Ball, William D. (1847-1934)

BALL

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/15/2019 at 15:33:39

William D. Ball
Jan 15, 1847 - Jan 20, 1934

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.679]
WILLIAM D. BALL, of secton 30, Hardin Township, came to this county in 1879, where he has since resided. He was born in Parke County, Indiana, January 15, 1847, the son of Zopher and Deborah (MOTHORN) BALL, the former a native of Sullivan County, Ohio, and the latter of Tennessee. The parents were married in Parke County, Indiana. William D. was eight years of age when his parents came, in 1855, and settled in Marion County, Iowa, where they were among the early pioneers. The father lived there until his death in 1860, and the mother came to Pottawattamie County about 1879, and lived until her death, near Oakland, at the age of seventy-four years. They had three sons and four daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are in Pottawattamie County. William D., the fourth child, lived in Marion County until 1867, when he went to Denver, Salt Lake, Idaho and Wyoming. He worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad, engaged in freighting and railroad work. After three years he returned to Marion County, Iowa, and in 1875 he came to Pottawattamie County, where he lived two years. He then moved to Shelby County, remaining two years, and then returned and bought eighty acres of wild land in Pottawattamie County, where he now lives, and where he has made many improvements. At the age of twenty-seven years he was married to Delia ORR, who was born in Illinois, but reared in Missouri. She is the daughter of Anthony and Jane (BLAKE) ORR, of Scotch-Irish extraction. Mr. and Mrs. BALL have reared four children: Maggie Jane, Marion, Rosa May and Bertie Lee. Their eldest child, Clarence, died at five years of age. Politically Mr. BALL is a Democrat.