Home | Photography Portfolio | Elmwood Cemetery | Union Cemetery | Mathews-Williams | Contact | About | Site Map |
Mathews-Williams Family Genealogy
Notes
(Kinship to Bruce Mathews: 3rd cousin, 7 times removed; 4th cousin, 6 times removed)
Col. Burgess Ball was born after his father's death. Col. Ball was of "Traveller's Rest", Spotsylvania Co., VA and "Springwood", (near Leesburg) Loudoun Co., VA. He had a distinguished Revolutionary record, having in 1776 at his own expense recruited, clothed and equipped a regiment for the Continental Line. He was subsequently reimbursed, but impoverished himself by unrestrained generosity and hospitality.
After serving as an aide to his kinsman, Gen. George Washington, he was Captain of the 5th VA Regiment. On 17 Dec 1777, he was commissioned Lt. Col. of the 1st VA Regiment of Infantry.
Around 1700 James Ball (1678-1754) acquired part of the huge "Sherwood Forest" tract, (Stafford Co., VA), which had been granted in 1667 to William Ball and Thomas Chetwood. James Ball's grandson Burgess Ball, (1749-1800), (son of Jeduthan Ball), inherited the property and was likely the builder of the "Traveler's Rest" house. Burgess was an ardent supporter of the American cause during the Revolution. In 1776 he served as Captain in the 5th Regiment of Virginia. That same year he raised, clothed, and equipped a regiment of infantry for the Continental Line. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st Virginia Regiment, Infantry of the Continental Army in 1777. His grandson later wrote of him, "At the close of the war, shatterred in health and fortune, he returned to his old Homestead near Fredericksburg, Virginia, where in the exercise of the unbounded hospitality that had ever characterized the well known and most appropriately named "Traveller's Rest", the remainder of his once princely fortune soon melted away." The government steadfastly refused to reimburse Colonel Ball for his economic and personal investment in the Revolution. Unable to maintain the property, Colonel Ball sold "Traveler's Rest" in the late 1780's and retired to a modest home in Loudoun County where he died. ("They Called Stafford Home", p. 265).
In the March 31, 1790 issue of "The Virginia Independent Chronicle and General Advertiser" the following appears: Ball, Burges, want to exch. his farm in Stafford Co., known as Travellers Rest for lands in any counties above the falls of the rivers, but would prefer Loudoun, Berkeley, or Frederick.
Burwell Bassett served as a Burgess from 1762 to 1774; member of County Committee of Safety, 1775-1776; of Conventions of 1775, 1776, and 1778; of State Senate from 1780 to 1788; of House of Delegates from 1789 to 1793; represented Williamsburg District, US Congress, was a staunch and liberal supporter of the Episcopal Church, his name being one of the first on the Journals of the Church of Virginai, after the Revolutionary War.
Eleanor Parke Custis was the adopted daughter of President George Washington.
1. Patterson Cadle was one of the County Judges when Worth County, MO was first organized.
2. According to the 1850 Federal Census: Patterson, Ann (Kincaid), and son James were living in Gentry Co., MO.