BALL, Hon. Joseph 1803 - 1875

BALL, LEWIS, LANGFITTE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 4/30/2006 at 20:23:53

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Thursday, January 6, 1876
Page 3, Column 4

FUNERAL SERMON.--The funeral sermon of Hon. Joseph BALL will be preached next Lordsday, (Jan. 9th,) at 11 o'clock A.M., by Elder Allen Hickey, at the Christian church, in this city.

Elder Hickey will also preach in the evening, at 7 o'clock.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Thursday, January 13, 1876
Page 3, Column 9

BALL--At the residence of his son-in-law, Dr. LEWIS, in Ottumwa, Iowa, Dec. 29, 1875, Joseph BALL, aged 72 years and 6 days.

Mr. BALL was born in Louden county, Virginia, Dec. 23, 1803. In May, 1828, he was married to Margaret LANGFITTE, of Beaver Co., Pennsylvania, then in her twentieth year.-- They lived about nine years at Pughtown, W st Virginia (sic), and about seventeen years at New Cumberland, West Virginia. Removed to Iowa in April, 1854, and settled near Fairfield, where they resided on their farm until the Spring of 1872, when they removed to the city of Fairfield.

They had nine children--three sons and six daughters. One daughter died in childhood, and one son lost his life in the war for the preservation of the Union. One daughter lives in Pennsylvania and two sons and four daughters in Iowa.

Mr. BALL became a member of the Christian Church in 1828, and Mrs. BALL in 1829. They were both faithful unto death, and died in hope of heaven. Mrs. BALL died April 17 (sic - 16th), 1875, and soon after her death his health declined, and he often expressed his earnest desire to depart and be with Christ and the dear ones who had gone on before to Him. He was surrounded by loving children and grand-children who tenderly cared for him, yet he "sighed for home." He rejoiced when the hour of his departure came(.)

Mr. BALL was a man whose characteristics were very clearly marked. He was frank, generous, impulsive. As a friend he was ardent and confiding. Toward opponents he was fair and magnanimous. He was earnest and positive in the right--or, in what he believed to be right; but quick to acknowledge and renounce the wrong when convinced that he had been in error. He was kind-hearted and ready to forgive. The most prominent traits of his character were, his perfect integrity, his devotion to his family, and his unwavering faith in Christ and His word. He enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him. He filled an official position in the Church, and was chosen in the fall of 1869 by his fellow-citizens to represent them in the Legislature. Actively and nobly he filled the measure of his three score and twelve, and "died in a good old age, full of years, and riches, and honor",--the true riches and honor which belongs to the Christian.

A. H.

[Abbreviated version was also posted to the Wapello County Obituaries board]

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.