A torn letter written by Elias Ball III to his brother John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing leaving town, the "poor Dyana" who is ill and unable to nurse and having items sent from the store to the plantation.
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.
The Account of Enslaved Persons and Various Stories, 1831-1844, is kept by or for a member of the Ball family. The first half of the account book contains various lists of enslaved men, women and children owned by John Ball at Comingtee/Stoke, Kensington and Midway Plantations in Berkeley County, South Carolina. These lists include enslaved persons given first or second quality blankets, cloth, clothes and osnaburg fabric as well as lists of pregnant enslaved women or enslaved infants given clothes.
The second half of the book contains stories retold by various persons on topics such as an eyewitness account of the Steamship Pulaski Disaster in 1838, stories of enslaved persons including the execution of an enslaved man, stories about the family of George Chicken, eyewitness accounts of the British occupation in Charleston during the Revolutionary War, numerous ghost stories and an account of the first settlers of Charlestown.
The last will and testament of Elias Ball II in which he divides Comingtee, Limerick and Kensington Plantations among his sons Elias Ball III, Isaac Ball and John Ball. He leaves his daughter Lydia Lot No. 49 in Charlestown and refers to the enslaved persons outlined in his late wife's will. Elias Ball II also leaves his pew in the middle aisle of St. Philips Church to his son Elias Ball III and bequeaths his "negro wench named Priscilla," "negro wench called Esther," "negro wench called Bena," negro wench named Auba" and any enslaved man upon their selection to his children. The will also outlines that Elias Ball II's executors are to purchase "young slaves" from time to time.
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.
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 Elias Ball IV in Charleston to Elias "Wambaw" Ball III exiled in Bristol, England discussing a charter, Comingtee Plantation, a shortage of rice in the country, and a recommendation from "Moultrie" to hire James Gordon.
A letter from Elias Ball IV at Limerick Plantation to Elias "Wambaw" Ball III exiled in Bristol, England on an account between the Balls and James Gordon, Elias Ball IV's tiredness, the rice and corn crops, planting 225 acres of rice at Comingtee Plantation, and debt.
A letter from Elias Ball III at Comingtee Plantation to his brother Isaac Ball at Kensington Plantation discussing Isaac's fever and sending the enslaved man Plimouth to visit Isaac to receive news of his health.
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing Old Stepney arriving with letters from Aunt Waring and Ann Ball's mother, and their son Keating experiencing indigestion. The letter discusses the enslaved woman Binah who while performing the washing, walked off in. Ann Ball believes Binah was traveling to Comingtee Plantation to complain to John Ball. The enslaved woman Renah approached Ann Ball proclaiming that two white men had brought Binah back from the road and that the house towels were dirty. Ann Ball proceeds to write that in the drawing room she "whipped her across the shoulders two or three times- her astonishment almost made me laugh and so trifling was the punishment that persons in the next room knew nothing of it." The letter proceeds to state that Binah was brought to the workhouse where Ann Ball requested she be held in solitary confinement. The remainder of the letter discusses Mr. Lucas purchasing horses and Ann Ball's health.
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing the weather, a visit from Hammond, the behavior of Mr. McKnight, the election of a new overseer, "negro" houses, Ann Ball's declining health, a reference for an overseer from Ann Ball's brother, a visit from Mr. Brennan and his son, a remedy of whiskey and cayenne pepper for Adonis, Mordicia's hurting arm, the impending arrival of Ann Ball's parents, and keeping Dublin in Charleston longer than was planned.
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing Comingtee and how badly it has been conducted, sending harnesses by boat, directions for Dublin, a visit from Ann Ball's sister and her family, their son Keating being ill, Mr. Pinckney's reply to the governors letters, the birth of Eliza's child, Dublin discussing the illness of "Little Ned," and the health of the family.
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing the health of their son Keating, Eliza and her newborn child, placing Sylvy in the kitchen at the present time, Mary having been in the kitchen previously during Eliza's absence but is now sick, visits from Isaac Ball, Mr. Pinckney's horse throwing him off and suffering leg injuries, and Scipio returning from his rounds.
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing the arrival of a boat, hurricane type weather, her parent's poor health, Ann Ball's own suffering with an "oppression at my chest," trouble with the enslaved persons at Limerick and Midway Plantations, and the poor health of "Lewis's Little Keating."
A letter from Ann Ball in Charleston to her husband John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing John Ball's trouble with his "gang of negroes" at Midway Plantation and how they complained to Eliza. Makes notation, "let me entreat you my Dear John not to be tempted to anything like cruelty." The letter goes on to discuss Ann Ball's concerns over feeling the effects of her own "house people," the health of her parents, their children and family friends.
