My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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John J. Ball, a railroad contractor of De Soto, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America, June 22, 1862. His father, John Ball, was born in Ireland in 1833, and immigrated to the United States in 1848. In 1858 he went to Brazil, South America, where he worked on railroad tunnels until 1866, when he brought his family to De Soto, where they have since resided. John Ball married Ann Cain, and of their fourteen children seven are living, viz.: Austin, John J., Margaret, Annie, Jane, Ella and Katie. In religious faith they are Catholics. Early in life John J. Ball became interested in contracting, which was his father’s business; he helped build the branch of the Iron Mountain Railroad, the Cotton Belt, and others, and also takes contracts to furnish gravel to railroad companies, etc. In 1887 he loaded 12,000 car loads of gravel for the Iron Mountain Railroad. He has been in the service of the Railroad several years, being first employed as water boy, then as brakeman and conductor, and finally as division roadmaster. He is a member of the order of Railroad Conductors. December 23, 1884, he married Mary E. Barron, daughter of Felix Barron, a merchant of Irondale, Mo.

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This family biography is one of 224 biographies included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Jefferson County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Jefferson County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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