Notes
George served in the Civil War. He died young probably of TB that he most
like developed while serving in the Civil War.
Ref#176:
GEORGE MURRAY BALL
George was born in Elizabethtown, N.J., now called Elizabeth. He was the
second son of Archibald Ball. His mother's name was Sarah, and both his
younger sister and his wife were named Sarah Elizabeth!
He was an upholsterer by trade. He must have been quite a handsome young
man, five feet, six and a half inches tall with dark hair, a light
complexion
and blue eyes. At the age of twenty-one he and Sarah E. Morehouse were
married by the Rev. Mr. Robertson of the Fifth Methodist Church in Newark.
Their first child, Martha Chandler, was born six years later (born 1861,
married first Charles Wilson Schonher, second Henry Clay Townley).
Earlier that year, the War Between the States had begun. Fatherhood made
it
unlikely that George would be drafted, but as time went on his urge to
enlist
became stronger. Men eligible for the draft in that day were required to
report to Military Park in Newark, a triangular piece of grassy land in
the
center of the city, still known by that name. There they stood in line as
a blindfolded official walked toward them and laid his hand on the
shoulders
of those selected. George took the lunch his wife prepared each morning,
but
instead of going to the upholsterer's shop, he would spend the day in line
at the Park, hoping to be able to tell his wife that he had been drafted
and
must go to war.
Unfortunately for him, he was seen by a friend of his wife. Sarah told
her
husband that night that if he really preferred army life to being with her
and Martha, he could enlist - with one condition: No complaints about his
life in the military were to be made to her.
George enlisted in Captain Hedge's Company, the 39th regiment of New
Jersey
Volunteers, in October 1864. However joyfully he might have left,
disillu-
sion soon followed and Sarah began to get piteous letters describing food
and sanitary conditions. One hopes that Sarah relented and replied
symipathe-
tically. Fortunately for George, the war ended and he was discharged
after
eight months of Service, near Alexandria, Virginia on June 17, 1665, some-
what impaired in spirits and In health.
He didn't really have to go. because he was married and a
father. But George Ball volunteered for service with the
Union Army. enlisting September 14 1864. Maybe he just
needed an change from his upholsterer's bench Or maybe he
was really gripped by patriotic fever. perhaps many of his
friends were going.
At any rate, he joined Lt. C.W. Hedge's 39th Regiment as a
private, to serve one year, or for the duration of the war.
For enlisting he was given a bonus of $33.33.
He never saw any action He was discharged near Alexandria,
Virginia, on June 18, 1865, on orders of the War Depart-
ment. During those nine months Lt. Hedge had attained the
rank of captain, the war had ended with the surrender of
General Lee's army at Appomatox on April 9, and President
Lincoln had been assassinated on April 14.
It is not known whether he returned to his occupation of
upholsterer. At the time of his death in 1875, ten years
later, he was a "bill paster".
Sarah, his widow, was left with three daughters: Martha,
14, and two born after his return, Jessie 6, and Lottie, 2
years old. Surprisingly, Sarah did not apply for a widow's
pension until January 16, 1888, The request was filed Janu-
ary 22, Her address at that time was 95 Elm street in Newark.
It is recorded in her application that she appointed
G.M. Samasure, of Washington, D.C., as her lawful attorney.
But getting the pension approved was not easy. Service re-
cords could not be located. although his discharge papers
had survived. Sarah had to set about collecting statements
proving her marriage to George, the dates of her daughters'
births, and the state of his health before his army serv-
ice, and afterward.
John Krantz, Jr. the present pastor of the 8th Avenue Meth-
odist Episcopal church, certified in February that the mar-
riage of George Ball to Sarah Morehouse on November 29,
1855, was recorded by the Quarry Street Church, as it was
known then, Rev. Robertson, the pastor who married them,
had died.
George's death certificate, recorded by Newark city clerk
S.W. Pemberton, lists the cause of his death as consump-
tion.
Dr. William A. smith, of Newark, stated that he treated
George for chronic diarrhea from the time of his discharge
until his death.
Another doctor, Edward A. Osborne of Newark, said he had
known the family for eight years before George's death. He
said he lived near the family, and saw George, always look-
ing sickly. He described Sarah' as an industrious, hardwork-
ing woman of good reputation. He was satisfied. in his own
mind, he said, that George's disease was contracted during
his time in the army.
Sarah contacted Elias Sanders, one of George's army bud-
dies, in 1888. Elias was 50. He said he had been a private
in Company C, New Jersey Volunteers, and had been well ac-
quainted with his comrade, George Ball, before his enlist-
ment
"He was a man of excellent health, prior to enlisting."
Elias said. "On or about the 11th of December 1864 we were
ordered to go no march to tare up the track on the Denville
and Weldon Road. On our march to Petersburg (Virginia) he
was taken with diarrhea, and was unable to keep up with us
on our march. On our return to camp he was compelled to
leave the ranks. It was then stormy out.
"He was compelled to lay in the woods all night. He con-
tracted a very bad cold that caused his diarrhea to become
chronic, and a fistula prevented him from doing any work.
After his return the fiatula continued, causing consump-
tion. with this he lingered until his death. He left three
small children."
Sarah was most grateful for the testimony of William P.
Price. (I met and talked with an elderly lady descendent
of his.)
"I knew G.M. Ball to he in perfect health when he enlist-
ed," Price said. "We were ordered to take up track on the
Weldon road. For about one month previous to this march he
had troubled with chronic diarrhea, so much so that for
days he was excused from duty and under the doctor's care.
"He was in no condition to take part in the march, but was
ordered to do so We were ordered out, but he was unable to
keep up with the company any longer, From the effects of
his disease. Shortly after leaving camp I tried to get a
sergeant to secure for him a place in the ambulance, but
failed to do so.
"On our way back George told me he could stand it no long-
er," Price wrote in his deposition. He said his friend was
in such horrible condition that he could not keep up with
the company, and they both fell to the rear.
"We remained in the woods all night, and the next morning
we started for camp," Price said. "He was tired out with
his disease, which was made worse by the march; owing to
his weakness from the disease we did not get to camp until
late in the afternoon. Owing to the state of the weather -
it was stormy - rain and snow, and having to stay on the
ground all night Comrade Ball took cold and his disease
grew worse and continued to grow worse up to the time of
his discharge. The disease remained with him when he re-
turned home."
Sarah's friends also came to her aid, certifying to her
truthfulness. Elizabeth Van Buskirk, of New York, said she
had known Sarah for over 40 years, and nursed her with her
three children. Margaret Coles, of Newark, attested that
Sarah's three children were still alive, and that Sarah had
not remarried.
Sarah showed her frustration in not being able to obtain
medical evidence. She stated that the physician who first
treated George on his return from the army was dead, and
that the doctor who attended her at the births of his chil-
dren was also dead.
But the adjutant general's office insisted that when George
was mustered out, there was no evidence of disability. An
army Doctor had said that his diarrhea was controlled on
his discharge.
Julia Thomasson, of Newark, also testified that she knew
George before his enlistment, and that his health continued
to fail after his discharge. "He was scarcely able to get
around, and boarded with the family a long time. HE was
there at the time of his death." (I do not know what fami-
ly she refers to.)
Edwards Coles, also of Newark, lived next door to George.
He said He had known him from the time he was sixteen years
old, that he was strong and well when he enlisted, but
that his health was poor from the time of his discharge.
"He was not able to do any work to amount to anything,"
Coles said. "I took him to work with me. He worked part of
a day when he fainted and was carried home. This was about
a year before his death."
William Edwards, George's near neighbor, agreed, adding
that he saw George daily, and that he spent part of his
time in bed.
Sarah Snowden knew George before his service, when he was a
well man, she said. "When he returned home I was boarding
with Mrs. G.M. Ball. He came home quite sick, and had to go
to the doctor within a week's time. Dr. Sweet is now dead.
I have always lived near them, and I could see him gradual-
ly fail."
With the help of her friends, and George's army comrades,
Sarah finally got her pension approved. in March 1889. It
amounted to the sum of $8 a month from October 1875, a total
of a little more than $1800. It was a young fortune for
Sarah, who had been living in dire poverty. There was $2 a
month for each child, until they reached the age of 16. Her
attorney's fee was $25.
The pension payment was dropped on Sarah's death in 1897.
Second daughter Jessie Cora (born 1869, died 1952, married Frank Knowles)
and third daughter Lottie Estelle (born 1873, died 1934, married Walter
Flint) completed his family. By that time his health was failing. He
died of "Consumption" (tuberculosis) two years later. His occupation at
that time was "bill paster." Perhaps that meant that his last years were
spent outdoors putting up public notices, and that he was more comfortable
in that work than he would have been at his upholsterer's bench.
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