John Ball (February 10, 1756 – November 7, 1838) was an American soldier and politician.

Personal

Ball was born in Bedford, Westchester County, New York in 1756. He was the second son of

Eliphalet Ball Eliphalet Ball (July 29, 1722 – April 6, 1797) was a Presbyterian minister and an early settler in Saratoga County, New York. The town of Ballston, New York, Ballston ("Ball's Town") is named for him.) Personal Ball was born on July 29, 1722, in ...

, minister of the Presbyterian Church there, and Elizabeth van Flamen. In 1769 the family relocated to

Ballston Ballston may refer to: * Ballston, New York, a town in Saratoga County, New York, US * Ballston, Oregon, an unincorporated community in Polk County, Oregon, US * Ballston, Arlington, Virginia, a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, US * Bal ...

in Saratoga County, New York, then a thinly-settled wilderness. Around 1777 he married Mary Collins, daughter of Tyrannus Collins and Abigail Peck; the couple had one son and four daughters. In 1808 he married Anna Swart, daughter of Dirick Swart, and they had two sons and two daughters. John Ball died in Ballston in 1838; his burial site is unknown.

Military career

In 1777 he fought at the

Siege of Fort Stanwix The siege of Fort Stanwix (also known at the time as Fort Schuyler) in 1777 began on August 2 and ended August 22. Fort Stanwix, in the western part of the Mohawk River Valley, was then the primary defense point for the Continental Army against B ...

as a lieutenant under Colonel Cornelius D. Wynkoop. He rose to the rank of colonel of militia, and afterwards was often titled "Colonel Ball".

Political career

John Ball was elected

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1791.) He became Supervisor of the Town of

Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...

in 1792. He was elected to the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

in 1793 from Saratoga County. In 1794 he was appointed one of five commissioners charged with locating the county seat, courthouse, and jail of Saratoga County. He ran unsuccessfully for the Assembly in 1796, and for the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan com ...

in 1799.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, John 1756 births 1838 deaths Members of the New York State Assembly People from Ballston, New York People from colonial New York Continental Army officers from New York (state)