In the name of God, Amen. I, William Ball of ye County of Lancaster, in Rappa, being praise God in good and perfect health both body and mind. etc etc. Item; I give and Devise my Land and Plantation whereon I live, Express in two patterns containing 540 acres to my SON, WILLIAM BALL, and his heirs forever, never ye less it is my will and pleasure that my loving wife, HANNAH BALL, be and remain in full possession thereof together with all household goods & servants both Christians & Negroes with ye ____ of Cattle of all kind excepting what is particularly bequeathed out of which never ye less not to be delivered till ye ___ of her rights for and during her natural life provided she so long remains a widow and therefore it is my will and pleasure that what shall remain in her possession be inventoried and valued by herself and my two sons between them themselves to be and if she should marry again, she may then enjoy on her aportionable parts according to law. Item; For ye other part of my Estate consisting chiefly in Merchandising good and debts, it is my will and pleasure ye sale also be Inventoried and Valued as before and she my sd Wife likewise enjoy 1/3 part thereafter and the ye remainder together with what shall be over and above her 3rd part of household goods, servants and cattle of all kinds not hereby particularly bequeathed be soon after ye termination of her rights thereby limited divided into parts, there where of whereof I give and bequeath to my SON, WILLIAM BALL and his heirs forever & ye other two parts of to my SON, JOSEPH BALL and his heirs forever their part of merchandising goods and depts to be forthwith Delivered. Item;I give and Devise my land in ye freshes of RAPPK, Cont’g by patent 1600 acres to my two SONS, WILLIAM AND JOSEPH BALL, and to each their heirs forever to be equally divided without any Advantage of Survivorship if either of them should decease before Demission. Item;I give and Bequeath to my SON, WILLIAM BALL, and his heirs my two Negroes called TAME and KATIE and his wife, to my SON, JOSEPH BALL, and his heirs heirs my Negroes, TONY & DINAH, his wife, the Negro Girl and her Negro boy, JAMES, to my wife to dispose of between my two sons of their children and noe otherwise when her rights shall determine either by death or marriage. Item; I give unto my sons, William and Joseph Ball whatsoever either of them stand indebted to me upon acct. in my book. Item; I hereby nominate and appointe my two sons, WILLIAM & JOSEPH BALL, Executor's of this my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT to ac together in all things in yer ordering and disposing of ye Estate according to the true intent and meaning thereof by a due performance of ye several exceptions p’visoes and limitations contained hereby renouncing all former Wills,& declare this to be my last will and testament by witnessing the same with my hand. SEALED this 5th day of OCTR. 1680, and in the 2 and thirtieth year of our Sovereigne Lord King Charles ye Second. Source; http://freepages.genealolgy.rootsweb.com/endovit/np325.html *************************************************************************** >From the book, Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock & Essex Co, VA, page 15. Library of Congress number F232.E7 W5 1983x is the following information. “1673, Capt. Wm Ball Lancaster Co married Margaret, dau of James Williamson, Book D, no 5, page 289 [ actual dated is 26 March 1673]. This is further proven by her Will and also an article in William & Mary Quarterly on the Williamson & Rossier Families. Will was written on 6 Feb 1697 and she died 9 Feb 1708/9. 1. William Ball, Colonel, was born in 1615, in London, England. He immigrated in 1657 to Rappahannock River, VA. He died in Nov 1680 in Millenbeck, Lancaster Co VA. Immigrated abt 1650 after Charles I death. Hardy, page 30, says “ Col. William Ball came to the Colony in 1657, he was a descendant of William Ball, Lord of the Manor of Barkham, who died in 1480. He was married to Hannah Atherold, [dau. of Thomas Atherold and Mary Harvey]. Hannah Atherold was born in 1616 in Burgh, Suffolk, England. She died on 25 June 1695 in Millenbeck, Lancaster Co., VA. She has Ancestor Chart number 50-03/60-05. She was buried in Millenbeck, Lancaster, VA. William Ball, Colonel and Hannah Atherold had the following children; Richard Ball William Ball, Captain Joseph Ball, Colonel Hannah Ball ********************************************** This line is of interest because of its famous son, George Washington. He had no children of his own, but there were cousins in the Ball line. His great grandfather,Captain William Ball, was Eve Ball Taylor’s grandfather. *********************************************