a physician.

2. Nathan Ball
Born Feb 28, 1695-6, died in Northboro, 1768.

3. JOHN, born July 22, 1697

4. ELIZABETH, b. April 9, 1705; married April 9, 1728, Thomas Fuller, of Newton, son of Lieut. Jeremiah Fuller and his 2d wife, Thankful.

5. SARAH

6. ABIGAIL

7. ELIZABETH
b. April 9, 1705; married April 9, 1728, Thomas Fuller, of Newton, son of Lieut. Jeremiah Fuller and his second wife Thankful.

8. Susanna (Ball) Stearns (My SIXTH great grandmother)
Born March 16, 1707-8; died about 1740; married Josiah Stearns.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 23 2022, 15:30:21 UTC