John Ball (pioneer)
Encyclopedia
John Ball was born at Tenny Hill, Hebron, Grafton County, New Hampshire
. He had a common school
education and graduated from Dartmouth College
in 1820. He studied law two years at Lansingburgh, New York
and then went to Darien, Georgia
where he was shipwrecked and taught school for the winter 1822–23 to earn his passage back to New York. Hew was admitted to the bar in 1824.
As a member of Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth
's first expedition, in 1832 he traveled to the Oregon Country
. While overwintering at Fort Vancouver
from 1832–1833, he was employed by John McLoughlin
to teach the children of the fort, thus becoming the Oregon's first schoolteacher. In the spring of 1833, using seeds and tools supplied by McLoughlin, Ball and a friend traveled to the Salem, Oregon
area and planted, raised and harvested a wheat
crop, making him the first European to farm in the region. He returned via the Sandwich Islands
and Cape Horn
in 1833-34. In 1837 he settled at Grand Rapids, Michigan
, and represented eastern capitalists in locating lands during the "wildcat banking
" era. He also opened a law office and partnered with, among others, the Hon. George Martin, formerly Chief Justice of Michigan and Solomon Lewis Withey
, late United States District Judge.
In 1842 he was appointed by Governor
John Barry
to select 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) of the 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) of land granted to Michigan by Congress for internal improvements
. These were mainly selected about Grand Rapids and were mostly taken up with internal improvement warrants, and as these warrants could be bought for about forty cents on the dollar, it resulted in a speedy settlement of the Grand River Valley
. Mr. Ball was largely identified with Grand Rapids interests. He was interested in schools, geology, lyceum
s and all local enterprises; he provided the first written account of the geology of Oregon.
In politics he was a conservative Democrat and served in the Michigan State Legislature.
He donated the land in Grand Rapids, Michigan
that is now John Ball Park
and John Ball Zoo.
Grafton County, New Hampshire
Grafton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2010 census, the population was 89,118. Its county seat is North Haverhill, which is a village within the town of Haverhill. Until 1972, the county courthouse and other offices were located in downtown Woodsville, a...
. He had a common school
Common school
A common school was a public school in the United States or Canada in the nineteenth century. The term 'common school' was coined by Horace Mann, and refers to the fact that they were meant to serve individuals of all social classes and religions....
education and graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1820. He studied law two years at Lansingburgh, New York
Lansingburgh, New York
Lansingburgh was the first chartered village in Rensselaer County, New York, USA and was settled around 1763. The name is from Abraham Lansing, an early settler, combined with the Scottish word burgh....
and then went to Darien, Georgia
Darien, Georgia
Darien is a city in McIntosh County, Georgia, United States. It lies on Georgia's coast at the mouth of the Altamaha River about 50 miles south of Savannah, and is part of the Brunswick, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of Darien was 1,719 at the 2000 census. The city is the...
where he was shipwrecked and taught school for the winter 1822–23 to earn his passage back to New York. Hew was admitted to the bar in 1824.
As a member of Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth
Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth
Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth was an American inventor, ice harvester, and explorer and trader in the far west.-Early life:Wyeth was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Jacob and Elizabeth Wyeth...
's first expedition, in 1832 he traveled to the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. While overwintering at Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
from 1832–1833, he was employed by John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
to teach the children of the fort, thus becoming the Oregon's first schoolteacher. In the spring of 1833, using seeds and tools supplied by McLoughlin, Ball and a friend traveled to the Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
area and planted, raised and harvested a wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
crop, making him the first European to farm in the region. He returned via the Sandwich Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
and Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
in 1833-34. In 1837 he settled at Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, and represented eastern capitalists in locating lands during the "wildcat banking
Wildcat banking
Wildcat banking refers to the unusual practices of banks chartered under state law during the periods of non-federally regulated state banking between 1816 and 1863 in the United States, also known as the Free Banking Era...
" era. He also opened a law office and partnered with, among others, the Hon. George Martin, formerly Chief Justice of Michigan and Solomon Lewis Withey
Solomon Lewis Withey
Solomon Lewis Withey was a United States federal judge.Born in St. Albans Point, Vermont, Withey read law to enter the bar in 1843. He was in private practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 1843 to 1863. He was a probate judge for Kent County, Michigan from 1848 to 1852...
, late United States District Judge.
In 1842 he was appointed by Governor
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
John Barry
John S. Barry
For the American businessman John S. Barry, see John Barry .John Stewart Barry was the fourth and eighth Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. He was Michigan's only three-term governor in the 19th century...
to select 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) of the 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) of land granted to Michigan by Congress for internal improvements
Internal improvements
Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canals, harbors and navigation improvements...
. These were mainly selected about Grand Rapids and were mostly taken up with internal improvement warrants, and as these warrants could be bought for about forty cents on the dollar, it resulted in a speedy settlement of the Grand River Valley
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. Mr. Ball was largely identified with Grand Rapids interests. He was interested in schools, geology, lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
s and all local enterprises; he provided the first written account of the geology of Oregon.
In politics he was a conservative Democrat and served in the Michigan State Legislature.
He donated the land in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
that is now John Ball Park
John Ball Park
John Ball Zoological Garden is an urban park located on the west side of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The John Ball Zoo is situated on the ravines and bluffs along the west edge of the park....
and John Ball Zoo.