Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Burial: 28 December 1671.
Place of Burial: North Meols, Lancashire.
The burial is recorded in the parish register.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Brother: Richard Ball.
Thomas names his brother Richard in his will.
Spouse: Jenet Balshaw.
The will of James Balshaw names his daughter Jenet Ball. Jenet’s burial record names her husband Thomas.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Thomas Ball (buried 10 December 1671) married Jane.
Margaret Ball (baptized 12 October 1616 in North Meols - buried 18 November 1616 in North Meols)
Elizabeth Ball (baptized 15 October 1619 in North Meols)
Henry Ball (baptized 17 February 1621/2 in North Meols)
[blank in register] Ball (baptized 7 November 1624 in North Meols)
Margerie Ball (baptized 28 October 1626 in North Meols)
Alice Ball (baptized 1 October 1629 in North Meols)
Ellen Ball (baptized 1 October 1629 in North Meols)
Ann Ball (baptized 10 April 1633 in North Meols)
A daughter married William Jump. Probably this is Ellen above.
A daughter married Richard Rimmer.
A daughter married Richard Mercer.
A daughter married Hugh Haworth.
Evidence
from the North Meols (St Cuthberts) parish register:
Margaret Ball fil. Thom. bapt Octobr 12 [1616]
Margaret Ball fil Thom was buried Noubr 18 [1616]
Elizabeth Ball fil. Tho: de Rowe was bapt. octobr 15. [1619]
Henry Ball fil. Tho. was bapt: feb: 17. [1621]
Ball fil Thom was baptized Novbr the 7 [1624]
Margaret Ball fil. Thos was bapt. octobr 28 [1626]
Ellin & Alice Ball fil gem’ Tho bapt Octob 1 [1629]
Anne Ball fil. Thomas was bapt. Apr. 10: [1633]
Thomas baule de row the elder buried the 28: [December 1671]
Thomas Ball of New Rowe was a juror in 1643 (Aughton, p. 58).
from the 1664 Hearth Tax:
Rowe
Tho Ball 1
John Ball 1
…
John Ball 1
Thomas’s will:
Even In the name off god Amen / the second Day of December in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand six hundreth seventie and one, I Thomas Ball of New Row with in North Meales and and in the County of Lancaster husband man, being hole in mind and p[er]fect in understandinge, yett not with standnge beinge Griuosly pained in my body, the same puts mee in Mind to prepare for Another World, I doe therefore make this my Last will and testament in manour and Forme as Followeth, I First Commend my soule into the hands of allmighty god my maker and redeemer, beleveing Faithfully that all my sins shall bee for given mee, and my soule shall bee saved att the Last day of Judgement onely by the death and merits off Christ Jesus my blessed Sauiour and Redeemer, and my body to be bueired in the p[ar]ish Church year off North Meales, First my mind and Will is that my debts bee paid out off my hole goods and these bee them I owe and am in debtes unto my seruant Elizabeth Mathew Fower pounds and fower shillings, more I doe owe unto the aforesaide Elizabeth Mathew one pare of Lammas sheets and one Chaffe bed, Like wise I doe give unto my sone in the Lawe William Jumpe one shillinge for the shole sume of his Childs part Also I doe give unto my sone in the Law Richard Rimer one shilinge for the whole sume of his Childs part, Alsoe I doe give unto my sone in the Law Richard Marcer one shillinge for the whole sume of his Childs part and to Richard Marcers Children fife shilllings and A bras pott itt beinge the Lesser pott, Also I doe give unto William Jumps Childrine fife shillings Allso I doe give into my sone inthe Lawe Richard Rimers Children fife shillings Allso I doe give unto my sone in the Law Hugh Hawaurth Children fife shillings, I doe give unto my grand Child Thomas Ball the great brasse pan, Also I doe give unto my seruant Elizabeth Mathew one Red Couerlett and one fether boulster and one Flaxen sheet for to wind her in Also my mind and will is that my grand Child Thomas Ball shall haue one boarde in the house and one dishbord which is in the house, and all the shulfes in the house or els where, Allso I doe give unto my grand Child Richard Ball six ewes, Allso I doe give unto my brother Richard ninpence and one peny [three words illegible] Also I doe give unto John Hawaurth of Row fife shillings Also my will and mind is that my Funerall expences and ecclesiasticall dues bee taken forth of my hole goods and then those Legisise for to bee paid as is Aboue Written and then what goods is Left bee hind, I doe give unto my sone Henery Balls Children for to be euqually divided amongst them thomas onely excepted all other goods I doe giue them trily what some euer the bee
Also I doe make nominate and apoint Thomas Ball my grand Child and John Hawaurth of Row my sole true and Lawfull executors of this my Last Will and testament trusting they will execute and p[er]forme the same in all Respects, and doe I leave all to the Lords blessed will and marcie
Thomas Ball his y mark [seal]
Wittnes p[re]sent att Seallinge and publication of this the last will and Testament of the testator aboue named
John Ball
William Hesketh
[Proved 3 January 1671/2]
A true and [per]fect Inventary of all the Goods and Cattells moueable and unmoueable of Thomas Ball the Elder of New Roe within North meoles and in the County of Lancaster Husbandman late deceased praised and vallued according to the usuall Rates and worth of such like Goods in this Country the First day of January Anno Dni 1671 by these persons whose names are here subscribed Thomas Hodges and James Rymer and Richard Johnson as Followeth
Imprimis two Cowes -- 04-05-00
Item the sheepe --02-02-00
Item two Mares --03-06-08
Item Corne and Hay --03-15-00
Item Cart and wheeles 00-12-00
Item all the Iron Geare and one harrowe 00-06-08
Item all the brasse and pewter -01-17-00
Item one bed and boulster and all the woollen bed Clothes -02-04-00
Item hemp and yarne --00-09-04
Item all Linnens --00-09-04
Item one Table and dishboard and all the shelues in and about the house --00-16-00
Item woodden vessell --01-00-00
Item mug ware --00-00-08
Item netts --00-01-00
Item Iurnes --00-12-00
Item provision --00-16-00
Item part of the swarmes -- 00-05-00
Item his Apparrell--01-01-00
Sum[m]e Totall 24-01-04
Commentary
In his 1671 will, Thomas names his brother Richard. A Richard Ball was baptized in 1595, father Henry, and the same Richard Ball (aged 58) of Blowick, North Meols, testified in a 1655 court case and left a 1661 will, so must be a different Richard. A Henry Ball, tenant in the Newe Rowe, is recorded in a 1601 answer to a complaint, reciting a 1582 indenture.
References
Aughton, Peter. North Meols and Southport: A History (1988)
Farrer, William. A History of the Parish of North Meols, in the Hundred of West Derby and County of Lancaster; with Historical and Descriptive Notices of Birkdale and Martin Mere. (Liverpool, 1903).
Parish Registers of North Meols (St Cuthberts). Digital images on FamilySearch.org.
Will of Thomas Ball. Proved 1671 in the Consistory Court of Chester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.