BFHA-RC-000005
Research record and source registry for Sampson Ball. This archive entry preserves the corresponding publication section for website research review.
Publication excerpt:
SAMPSON BALL: William, Sr. The date of Sampson Ball’s birth is not known and no evidence has been found of his having been born anywhere other than in St. Johns Parish, Berkeley County, South Carolina. There is no clear cut record that shows he was born there but in all probability he was. His father arrived in Charleston in 1700, a young, single man. The name of his mother is unknown. Nothing is known of Sampson’s early life. One may surmise him growing up as a normal boy of that day and age and assuming responsibility as a young adult of 18 to 20 years of age. The first record found on Sampson is dated 19 May 1733 when he presented the courts with his declaration as heir to his deceased father’s estate. “A MEMORIAL exhibited by Sampson Ball of Berkeley County in the province of South Carolina, Planter, pursuant to an actof the General Assembly of this province in that case made and provided. The Right Honorable the Lords Proprietors of South Carolina by Sir Nathaniel Johnson, their Govr. Nichs, Trott, James Moore and Job Hous, then deputies by a grant bearing date the fifth day of May Anno Domini 1704, granted to William Ball, late of this province, deceased, his heirs and assigns forever, a plantation or tract containing four hundred and twenty seven acres of land at the yearly quit rent of one shilling current money of this province for every one hundred acres situate in St. Johns Parish, Berkeley County, butting and bounding to the North on lands of Samuel Summers, late deceased, to the Easton lands of Paul St. Julian, to the South on lands of the Memorial to the Weston land not laid out. Moreover the Lords Proprietors by Robert Gibbs, their Govr., Robert Daniel, Charles Hart, Charles Burnham and Samuel Everleigh, their deputies by a grant bearing date the 23rd of July Anno Domini 1711, granted unto William Ball late of this province, deceased, his heirs and assigns forever, a plantation or tract containing three hundred acres of land at the yearly quit rent of one shilling current money of this province for every one hundred acres, situate in St. Johns Parish, Berkeley County, butting and bounding to the North on lands of the memorialist, to the East and Weston lands of Daniel Ravanal to the South on lands not laid out. The aforesaid Samson Ball, the memorialist, holds the same above two tracts of land making together seven hundred and twenty seven acres as heir to his father William Ball of this province, late deceased, witness my hand “ __________________________ (Sampson Ball). Recorded 19 May 1733. 1 By the above memorial, Sampson is establishing his “Rights of Primogeniture.” TO THE ISSUE of intestate decendency in South Carolina. Prior to 1791, primogeniture was in effect. That is to say, that, if a man died intestate, all of his real property (land) descended automatically to his eldest son without any document whatsoever. Such was the case with William Ball, who died intestate in 1727/8, and his eldest son Sampson Ball received the land. The personal property (including slaves) was divided: one -third to the widow, if alive and the remaining two -thirds divided among the children, or if any child were deceased his/her part would descend to the children of that child, as one would expect. This would prove that William Ball, Jr. was also a son of William Ball since some of the slaves of William Ball who died in 1727/8 appear in the inventory of William Ball, Jr. in 1729. 2 Sampson Ball married Miss Gourdin, daughter of Lewis and Marion Gourdin, planter, of St. James Santee Parish, Craven County, South Carolina. The date and place of the marriage is unknown. The date and the place of the birth and death of Miss Gourdin is unknown. The only known issue of Sampson and Miss Gourdin was a son named Sampson Ball, Jr. By 1733, Sampson Ball, Sr.’s records and activities indicated he first lived and owned land in St. Johns Parish, Berkeley County, South Carolina. Then established a place of residence in Craven County about 1741/42 and perhaps lived there and married there and his son was born and raised there, all the while maintaining his 727 acre plantation in St.
[Excerpt; the full publication section is preserved in the BFHA source registry document.]