Mother of
George Washington.
She is believed to have been a lineal descendant of John Ball, the medieval champion of the rights of man, who was executed at
Coventry in the year 1381 for participating in
Wat Tyler's rebellion.
Col. William Ball, a native of
Kent, came from
England with his family about the year 1650, and settled in
Lancaster county, Va., where he died in 1659, leaving two sons, William and Joseph, and one daughter,
Hannah.
William left eight sons and one daughter, Mary, who was born in the year 1706.
Joseph Ball was a well-to-do planter on the
Rappahannock River, a vestryman of Christ Church in
Lancaster.
He was commissioned colonel by
Gov. Alexander Spottswoode, and was known as
Colonel Ball, of
Lancaster, to distinguish him from another
Colonel Ball, his cousin.
When Mary Ball was about seventeen years of age she wrote to her brother in
England on family matters a letter which is still in existence, the conclusion of which is as follows: “We have not had a school-master in our neighborhood until now (Jan. 14, 1728) in nearly four years. We have now a young master living with us, who was educated at
Oxford, took orders, and came over as assistant to
Reverend Kemp, of
Gloucester.
That parish is too poor to keep both, and he teaches school for his board.
He teaches sister Susie and me and
Madam Carter's boy and two other scholars.
I am now learning pretty fast.
Mamma, Susie, and I all send love to you and Mary.
This letter from your loving sister, Mary Ball.”
Mary Ball married
Augustine Washington in 1730.
Their first child was
George Washington, who, when seventeen years of age, wrote the following memorandum in his mother's Bible: “
George Washington, son to Augustine and Mary, his wife, was born the eleventh day of February, 1731-32, about ten in the morning, and was baptized the 3d of April following.
Mr. Beverley Whiting and
Capt. Christopher Brooks, god-fathers, and
Mrs. Mildred Gregory, god-mother.”
Early in April, 1743, Augustine Wash-
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ington rode several hours in a cold rainstorm, became chilled, and died of fever on the 12th of the month, aged forty-nine years, leaving an ample estate for his widow and children; and directing that the proceeds of all the property of
Mrs. Washington's children should be at her disposal until they had attained their majority.
Mrs. Washington managed the estate with great judgment.
The marriage of
George Washington to
Mrs. Custis made his mother very happy.
The social position, the fortune, and the lovely character of his bride were extremely satisfactory to her. The assurance that her eldest son was now settied for life not far from his mother, where she might enjoy his society and
consult with him about her affairs, was a great comfort.
At the outbreak of the
French and Indian War,
Washington persuaded his mother to leave her exposed house on the
Rappahannock, and remove to
Fredericksburg, where she continued to live until
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her death, Aug. 25, 1789.
In 1894, through the instrumentality of the National Mary Washington Memorial Association, a monument was erected in honor of her memory at
Fredericksburg, Va. The shaft rises from a pedestal 11 feet square,
and carries the following inscription: “Mary, the Mother of
Washington.
Erected by her Countrywomen.”