Manuscripts Department
Library of The University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#1811
JOHN BALL AND KEATING SIMONS BALL BOOKS
Inventory
Abstract: John Ball (1760-1817) and Keating Simons Ball
(1818-1891), planters of Charleston District, SC.
Records of Comingtee, a Cooper River, S.C.,
plantation, in Charleston District (later Berkeley
County), and of other rice plantations of the Ball
family, including Stoke, Kensington, and Midway.
Volumes contain slave records listing supplies
issued, births and deaths, names, and other data,
1780-1833; and shipping receipts for crops,
1841-1851. They also include diaries and notebooks
of Keating Simons Ball, 1849-1850 and 1874-1884,
that record weather, planting, and neighborhood and
personal activities. Included in one volume are
two pages headed "Orderly Book for the Regiment of
Light Dragoons," 1779.
Index Terms: Ball, Elias, fl. 1675-1751.
Ball, John, 1760-1817.
Ball, John, 1782-1834.
Ball, Keating Simons, 1818-1891.
Ball family.
Berkeley County (S.C.).
Charleston District (S.C.).
Comingtee Plantation (S.C.).
Cooper River (S.C.).
Diaries--South Carolina.
Kensington Plantation (S.C.).
Midway Plantation (S.C.).
Plantation life--South Carolina.
Plantations--South Carolina.
Rice--South Carolina.
Slavery--South Carolina.
South Carolina--Agriculture. [local heading]
South Carolina--Climate.
South Carolina--History--Revolution, 1775-1783.
South Carolina. Regiment of Light Dragoons.
Stoke Plantation (S.C.).
Size: 20 items (10 volumes with enclosures) (0.5 linear
feet).
Provenance: Received from Charlotte D. Cordes of Jacksonville,
Florida, in in April 1951.
Access: No restrictions.
Related Collections:
John Ball, Sr., and John Ball, Jr., Papers and Account Book
at Manuscripts Department, Perkins Library, Duke University.
Copyright: Retained by authors of items in these papers or
their descendants as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Elias Ball (fl. 1675-1751) of Devonshire, England, came to
South Carolina around 1695 at the invitation of his uncle, John
Coming. Materials in this collection relate to Elias Ball's
descendants, particularly his grandson, John Ball (1760-1817),
his great-grandson, John Ball (1782-1834), and his
great-great-grandson, Keating Simons Ball (1818-1891).
Note: An extensive genealogy of the Ball family, beginning
with Elias Ball in the late 17th century and continuing
through the early 1900s, may be found on pages 83-119 in
Volume 5 of this collection.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Plantation Record Books
1779-1871, 1884, 1911. 21 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Folder 1a. Vol. 1, 1779-1817. Chiefly a register of the names
and birth- dates of slaves born on Ball
family plantations, 1780-ca. 1813, and
lists of slaves who received clothing and
blankets, 1782-1817, at the following
locations: Midway, Marshland Farm, Belle
Isle, Pamlico, Kensington, Hyde Park, and
Garden Lot. Pages 97-102 were used as a
register of colts, fillies, and mules
belonging to John Ball, 1783-1802. Pages
15-16 were used as an "Orderly Book for the
Regiment of Light Dragoons, commanded by
Colonel Daniel Horry," listing regimental
orders and a roster dated March-April 1779.
102 pages.
Folder 1b. Small piece of paper with notation of names
and dates.
(Encl. in Vol. 1)
Folder 2a. Vol. 2, 1803-1834. Inscribed on inside front cover:
"John Ball, Comingtee, 23 November 1819."
Pages 1-8 serve as a register of slave names
and descriptions of how the slaves were
acquired by John Ball. One such heading
reads: "Names of the Negroes of children at
Comingtee Plantation in May 1803 belonging
to Elias Ball and conveyed by will to his
nephew John Ball in 1810 together with the
increase of the females." Pages 9-25 list
the birth and death dates of slaves at the
Comingtee and Stoke Plantations. Entries
begin in 1803 and most continue through the
1830s. 27 pages.
Folder 2b. List of slave children belonging to John
Coming, 1836;
(Encl. in Vol. 2) fragment dated 13th Jan 1880; letter of
invitation
to attend the second Annual Address of Harmony
Circle Association at St. James R. E. Church,
Comingtee, dated 15 December 1884.
Folder 3. Vol. 3, 1818-1833. Pages 1-13, 15-44, and 46-65 were
used as a "blanket book," by John Ball,
listing slaves who received blankets annually
from 1818 through 1833 at Comingtee, Stoke,
Backriver, Kensington, and Midway Plantations.
Pages 150-155 were used in 1813-1818 as an
account book of supplies, wages, and crops by
John Ball, Jr. 156 pages.
Folder 4. Vol. 4, 1841-1851. Receipt book used to record
bushels of rough rice shipped by Keating
Simons Ball on board the schooner Nancy and
received at various Charleston wharfs and
South Carolina mills. Receipts are signed by
Keating Simons Ball and others. 32 pages.
Folder 5a. Vol. 5, 1849-1871. Pages 1-77 were used as a
plantation daybook by Keating Simons Ball of
the Comingtee Plantation. Included are
entries which were made regularly,
1849-1850, and scattered entries and
miscellaneous records of 1852, 1869, and
1871. Entries chiefly concern the planting
and care of rice, corn, and oat crops;
weather conditions; work progress of slaves;
trips to Charleston for the sale of rice;
hunting; and community activities. Pages
83-119 consist of an extensive Ball family
genealogy, beginning with Elias Ball and
continuing through the early 1900s. 219
pages.
Folder 5b. Unsigned letter to Frederic Bancroft,
Washington,
(Encl. in Vol. 5) D.C., dated 19 April 1911, about the deaths
of Hugh and Anna Ball due in an explosion
aboard the steamer Pulaski in 1838, and two
genealogical notes.
Series 2. Pocket Diaries
1874-1884. 11 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Folder 6. Vol. 6, 1874. Pocket diary recording the daily
activities of Keating Simons Ball, work on
Comingtee Plantation, and the weather. Pages
194-224 were used to record accounts. 225
pages.
Folder 7. Vol. 7, January-April 1875. Unbound fragment of
pocket diary probably kept by Keating Simons
Ball of Comingtee Plantation. Daily weather
reports and church and neighborhood activities
are recorded. 58 pages.
Folder 8a. Vol. 8, 1879-1884. Pages 1-111 of this pocket
memorandum book and diary were used in
1879-1880 for brief entries concerning
Keating Simons Ball's daily activities on
Comingtee Plantation and reports on the
weather. Pages 112-244 were used chiefly to
record store accounts, 1879-1884. 244
pages.
Folder 8b. Six small pieces of paper containing financial
(Encl. in Vol. 8) notations.
Folder 9. Vol. 9, 1883. Pages 1-127 of this pocket diary
contain brief entries for 1883 concerning the
daily activities of Keating Simons Ball and
Comingtee Plantation. Pages 128-135 list
names and addresses. Pages 136-174 were used
to record accounts of Keating Simons Ball.
176 pages.
Folder 10. Vol. 10, 1884. Pages 1-129 of this pocket diary were
used
chiefly by Keating Simons Ball to record daily
weather reports. There are brief mentions of
trips to Charleston and other community
activities. Pages 130-166 were used to record
"Cash Accounts" and "Bills Payable." Pages
167-168 list names and addresses. 170 pages.
SHELF LIST
Box 1 (only)