BFHA-RC-000035
Research record and source registry for Louisa Ball. This archive entry preserves the corresponding publication section for website research review.
Publication excerpt:
LOUISA BALL: William Robert, Sampson, Bartholomew; William, Jr. Louisa Ball was born in 1827 in South Carolina, perhaps Beaufort County. She was raised in Randolph County, Georgia and Barbour County, Alabama. Randolph County, Georgia and Barbour County, Alabama shared a common border in that day and time, and these three people owned property, worked and lived in both counties, paid taxes and perhaps even voted. Louisa Ball married John Washington Johnston in Barbour County, Alabama 18 August 1844. They continued to live there, neighbors of Edward Ball, and raised eight children. They were: Thaddeus A., born 1847, died 1848; Lavina E., born 1848, died 1852; John Washington, Jr., born 1851, died 1935; Babe, born 1853; Edward Ball, born 1855, died 1867; David A., born 1857, died 1935; Joseph R., born 1864, died 1932; Leila E., born 1867, died 1925. John W. Johnston was the second of seven children born to Andrew Neel Johnston and Mary Rawls. John W. was born in Wayne County, Georgia in 1822. In 1824 the family moved to Leon County, Florida. At some point in time John W. returned to Georgia and bought a farm in Barbour County, Alabama next to Edward Ball’s farm. John W. died there in Barbour County in 1878. Louisa continued (to live there) and operate the farm with her children. In 1882, Louisa and her son David, age 25, Joseph R. and daughter Leila, age 15, sold out and moved to Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; where her son, John W. Johnston, Jr. had moved in 1877 to Delhi, Louisiana and had gone to work for John Bishop. The 1880 census shows him to be living in the home of Edward Ball, his cousin, and Edward’s mother, Harriet King Ball and his sister Katie. This is the last record on Katie. John W. Jr. married Maggie Bishop of Delhi, Louisiana, daughter of John Bishop for whom John W. worked. Louisa Ball Johnston lived out her life in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. She died 18 January 1914 and is buried there. She was 87 years of age.