Early Life and Times of Boone County, Indiana, published May 1877, republished 1974

JOHN M. BALL. Quite prominent among the people of Boone County is the person's name at
the head of this sketch, he being a son of Adrin and Mary Ball, he being of German descent
and she of English. Mr. Ball's parents came from Tennessee to Boone County at a very early
day, settling near Thorntown in 1831. Was born in Sugar Creek Township, of this county,
January 20, 1833. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Case, February 14, 1857. With
him she has proven herself a worthy and faithful companion, the result of this marriage
being one child, Carrie, who married Alfred H. Allen, son of Rev. Allen. Mr. Ball was so
unfortunate as to lose one of his limbs; was hurt at school in 1851, and from that time on
it bothered him until inflammation set in, and in May, 1872, had it amputated. His
occupation has been that of farming until 1868, when he went in the grain business at
Thorntown with Alfred Burk. This partnership lasted for about two years. He was nominated
by the Democratic party for the auditor's office, to which he was elected by an
overwhelming majority when the county was about three to four hundred Republicaln, and was
elected again in 1882, which term he has just finished. This shows Mr. Ball's standing
with the people of Boone County. He has been a very liberal patron to the secret orders of
the county, belonging to the Masons, Odd Fellows, Red Men, Knights of Pythias and Knights
of Labor. Mr. Ball was elected president of the Agricultural Association in 1878, which he
filled satisfactorily for about four years. His sympathies have always been with that of
the farmer. Policically speaking, he has always been a straight out Democrat, and what
offices have been bestowed upon him have been very satisfactorily filled.

BALL CASE ALLEN BURK