John Ball (pioneer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ball
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| Born | November 12, 1794 |
| Died | February 5, 1884 (aged 89) |
| Resting place | Fulton Street Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Education | Dartmouth College |
| Occupation | Teacher Attorney Politician |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Thompson (Webster) Ball |
| Children | Frank Webster Ball, Kate Webster (Ball) Powers, Flora (Ball) Hopkins, Mary Johanna, John Helvetia Ball |
| Parent(s) | Nathaniel and Sarah (Nevins) Ball |
John Ball (born November 12, 1794 – died February 5, 1884) was an important American pioneer. He was a teacher, a lawyer, and a politician. He helped shape early settlements in both Oregon and Michigan.
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John Ball's Early Life and Education
John Ball was born in Hebron, New Hampshire. He didn't go to school much as a child. Instead, he worked hard on his family's farm. Sometimes, his father let him study with a local clergyman during the winter.
Even with limited schooling, John Ball was very smart. He started studying at Dartmouth College when he was 21. He graduated from there in 1820. After college, he studied law for two years in Lansingburgh, New York.
Adventures and New Paths
In 1822, John Ball traveled to Darien, Georgia. His ship was wrecked there. To earn money for his trip back home, he taught at a school during the winter. This experience showed his ability to adapt and teach.
By 1824, he became a lawyer. However, he later left his law practice for a time. His sister, Deborah, ran an oil cloth factory in New York. After her husband died, she hired John Ball as a foreman.
John Ball's Journey to Oregon
In 1832, John Ball joined an expedition led by Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth. They traveled all the way to the Oregon Country. This was a very long and challenging journey.
Teaching in the Wild West
During the winter of 1832-1833, John Ball stayed at Fort Vancouver. This fort was an important trading post. There, a man named John McLoughlin hired Ball to teach the children at the fort. McLoughlin told him, "you will have the reputation of teaching the first school in Oregon." This made John Ball the first white teacher in Oregon.
In the spring of 1833, McLoughlin wanted Ball to keep teaching. But John Ball had a new idea. He wanted to try farming.
First American Farmer in Oregon
McLoughlin helped Ball start his farm. He gave him farming tools, potatoes, corn, and wheat. John Ball and a friend went to the Salem, Oregon area. They stayed with a retired fur trader.
With help from neighbors and local Native Americans, Ball planted and harvested a wheat crop. This made him the first American to farm on the French Prairie. French-Canadians had already been farming there for some years. By September, Ball felt tired of the "primitive life." He sold his wheat crop to McLoughlin. This helped him pay for his trip back to the United States. He returned home by sailing around Cape Horn.
John Ball's Life in Michigan
After his adventures, John Ball settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1837. He opened a law office there. He worked with important judges like George Martin and Solomon Lewis Withey. Ball helped people from the East buy land during a time called the "wildcat banking" era.
A Leader in Grand Rapids
In 1842, the Governor John Barry chose John Ball for a big job. Ball had to pick 300,000 acres of land for Michigan. This land was given by Congress to help Michigan build roads and canals. Ball chose most of this land around Grand Rapids. This helped the Grand River Valley grow quickly.
John Ball was a strong supporter of Grand Rapids. He cared a lot about schools, geology, and local projects. He even wrote the first description of Oregon's geology. He also played a key role in creating Michigan's public school system.
In politics, he was a Democrat. He served in the Michigan State Legislature. He also gave the land in Grand Rapids, Michigan that is now John Ball Park and John Ball Zoo.
Images for kids
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A statue of John Ball in Grand Rapids.
