Informant-Wesley Ball: This piece of legend has been passed down through the Ball family for generations. It tells of our heritage and the possibility of a late relative of ours. My father heard it from his grandfather and it is an important story to our family. Wesley Ball is a 50-year-old male from Marion Indiana. Conducted via phone interview.

“It has been said that our family is a descendent of the great president George Washington. But we can not for sure because only one Ball family in the United States is related to him, the catch is no one knows who. George Washington’s great-grandfather was William Ball and our family believes that we are the true Ball family decedents. My great aunt made a family tree and said that she traced it all the way back to William Ball, proving our family to be the Ball family from the legend. Mary Ball Washington is possibly the most famous Ball family member because she was the mother of George Washington himself. Our family believes that we are the true Ball family decedents, but it can only truly be proven with a blood test. Still to this day we claim to be related to George Washington.”

Historic overview of the Ball legend can be found here:

“Ball Family.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon. N.p., n.d. Web. 27

Apr. 2016. <http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/ball-family/>.

Thoughts: I was raised hearing this legend from my father and often told people at school I was related to George Washington, especially when I was younger, I still like to believe that I am one of his descendants but I can not know for certain.