Ball is a very old Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New England name. There were several persons of the name in Virginia before 1624. Mary Ball, granddaughter of Colonel William Ball, of "Millenback," Lancaster county, Virginia, was the mother of George Washington. The Balls of New England descent have a tradition of relation with this family, and their claim is confirmed by identity of arms. But the whole history of the Balls in America requires and deserves much painstaking genealogical research. The family has long been in what is now Summers county, West Virginia, having a homestead on the south side of New river, about two miles from Hinton.
     (I) William Ball, the first member of this family about whom we have definite information, married Dicie Cadle. Child, John C., of whom further.
     (II) John C., son of William and Dicie (Cadle) Ball, was born in what is now Summers county, West Virginia; died May 18, 1889. He was in earlier life a school teacher; later and to the time of his death a farmer and stockman. He married Emma C., daughter of Richard Meadows, who was born within the present bounds of Summers county. The Meadows family is one of the largest families in the county, and is found also in other neighboring counties. Richard Meadows was a farmer in this county. After the death of Mr. Ball, his widow, with the children, of whom the oldest was but eleven years of age, continued to reside on the farm; it was a small farm, and their means also were small; they worked together, the mother working very hard, and managing usually to keep the children in school for two or three months each winter. There were seven children, including William Thomas, of whom further.
     (III) William Thomas, son of John C. and Emma C. (Meadows) Ball, was born on the old homestead, March 5, 1879. At the age of seventeen he began to teach in the rural schools of Summers county. At the beginning of the spring term of 1900 he entered the Concord State Normal School, and he graduated therefrom at the head of his class, in 1904. He then taught school at Hinton, Summers county, West Virginia, for about six years, and during this period he read law at home. In 1909 he entered the law department at the University of West Virginia, and having completed the required course he was in 1911 admitted to the bar of this state. He has not, however, dropped his educational activities. In 1912 he was both a practicing lawyer at Hinton and county superintendent of free schools, having been elected to that office in 1910. He is a member of the State Bar Association and of the State Educational Association. His fraternal orders are the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a Democrat. Mr. Ball has not married.
[Source: West Virginia and Its People, Volume 3 By Thomas Condit Miller and Hu Maxwell - Transcribed by Therman Kellar]