Hester Mary WICKHAM ¹

  General Notes:

GIVEN NAME: Mary Esther, Hester, or Esther.

To IA in 1848 with the Lester Wickham family.

1850 IA CENSUS, Linn Co., (probably Butler Co, since Linn Co took census for them):
Nathaniel Ball, 22, farmer, no real estate, b. OH;
Hester, 19, b. OH;
Daniel, 3, b. OH;
Benjamin, 1, b. IA.
(Listed next to them on the census were Hester's parents, Lester and Diana Wickham.)
Note: There was no township listed, which meant that the Balls were living in the unorganized territory of northeast Iowa.

1854 IA STATE CENSUS, Linn Co, Franklin Twp:
Nathaniel Ball -
3 males
4 females
1 voter
1 militia
(Listed next to Lester Wickham and Abisha Wickham.)

1856 IA STATE CENSUS, Butler Co, West Point Twp:
Nathaniel Ball, 26, married, in IA 8 yrs, b. OH, farmer;
Mary, 25, b. OH, in IA 8 yrs;
Daniel, 8, in IA 8 yrs, b. OH;
Benjamin, 7, in IA 7 yrs, b. IA;
Flora C., 6, in IA 6 yrs, b. IA;
Rachel, 6, in IA 6 yrs;
"Drucila", 4, in IA 4 yrs, b. IA.
11 acres unimproved land; 5 acres wheat; 65 bushels wheat harvested; 2 acres oats; 75 bushels of oats harvested; 13 acres corn; 600 bushels of corn harvested; 1/2 acre potatoes; 100 bushels of potatoes harvested; 3 hogs sold; $28(?) value of the hogs; 200 lbs. butter manufactured.
(Listed on the same census page were Mary's parents Lester and "Dian" Wickham, and her uncles Benjamin Wickham and Abisha Wickham.)

1860 IA CENSUS, Butler Co, Pittsford Twp., P.O.: Franklin Ridge, Franklin Co:
Nathaniel Ball, 31, farmer, $20 personal estate, b. OH;
Esther M., 30, b. OH;
Daniel, 12, b. OH;
female "Clerninina"(?), 9, b. IA;
"Rachal" R., 9, b. IA;
"Driscilla", 7, b. IA;
Diana, 3, b. IA;
Nathaniel, 1, b. IA.
(They were listed on the census next to Lester Wickham & Abisha Wickham.)

1870 MO CENSUS, Mercer Co, Morgan Twp, Princeton P.O.:
"Samuel" Ball, 42, farmer, $300 personal estate, b. OH, cannot write;
Mary Ball, 31, keeping house, b. OH;
Daniel, 22, helping on farm, b. OH, attended school;
Rachel, 18, helping in house, b. IA, attended school;
Flora C., 16, helping in house, b. IA, attended school;
"Druzetta", 14, at home, b. IA, attended school;
Diana, 11, at home, b. IA, attended school;
Nathaniel, 9, b. IA, attended school;
Elisha, 8, b. IA;
Mary, 6, b. IA;
William, 2, b. IA;
Jane, 4, b. IA.

INFO FROM ROGER GREENOUGH: At this point it would appear that the family packed up and followed the Leach migration to Monona County in 1874. When they arrived in the area, "old" Mapleton, which was located on the west side of the Maple River, was the trading center for the community. The Ball's oldest son, Daniel, preceded his family to the Mapleton area. His home was likely where they stayed until living accommodations were obtained.

STORY IN THE MAPLETON, IA DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATION, written by Olive Leach Greenough: "Grandpa and Grandma Ball were the parents of thirteen children. He came near to freezing to death in a bad blizzard. He had been cutting logs and he left to go home to his young wife and children. The blizzard was so bad he couldn't see to find his way home. Finally he came to a fence. His wife had put a lamp in the window and he could see the light. Then he followed the fence until he came to his house. His feet and hands were frozen. The toes on both feet had to be removed, and it left his fingers so crippled he could hardly use them. He had to go on through life and raise his family of 13 children as his wife died when their last child, Ada, was a small baby. She died at the young age of forty."
Submitted by Roger A. Greenough

STORY FROM SHIRLEE DRUMMOND-HAY: "I remember once, Grandma (Bernice) Keairns saying that we had a real pioneer spirited ancestor - a woman. Her husband had frozen his toes. They could not be saved. So to save his life she took an ax and chopped them off". The woman who performed this feat was Shirlee's great-great grandmother Mary Ball.

INFO FROM OLIVE GREENOUGH: The family set down to supper. Grandma Ball was laughing and joking. When they all pushed back from the table, Grandma started to fall out of her chair. Aunt Diana Ball caught her, and she died in her arms.

Hester married Nathaniel A. BALL about 1846 in OH. (Nathaniel A. BALL was born on 23 Jun 1829 in Union Twp, Monroe Co, OH,⁴ died on 23 Feb 1909 in St. Clair Twp, Monona Co, IA ⁴ and was buried on 25 Feb 1909 in Heisler Cem, Monona Co, IA ⁴.)