Referenced in the family
Johnathan Ball
b. 1822
Life
Records & Research
Johnathan Ball (spelled "Jonathan" in the online records) was a son of Marmaduke Ball (1779-1863) and Rebecca Messenger Ball, of the Smith Mills / Balltown area of Chautauqua County, New York. The trusted 2006 family report records his birth as 7 August 1822; the matching Find a Grave memorial and a WikiTree profile derived from it give the day and month identically (7 August) but record the year as 1820 (see discrepancies). He died 27 February 1873, aged 52, and is buried at Balltown Cemetery, Chautauqua County, New York, alongside his father Marmaduke. Identity is established beyond doubt by a multi-anchor match: the record names both parents (Marmaduke Ball 1779-1863 and Rebecca Messenger) and the exact three siblings listed in the family report (Aaron Jerome, Stephen Munn, and Lucy Bell).
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Johnathan Ball was a son of Marmaduke Ball (1779-1863) and Rebecca Messenger Ball, with siblings Aaron Jerome Ball, Stephen Munn Ball, and Lucy Bell (Ball) Jacobs.
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Johnathan Ball was born 7 August (day and month corroborated by Find a Grave and WikiTree). The trusted 2006 family report records the year as 1822; the online records record the year as 1820 (see discrepancies).
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Johnathan Ball died 27 February 1873, aged 52, at Balltown, Chautauqua County, New York.
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Johnathan Ball is buried at Balltown Cemetery, Balltown, Chautauqua County, New York, where his father Marmaduke Ball is also buried.
Not yet confirmed — probable matches and family lore, shown for research. Treat with caution.
likely birth.date: report “1822-08-07” vs. found “1820-08-07”. The trusted 2006 family report records the birth as 7 August 1822. Both the Find a Grave memorial (#6634191) and the WikiTree profile give 7 August 1820. The day and month (7 August) agree exactly; only the year differs by two years. Importantly, the two online sources are NOT independent for the year: WikiTree derives from Find a Grave, and the 'aged 52' figure is internal arithmetic from Find a Grave's own assumed birthdate, not corroborating evidence. Because the only trusted anchor (the family report) says 1822 and no primary record (census, probate, church, or Bible) has been examined, the year remains unresolved and the family-report year of 1822 is retained as the canonical value. Downgraded from the dossier's 'confirmed' to 'likely'.
likely mother.birth: report “Rebecca Messenger (1782)” vs. found “Rebecca Messenger Ball (1784-1845)”. The known/family anchor gives the mother's birth year as 1782; the Find a Grave and WikiTree records give 1784. A two-year difference in the mother's birth year, not identity-breaking (the mother is the same Rebecca Messenger on both the family report and the records). Noted for completeness.
Open questions (5)
- What primary source resolves the 1822-vs-1820 birth year? The trusted 2006 family report says 1822; Find a Grave and WikiTree (the latter derived from the former) say 1820. A census, probate, church, or family-Bible record is needed to settle it; until then 1822 is retained as canonical.
- Was Johnathan Ball ever married, and did he have children? Neither WikiTree nor Find a Grave lists a spouse or children; he died at age 52, so this remains unknown.
- Where exactly was Johnathan Ball born? Records list only 'New York, USA'. His older siblings were born in Erie Co. (Buffalo) and Onondaga Co. (Pompey) before the family settled in Chautauqua Co.
- The dossier's burial-place alias 'Hartfield Cemetery' was removed as unsupported by the cited sources; if a source documents that alias it should be re-added with citation.
- Confirm the name spelling: the family report and known facts use 'Johnathan Ball'; the online records use 'Jonathan Ball'. Treated as a spelling variant of the same person, not a separate individual.
Sources consulted (7)
- Marmaduke Ball (1779-1863) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree · tree
- Jonathan Ball (1820-1873) | WikiTree (child profile Ball-17269) · tree
- Rebecca (Messenger) Ball (1784-1845) | WikiTree · tree
- Jonathan Ball (1820-1873) - Find a Grave Memorial #6634191 · grave
- Marmaduke Ball (1779-1863) - Find a Grave Memorial #6634193 · grave
- Balltown Cemetery, Balltown, Chautauqua County, New York - Find a Grave Cemetery · grave
- Family report (2006) · report
Ancestry
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