My "Ball" branch is gonna die without help

[Colin Rowledge]

I've had a lot of help with my 2X gt-grandfather - William Ball - from the OPC in St;Keverne

William was born in 1809 and his brother Nicholas in 1811 - both in St. Keverne. Both were illegitimate

William, I have brought forward through his marriage to my Ball family that went to the U.S. in the early 1900's

Nicholas, was baptised on September 16, 1811. On October 20, 1835 he was convicted of Larceny involving the theft of 2 shirts and a pair of trousers. For this heinous crime he served 4 months in prison. After that - nada- we cannot find him.

The mother - Ann - was born in St. Keverne [1786]. Her parents were [or appear to be] Thomas and Susanna. She was baptised on Novenber 20, 1786. If we have the right parents and baptism for Ann, then she had several siblings:
John - baptised - November 22, 1784
Thomas - baptised - July 5, 1789 and a possible marriage to Jane Champion in 1811.
William - baptised - February 2 1792
Nicholas - baptised - October 5, 1794 and death - March 29, 1796
Susanna - baptised - January 31, 1797.

Ann would appear to have been destitute by the 1820's and was the subject of several disputes between St. Keverne and neighbouring parishes. She probably tried to claim relief but was eventually 'forced out' and had to find a job. That is why I think I found her in Ruan Major in the 1851 census as a 65 year old domestic servant.

Apart from what I have found out about the life of William [Ann's son] and the number of 'pork pies' floating about or floated by him [that would do Melton Mowbray proud, the others apart from what is above is unknown.

This isn't a brick wall or even an obstacle as I don't have enough to go on. It is more like a 'hiccup' on the way to the starting post.

Can someone assist me in bringing this branch back to life?

CDolin

[Megan Roberts]

Colin

Nicholas Ball born 1811 - there are 4 GRO deaths that could be him: 1838 and 1856 and 1859 St Austell and 1844 Truro. Unfortunately at these dates there is no age given.

There is one Nicholas Ball in the 1841 living in Treskellard. If you don't have these details let me know.

[janbooth]

Ann's brother William BALL could be in the 1841 census of St Keverne (HO107/138/1, folio 26, pages 3/4). He is living at Hallwin? and is described as a 50? yr old Ag Lab. Also living with him is a Mary BALL (probably his wife) aged 55, both born in county of Cornwall. The 1851 census (HO107/1913, folio 88, page 17) shows him as a married 64 year old Ag Lab living at Porthallow by himself - no sign of Mary with him. There is a death registration in the March qtr 1854 at Helston (includes parish of St Keverne) for a William BALL.

There is a John BALL snr in the 1851 census of St Stephen in Brannell (HO107/1908, folio 189, pages 4/5) described as a 60 year old Ag Lab born St Kevern living at Blowing House together with wife Thomasin aged 56 born St Stephens and son William BALL aged 24, Farmer of 20 acres, born Probus. The house prior to his is that of a John BALL, aged 30, Tin Miner born Truro, his wife Caroline aged 27 born St Stephens and their children James aged 4 & William aged 1 both born St Stephens. Could this be another son of John & Thomasin? IGI show the baptism of a John BALL on 18 February 1821 at St Kenwyn and a William BALL on 9 July 1826 at Probus to John & Thomasin. There is a marriage registration in the March qtr 1846 at St Austell (includes parish of St Stephen in Brannell) of a John BALL and one of the other names on the page is that of a Caroline HONEY.

Hope this adds a little more "flesh to the bones".

Janet

[janbooth]

Further to the above, FMP have a marriage on 9 December 1819 at Kea of a John BALL & a Thomasin ANDREW which could be relevant to you plus the baptism of Thomasin ANDREW on 3 January 1796 at St Stephen in Brannel, father James ANDREW. They also have the marriage of a William BALL on 1 September 1822 at St Keverne to a Mary MANKEE.

Janet

[Colin Rowledge]

Colin

Nicholas Ball born 1811 - there are 4 GRO deaths that could be him: 1838 and 1856 and 1859 St Austell and 1844 Truro. Unfortunately at these dates there is no age given.

There is one Nicholas Ball in the 1841 living in Treskellard. If you don't have these details let me know.

Thanks Megan
The census record is, I believe, H0107/p.142/b.5/f.15/p.23 where he is with wife Mary and 2 daughters and is a copper miner. The parish is Illogan which ties in with his conviction for Larceny on October 20, 1835.

I have found a possible marriage in Feock on March 16, 1833 between a Nicholas Ball and a Mary-Ann Williams but no other information was provided by the transcriber from the Raish Records, so do not wish to commit to this one.

I have found a baptism in Camborne for a Mary Ball in Camborne on May 2, 1835 which I think is the Mary from the 1841 census [age 7]. Father was Nicholas [a Miner], mother was Mary and the rtesidence is transcribed as Huel Kitty. No luck though, with Jane [age 2].

I haven't found them in 1851 census.

I thought about the deaths you found and I'm not sure any of themj are my Nicholas. Some appear in the transcriptions on the OPC site [burials] and can be discounted due to the ages at the time of burial.
There is however an interesting one in St. Austell reg. dist. and it might be him. Free BMD has a Ball no given name in the 2nd q. of 1859 - vol.5c page 94. The original definitely looks to a Nicholas Ball. Checking the OPC site confirms a burial for a Nicholas Ball [age is out of whack as it states 57 - but this could be an error on the part of the informant]. He was a resident of Union House which may be the Workhouse. Burial took place May 30, 1859. I think I may buy this cert.

What do you think?

Colin

[Megan Roberts]

The combination of Nicholas and Ball born around 1811 seems to be surprisingly rare. According to Findmypast there is only 1 in each of the 1841 and 1861 censuses, the former in Cornwall (and therefore I think your Nicholas Ball) and the latter is in Lancashire, and definitely not yours.

The 1841 Census actually has 3 daughters – the youngest being 3months and listed on the next page, but is transcribed as “Baull”. Ancestry does not show this.

However, in their parish records collection they have four marriages in Cornwall in the 1830s, including the one that you have listed.

The 1859 death I mentioned is qtr Apr volume 5C page 94. I think that I would hold off buying this certificate because I am not certain that it would have information that would confirm his provenance. Its likely that the person registering it would be the person in charge of the work house.

Ancestry has another Nicholas Ball in the 1841 Census, born about 1806 married to a Mary Ann and living in St Feock. This suggests that the marriage that you found is this couple rather than the Nicholas born 1812/1811. In the 1851 Census this individual is still in the same parish but born in 1803.

[Coromandel]

Here is the end of the story of one Nicholas Ball . . . a long, long way from Cornwall . . .

The South Australian of 20 April 1847 reported an accident in which one Nicholas Ball sustained a compound fracture of the left leg. He is described as 'a miner at the English Company's mine, North Kipauda' and is said to have had a wife and five children. He was treated by a local doctor but after 5 days was transferred to hospital because of 'dreadful swelling and inflammation of the entire limb'. By then he was in too weak a state to undergo amputation. The newspaper was pessimistic about his chances of survival.

He died on the day the newspaper was published.

There's a long inquest report in the South Australian, 30 April 1847. The inquest jury found that Nicholas had 'died through the surgical neglect of Mr Henry Coates.' (Coates was the surgeon who had set Nicholas's leg soon after the accident; by the time he returned to see how his patient was faring, it was too late to do anything to save him.)

Henry Coates appeared at a Police Commissioner's Court charged with neglect (South Australian 18 May 1847) and later before the Advocate General; he was eventually acquitted (South Australian, 19 June 1847)

I have not yet found any references to the age or birthplace of this Nicholas, or the name of his wife. He may have only arrived quite recently: a Nicholas Ball with wife and four children had arrived in Adelaide on the barque Britannia on 24 October 1846, according to the South Australian Register of 28 October 1846.

Though many of the other passengers on the list have Irish-sounding names, there are hints of a Cornish contingent too: at the head of the list was 'Mr R. Rodda (mining superindendent), wife and five children', and there was also an Azariah Oats on board (one of this name was a copper miner in Cornwall in 1841).

So could this be your Nicholas??????

[Coromandel]

I have now found a death entry for the above ill-fated Nicholas Ball, at

http://www.
familyhistorysa.info/births-marriages-deaths/deaths.html

which says he was 38 years old when he died in 1847, so born about 1809. It also says he was buried at Adelaide West Terrace Cemetery.

[Coromandel]

The census record is, I believe, H0107/p.142/b.5/f.15/p.23 where he is with wife Mary and 2 daughters and is a copper miner.

In fact there is another child (Susan, aged 3 months) on the next page, together with an Elizabeth Trewhela ('15'), who may be the key to finding Nicholas' marriage. Details from the Cornwall Online Census Project

http://
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kayhin/40142b.html

(ref. as quoted by Colin)

The difference in age between Nicholas and Mary [presumably his wife] might suggest that this was Mary's second marriage. Indeed, there's a tree at

http://www.
celtic-casimir.com/webtree/9/51217.htm

which says that Nicholas Ball had married Mary Trewhella (widow) at Camborne on 29 April 1834 and gives an earlier marriage for Mary (maiden name Edwards) to John Trewella/Trewhela, again at Camborne, 29 Oct 1825. The source of this information is given as 'Camborne parish register transcripts'. I can't see either of these marriages on the Cornish OPC site so this remains to be verified.

[Colin Rowledge]

I have now found a death entry for the above ill-fated Nicholas Ball, at

http://www.
familyhistorysa.info/births-marriages-deaths/deaths.html

which says he was 38 years old when he died in 1847, so born about 1809. It also says he was buried at Adelaide West Terrace Cemetery.

Definitely starting to look like my guy.

Birth about 1809 - coincides with baptism on September 16, 1811
Baptism of 1st child - May 2, 1835
Poor as a Church Mouse - needed new shirt and trousers for the baptism - conviction October 20, 1835
2 more kids prior to 1841 - no baptisms for these
3 kids as of 1841census
Occupation - Copper Miner
No trace of the family in the 1851 census.

Colin