The Richmond Missourian: November 11, 1933....Martin Luther "Num" Ball.
Num Ball Dies Sunday Evening Aged Colored Man Was Member of Methodist Church For 48 Years. Born Into Slavery--Served Faithfully Served Three Generations of Ball Family--Will Be Buried in Family Lot. Num Ball, for 48 years a member of the Richmond Methodist church, and the only colored member of that church, died last night at 6 o'clock at his home, 526 E. Lexington street. Born into slavery in the Ball family in 1856, he made his home with Mrs. J. E. Ball where he "was one of the family". He had suffered from heart disease for the past 5 or 6 years. during the past two years he was almost an invalid. He was bedfast for the last two months preceding his death. One of Richmond's most colorful figures, and highly respected, he was described this morning by Dr. W. L. Scarborough, presiding elder of the Richmond district of the Methodist church, as a "fine old soul". Leading members of the Methodist church expressed their confidence in him by referring to him as the "best member of the church." The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon from his church--the Methodist church--at 3 o'clock. Dr. Scarborough will have charge of the services. Miss Mabel Jackson and Miss Sally Jackson will sing hymns which were Mr. Ball's favorites. At the grave, a colored quartet from the C. M. E. church in Richmond will sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." The quartet only a few days before Num's death, called on him and sang the song. He was so pleased with it, that the quartet has been requested to sing it in his memory at the grave. His real name was Martin Luther Ball. He was born in Lexington in 1856, the son of Lucinda Ball. His mother was a slave in the family of James S. Ball. When the Civil war broke out in 1861, Num was quite young and time after time Confederate soldiers were fed, quartered and hidden in the Ball mansion overlooking the Missouri river. Mrs. Ball, Num's mistress, died soon after she learned of the death of Mr. Ball and one of his sons in the battle of Wilson Creek. Following Mrs. Ball's death, with Miss Betty and Miss Ann Ball, the daughters of Mrs. Ball, Num came to Richmond to make his home with Marion Ball, the Misses Ball's brothers. He then worked in the blacksmith shop owned by Mr. Ball and Mr. Asbury until he became too old for such strenuous work. In the cyclone of 1876 Marion Ball was killed and Num was so badly injured that it was thought he could not recover. After the cyclone, he moved to Columbia, Mo., where he lived for a few years, later returning to Richmond with J. E. Ball, son of Marion Ball. Num will be buried in the Ball family lot in the city cemetery with the members of the family he had served for three generations. Funeral arrangements in charge of E. Thurman.
Num Ball Dies Sunday Evening Aged Colored Man Was Member of Methodist Church For 48 Years. Born Into Slavery--Served Faithfully Served Three Generations of Ball Family--Will Be Buried in Family Lot. Num Ball, for 48 years a member of the Richmond Methodist church, and the only colored member of that church, died last night at 6 o'clock at his home, 526 E. Lexington street. Born into slavery in the Ball family in 1856, he made his home with Mrs. J. E. Ball where he "was one of the family". He had suffered from heart disease for the past 5 or 6 years. during the past two years he was almost an invalid. He was bedfast for the last two months preceding his death. One of Richmond's most colorful figures, and highly respected, he was described this morning by Dr. W. L. Scarborough, presiding elder of the Richmond district of the Methodist church, as a "fine old soul". Leading members of the Methodist church expressed their confidence in him by referring to him as the "best member of the church." The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon from his church--the Methodist church--at 3 o'clock. Dr. Scarborough will have charge of the services. Miss Mabel Jackson and Miss Sally Jackson will sing hymns which were Mr. Ball's favorites. At the grave, a colored quartet from the C. M. E. church in Richmond will sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." The quartet only a few days before Num's death, called on him and sang the song. He was so pleased with it, that the quartet has been requested to sing it in his memory at the grave. His real name was Martin Luther Ball. He was born in Lexington in 1856, the son of Lucinda Ball. His mother was a slave in the family of James S. Ball. When the Civil war broke out in 1861, Num was quite young and time after time Confederate soldiers were fed, quartered and hidden in the Ball mansion overlooking the Missouri river. Mrs. Ball, Num's mistress, died soon after she learned of the death of Mr. Ball and one of his sons in the battle of Wilson Creek. Following Mrs. Ball's death, with Miss Betty and Miss Ann Ball, the daughters of Mrs. Ball, Num came to Richmond to make his home with Marion Ball, the Misses Ball's brothers. He then worked in the blacksmith shop owned by Mr. Ball and Mr. Asbury until he became too old for such strenuous work. In the cyclone of 1876 Marion Ball was killed and Num was so badly injured that it was thought he could not recover. After the cyclone, he moved to Columbia, Mo., where he lived for a few years, later returning to Richmond with J. E. Ball, son of Marion Ball. Num will be buried in the Ball family lot in the city cemetery with the members of the family he had served for three generations. Funeral arrangements in charge of E. Thurman.
The Richmond Missourian: November 11, 1933....Martin Luther "Num" Ball.
Num Ball Dies Sunday Evening Aged Colored Man Was Member of Methodist Church For 48 Years. Born Into Slavery--Served Faithfully Served Three Generations of Ball Family--Will Be Buried in Family Lot. Num Ball, for 48 years a member of the Richmond Methodist church, and the only colored member of that church, died last night at 6 o'clock at his home, 526 E. Lexington street. Born into slavery in the Ball family in 1856, he made his home with Mrs. J. E. Ball where he "was one of the family". He had suffered from heart disease for the past 5 or 6 years. during the past two years he was almost an invalid. He was bedfast for the last two months preceding his death. One of Richmond's most colorful figures, and highly respected, he was described this morning by Dr. W. L. Scarborough, presiding elder of the Richmond district of the Methodist church, as a "fine old soul". Leading members of the Methodist church expressed their confidence in him by referring to him as the "best member of the church." The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon from his church--the Methodist church--at 3 o'clock. Dr. Scarborough will have charge of the services. Miss Mabel Jackson and Miss Sally Jackson will sing hymns which were Mr. Ball's favorites. At the grave, a colored quartet from the C. M. E. church in Richmond will sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." The quartet only a few days before Num's death, called on him and sang the song. He was so pleased with it, that the quartet has been requested to sing it in his memory at the grave. His real name was Martin Luther Ball. He was born in Lexington in 1856, the son of Lucinda Ball. His mother was a slave in the family of James S. Ball. When the Civil war broke out in 1861, Num was quite young and time after time Confederate soldiers were fed, quartered and hidden in the Ball mansion overlooking the Missouri river. Mrs. Ball, Num's mistress, died soon after she learned of the death of Mr. Ball and one of his sons in the battle of Wilson Creek. Following Mrs. Ball's death, with Miss Betty and Miss Ann Ball, the daughters of Mrs. Ball, Num came to Richmond to make his home with Marion Ball, the Misses Ball's brothers. He then worked in the blacksmith shop owned by Mr. Ball and Mr. Asbury until he became too old for such strenuous work. In the cyclone of 1876 Marion Ball was killed and Num was so badly injured that it was thought he could not recover. After the cyclone, he moved to Columbia, Mo., where he lived for a few years, later returning to Richmond with J. E. Ball, son of Marion Ball. Num will be buried in the Ball family lot in the city cemetery with the members of the family he had served for three generations. Funeral arrangements in charge of E. Thurman.
Num Ball Dies Sunday Evening Aged Colored Man Was Member of Methodist Church For 48 Years. Born Into Slavery--Served Faithfully Served Three Generations of Ball Family--Will Be Buried in Family Lot. Num Ball, for 48 years a member of the Richmond Methodist church, and the only colored member of that church, died last night at 6 o'clock at his home, 526 E. Lexington street. Born into slavery in the Ball family in 1856, he made his home with Mrs. J. E. Ball where he "was one of the family". He had suffered from heart disease for the past 5 or 6 years. during the past two years he was almost an invalid. He was bedfast for the last two months preceding his death. One of Richmond's most colorful figures, and highly respected, he was described this morning by Dr. W. L. Scarborough, presiding elder of the Richmond district of the Methodist church, as a "fine old soul". Leading members of the Methodist church expressed their confidence in him by referring to him as the "best member of the church." The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon from his church--the Methodist church--at 3 o'clock. Dr. Scarborough will have charge of the services. Miss Mabel Jackson and Miss Sally Jackson will sing hymns which were Mr. Ball's favorites. At the grave, a colored quartet from the C. M. E. church in Richmond will sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." The quartet only a few days before Num's death, called on him and sang the song. He was so pleased with it, that the quartet has been requested to sing it in his memory at the grave. His real name was Martin Luther Ball. He was born in Lexington in 1856, the son of Lucinda Ball. His mother was a slave in the family of James S. Ball. When the Civil war broke out in 1861, Num was quite young and time after time Confederate soldiers were fed, quartered and hidden in the Ball mansion overlooking the Missouri river. Mrs. Ball, Num's mistress, died soon after she learned of the death of Mr. Ball and one of his sons in the battle of Wilson Creek. Following Mrs. Ball's death, with Miss Betty and Miss Ann Ball, the daughters of Mrs. Ball, Num came to Richmond to make his home with Marion Ball, the Misses Ball's brothers. He then worked in the blacksmith shop owned by Mr. Ball and Mr. Asbury until he became too old for such strenuous work. In the cyclone of 1876 Marion Ball was killed and Num was so badly injured that it was thought he could not recover. After the cyclone, he moved to Columbia, Mo., where he lived for a few years, later returning to Richmond with J. E. Ball, son of Marion Ball. Num will be buried in the Ball family lot in the city cemetery with the members of the family he had served for three generations. Funeral arrangements in charge of E. Thurman.
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