Miscellaneous Inventories, 1813-1817, is a bound volume kept by or for a member of the Ball family. The volume includes inventories of furniture, kitchen ware, clothing, and other household decorations such as candlesticks, bookcases, shades, looking glasses and crockery. The volume also includes a list of enslaved men, women and children divided by families.
A torn letter from John Ball to his son John Ball Jr. at Harvard College in Massachusetts discussing how John should interact with his peers, especially women, while at school.
A bond from Elias Ball to executors of William Carson's estate Alexander Robertson and John Blacklock for $8,000. The document includes records of paid installments.
Memorandums on Elias Ball II discussing Comingtee Plantation given to him in the will of his father Elias Ball I, and the probability that Elias Ball Sr. was buried at St. Philip's Church in Charleston.
A letter from Lydia Simons to her brother John Ball discussing John Ball's inability to use his fingers, and the crops at "Limeric" (Limerick) Plantation.
A torn letter from Isaac Ball to his brother John Ball in "Charles Town" discussing John Ball's physique, the death of Mr. Quash's wife, a shipment of rice and their fathering purchasing a horse.
A letter from A. Waring to her cousin John Ball in Charleston thanking him for a present, the crops at Backriver Plantation, and a potential visit in the spring.
A letter to John Jacob Ischudy discussing arrangements for the rectory, a situation concerning the senders "negroes," and punishing Old Friday by returning him to Ischudy's care.
A torn letter from Elias Ball II to his son John Ball in "Charles Town" offering advice to be " a good boy and you shall want for nothing," and the poor health of John Longstaff.
A list of classes William Ball is taking at the University of Edinburgh which includes Latin, Greek, mathematics, logic, philosophy, history, agriculture, and religion.
A portion of the last will and testament of Elias Ball II in which he settles all debts, gives his son Elias Ball III Comingtee and Limerick Plantations, tracts of land to Samuel Eveleigh, tracts of land and Kensington and Hyde Park Plantations to his son John Ball, and a lot of land situated "on the Bay of Charleston" to his daughter Lydia Bryan. Makes various notations regarding "negro slaves and their issue and increase" as well as statements that his sons Elias and John Ball are given the enslaved persons living at each plantation they inherited.
Extract from Nicholas Trott's Law, "An Act for Establishing a Ferry Over the Western Branch of Cooper River." The extract pertains to the appointing of a "master or manager" of the ferry and his duties.
A diagram of the "Plain Scale." The horizontal axis is labeled "inclinations of meridians" and vertical axis is labeled hours. Various geometric shapes and lines such as chord, rhombus, tangents, secants, semi tangents, longitudes, and latitudes are drawn within the "plain."
Loose pages from "A Peep into the Past" which was also published in The Evening News in 1852. These pages discuss Sally Brailsford, the granddaughter of Madame Brailsford and niece of Mr. Waring. Topics include her admirer, the family's property occupied by squatters, a brief history of Col. William Scott, the Waring family's genealogy traced back to 1067, "the era of the conquest," a letter to William Waring from Thomas Waring of Kilkenny dated 16th of April 1725 on Waring genealogy, and history of the Brailsford family.
A list of lands and enslaved persons owned by John Ball which includes Back River Plantation, it's swamps, lands for cultivation, pine land, a carriage house, smoke house, overseer's house, store house, corn house, a cooper shop and twelve "negro" houses. The document also lists that there are four enslaved men above fifty years of age, eighteen enslaved men under fifty and above twelve, ten enslaved boys under the age of twelve, seven enslaved women above fifty years old, nineteen enslaved women under fifty and above twelve and twenty enslaved girls under twelve.
An account of the enslaved persons and lands belonging to Elias Ball I that includes tracts of land at Comingtee Plantation, acres to plant and harvest crops, and sixty-eight enslaved persons.
Fragments of a letter from Elias Ball III to his brother John Ball in Charleston, South Carolina. Fragments reveal statements regarding the health of family members.
A document transcription of dialogue between a "Mr. Learned" and Dr. Franz Joseph Gall on phrenology, a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules.
A receipt for thirteen bushels of rice from William Ball. The receipt includes a mark, most likely in place of a signature from an enslaved or freed person.
A Latin and English translation for the inscription on Charles Louis D'Arsac de Ternay's memorial. The inscription identifies him as a "knight of the order of St. John's of Jerusalem," a descendant of the Americans, a captain in the royal fleet and his various accomplishments and experiences in the military during the Seven Year's War and the American Revolution.
A list of 339 named enslaved persons at Comingtee/Stoke Plantation with associated figures identified as "quarts." Various names include the name of a parent and the location they work in such as "House."
A petition to the commissioners of the roads in St. John's Parish from Thomas Corbett Jr. and Nicholas Harleston. The petition concerns the inability to build a dwelling house on the plantation as a road prohibits this, and that the petitioners will pay for the construction of a new road.
The division and appraisement of Judith Boisseau Ball's estate according to her last will and testament which leaves her daughter Eleanor 6000 in currency and the rest of the estate to be equally divided. The division includes currency, enslaved persons and cattle.
A letter to Eleanor Ball from Thomas Smith discussing the division of his father's estate, Eleanor Ball's demands against the state, and a statement from a bond to Eleanor Ball.
A list of enslaved men, women and children belonging to Ann Ball purchased from the estate of John Ball. Persons are priced as family units and includes valuations.
A receipt from Saxby stating that John Hentie paid one pound for two years "Quit-rent "due to the crown, and paid the Lord Carteret for three hundred acres of land.
A letter from Caroline Simons to her brother John Ball in "Charles Town" discussing a shipment of a keg with eggs sent by the enslaved man Ben, the health of their father, the price of "mirtle wax," and a request for oysters.
A torn letter from Elias Ball II at Kensington Plantation to his son John Ball in "Charles Town" on spending a night at Comingtee Plantation, and the health of Elias Ball III and Isaac Ball.
A torn letter to John Ball by Elias Ball III at Kensington Plantation discussing Mr. Simon's Caty being ill, the safe arrival of Mr. E. Simons and guns.
List of all the conveyancers of rural estate to the late John Ball Esquire. The list is divided into fourteen lots, conveyancers and numbers of acres each property contains.
A history of the Harleston family discussing their voyage from England to South Carolina, their first plantation called Irishtown, other plantations throughout the years, the Coming relatives and dates of birth and death for family members.
A list of Ball family members who had their portraits painted. The document also includes the name of the portrait painter, and dates of their birth and death.
A list of enslaved women confined at Midway Plantation and tools left out by the enslaved person Marcus. The bottom of the document is a balance of tools at Kensington Plantation.
Anecdotes and memorandum of a watchman named Patrick who was whitewashing his cousin's floor and fell through a window, an "alligator committee," an Uncle Maurice crossing Strawberry Ferry and Bonneau's Ferry, and a story of Bishop Bowen finding a replacement for himself for patrol duty.
A 1646 release written by John Rich to John Harleston from London, England discussing a discharge for Harleston's debts, quarrels, bonds, and judgements.
Survey of 1,200 acres of land formerly owned by Thomas Stanyarne on the west side of the Cooper River. Mepkin Plantation is mentioned as an adjacent property.
A copy of a letter from Affra Harleston Coming to her sister in which she describes her grief after the death of her husband, John Coming Ball, from "the gout, which seized him after a violent manner for several months with extreme fits of shaking and coldness…" She also expresses concern over her safety in her newfound status as a widow. The remainder of the letter discusses John Coming Ball's wishes for his estate.
A copy of a petition to parliament titled "The Great Grievances and Oppression of James Child" in which the writer discusses "illegal rates" that were falsely presented as "repairs for the church" in Amersham. James Child and others refused to pay resulting in financial charges from the Ecclesiastical Church. The petition goes on to discuss charters for Amersham, James Child's imprisonment over his refusal to deliver an "Exemplification," and James Child being forced to abscond and sell his estate to pay off his debts. The second half discusses the various finances and property that James Child is giving to his son Isaac Child in South Carolina. Makes notations regarding Strawberry Plantation and Mepkin Plantation.
A land indenture from Ann Ferguson and Judith Wragg, representatives of the deceased John Wragg, in which they agree to sell John Wragg's estate on the Charleston Neck to John Ball Jr.
