A Ball Family Historical Collection
Introduction
The Courtney family occupies an important place in the history of the Ball family through marriage, migration, and shared roots in colonial South Carolina. This collection brings together historical research, original records, and documented family traditions to examine those connections and to preserve the evidence for future generations.
While many relationships have been documented, several questions remain under investigation. This page presents both the established facts and the current direction of ongoing research.
James Courtney
Colonial South Carolina
James Courtney received a land grant on 17 October 1764 for property located at Sparrow’s Swamp in Craven County, South Carolina. This grant establishes the family’s presence in colonial South Carolina during the period immediately preceding the American Revolution.
James married Elizabeth Laws in 1788 and later moved to Mississippi. Following Elizabeth’s death about 1810, he returned to South Carolina and married Ann Giles in Craven County.
The Courtney family later became connected to the Ball family through Louisa Jane Courtney, the second wife of Henry Augustus Ball.
Ball Family Connection
The Ball–Courtney relationship extends beyond a single marriage. The interconnected families of the Pee Dee region often shared neighbors, churches, military service, and migration routes. Studying the Courtney family therefore contributes to a broader understanding of the Ball family’s history in South Carolina and Mississippi.
Current Research
One of the principal research questions concerns the parentage of Ann Giles.
Evidence suggests she may have been a granddaughter of Sarah Ball Giles, daughter of Bartholomew Ball and Elizabeth Henlen. Although several records support this possibility, the relationship has not yet been conclusively documented.
Current research focuses on:
- Probate records
- Land transactions
- Church records
- Diaries of Evan Pugh (1772–1773)
- Craven County records
Future discoveries may strengthen or clarify this relationship.
Historical Documents
Figure 1. James Courtney Land Grant, 17 October 1764. Reconstruction of Courtney’s 100-acre tract at Sparrow’s Swamp, Craven County, South Carolina, showing the adjoining land of Bartholomew Ball and the modern approximate location.
John Mickell (Mikell), Deputy Surveyor, was the son-in-law of Bartholomew Ball. This family relationship adds significance to the 1764 survey, as the adjoining landowner identified in the plat was Bartholomew Ball, connecting the surveyor directly to the Ball family.
Primary Sources
- South Carolina Land Grant, 17 October 1764
- Craven County records
- Diaries of Evan Pugh (1772–1773)
Secondary Sources
- Jack Curtis, The Courtney Book
Online Resources
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/u/r/Thomas-R-Curtis/index.html
Related Collections
- Ball Family Revolutionary War Collection
- Ball Family Migration
- Colonial South Carolina
- Bartholomew Ball
- Henry Augustus Ball