From: KyArchives [archives@genrecords.org] Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 12:38 PM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: Ball.Delmer.1930.Mccreary-Whitley-Russell.BIOS Delmer Add Ball May 29, 1930 - April 18, 1962 Mccreary-Whitley-Russell County KyArchives Biography Author: Margy BALL MILES Margy BALL MILES, Jan 1997, 4miles@is.usmo.com, McCreary Co. DELMER ADD BALL, former resident of Honey Bee, McCreary Co., Ky., was born 29 May 1930 in Duck Run, McCreary Co., Ky. Delmer's gr. gr. grandparents, William & Charlotte (May) Ball came into Whitley Co. by way of the old Tellico Trail from Russell County, Va. and acquired a 200 acre tract of land on Clear Creek in Whitley Co. in 1852. William and Charlotte were the first known members of the Ball family to settle in the area and are considered the progenitors of all the many Ball descendants in the Whitley-McCreary Co. area. They are buried on the land they settled and lived on till they died. Delmer was the 4gr grandson of Moses Ball, Sr. of Fairfax, Va., a close associate, neighbor, and relative of George Washington. He was also the 4gr nephew of Daniel Boone and was blessed with his uncle's pioneer spirit and fine character. Delmer's grandfather was Jesse Tunnell Ball, born 9 Dec 1864, Duck Run, Whitley Co., Ky. He married Elza Barnett (born 4 Nov 1864), and they had eight children who lived to adulthood: Melt, Nannie, Dora, Margaret Magdalene, William Sanford, Add Valentine, Jesse Francis, and Otie. Elza died 19 Jan 1942, and Jesse T.died 1 Nov 1945. Jesse Francis, father of our subject, was born 18 Nov 1902 in McCreary Co.; he married 13 May 1923 to Flora Hamlin (born 13 June 1909 in McCreary Co.), and they had thirteen children: Delca Dora, Delmer Add (subject), Della Virginia, Kenneth Lloyd, Ollie Imogene, Emma Faye, Donald Eugene, Ella Mae, Roy Lee, Shirley Ann, Larry Noble, Nora Lou, & Lavonda Francis. Jesse worked all his life for the U.S. Forest Service. Delmer Add Ball attended one-room schools in the Duck Run community, where he grew up. When he married he lived there for awhile before moving to Honey Bee near his in-laws, Luther and Fenty (Rose) Vanover. Delmer was mostly self-employed; he was a logger, saw-mill owner, and farmer. He owned 14 acres, which he cleared and farmed himself in the time he had after working long hours in the log woods and in his own sawmill, where he employed several local people, often paying them more than he made himself--because he felt they needed the money for various reasons. He married 31 July 1948 in Whitley Co., Ky. to Estalene Vanover, daughter of Luther & Fenty (Rose) Vanover. They had three children: 1. Margy E. Ball (Miles) born 15 July 1949 at Honey Bee, Ky.; graduated from Williamsburg High School, attended Cumberland College, Williamsburg, Ky. and Knoxville Business College. Married 4 June 1967 to Dale E. Miles of Williamsburg, Ky. Lives near St. Louis, Mo. Three children: Rebekah Lynn Miles (Gilreath), Dale E. Miles II, and Dustin Delmer Miles. 2. Audra A. Ball (Stanfill) born 29 May 1951 at Sawyer, Ky. attended Williamsburg High School, Williamsburg, Ky. and School of Cosmotology in Cincinnati, Ohio. Married 21 Dec 1968 to James Roger Stanfill of Williamsburg, Ky. Lives in Goshen, Ohio. Two sons: James Bradley Stanfill and Joseph Allen Stanfill. 3. Linda Fenty Ball (Shepherd) born 30 June 1953 at New Liberty, Ky.; attended Williamsburg High School, Williamsburg, Ky. married Kenneth John Shepherd of McCreary Co., Ky. Linda lives in McCreary Co., Ky. She has 3 children, Holly S. Ball, Amanda L. Ball, & Kenneth John Shepherd, Jr. Delmer was killed in a logging accident near Cumberland falls on 18 April 1962. He had that day purchased a new wench attachment for his tractor and though it was time to quit work for the day and go home, but true to his nature, he couldn't quit until he tried it out. He was wenching a huge log up a mountain side when the attachment broke and the tractor went backwards down the mountain with him riding on it. At some point the tractor flipped over, crushing him underneath. An employee and cousin of his wife, Clarence Perry, was with him and witnessed the accident. His father, Jesse Francis Ball was on his National Forest Service Fire Tower on a neighboring ridge and saw the commotion through his binoculars. Knowing this was the area where his son was working, he went there immediately and was the person who made the positive identification when the coroner arrived. Delmer was only 31 years old. He was buried at the New Liberty Church Cemetery in McCreary Co. He was very highly thought of and well-liked and contributed much to those who knew him and those in his community. He was especially known for his kindness and generosity, particularly to the elderly and to children. He was a member of the New Liberty Baptist Church. Ball May Boone Barnett Hamlin Rose Vanover Miles Gilreath Stanfill Shepherd Perry = Russell-VA Whitley-KY St._Louis-MO OH Submitted by: Rhonda Hail and Margy BALL MILES %demail 4miles@is.usmo.com This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/