Historic 1888 Shaftsbury Signature Quilt

Quilt Block #30 - Quilt Signers:

Justin Smith

Inez (Chase) Ball

Mrs. Bust Ball/ Bust Ball (Husband and Wife)
Mr. and Mrs. Bust Ball appear to be Justin Smith Ball and his second wife Mary Mandana (Youngs) Ball. His first wife, Inez (Chase) Ball who, according their Bennington issued marriage license, wed 9 May 1872 when he was 25 and she was 18. Justin's headstone documents his birth as 25 March 1847. Justin was the child of Pierpoint E. Ball and Diantha L. (Dutcher) Ball. Inez was the daughter of Eugene and Jerusha (Perley) Chase. Inez passed on 2 August 1884 at the age of 30, from consumption. She had just given birth two weeks previously to their youngest son Willie P. (Pierpoint) Ball on 19 July 1884. The Federal Census of 1880 documents Justin (33) and Inez C. (26) living in Woodford with their three children; Alice E. (7), Eugene W. (4) and Lila I. (2). Justin's occupation was listed as a machinist who was born in Connecticut. When Justin and his second wife Mary's names were placed on the quilt in 1888 he would have been 42 and she was 34.

Diantha, Justin's mother passed 18 June 1856 at the age of 51. She was buried in Grandview Cemetery. Justin's name first appears in the Federal Census of 1860 when he was 14. He was living in Bennington with his father Pierpoint (57), step-mother, Sarah A. (45), and sisters Elizabeth (28), and Ann Eliza (14). Julia R. Ball (50) is believed to be either Pierpoint's sister, or a sister-in-law.

The census of 1870 records Pierpoint (68) and his wife second wife Sarah (55) living in Bennington with Marcia (43), Justin (23) and Julia (58). Pierpoint's occupation was listed as blacksmith and, as a tradesman, he took in Henry Bap, a poor boy who was indentured to him at the age of 11 on 18 February 1848. Henry was his apprentice in the trade of black smithing. Indentured paper work is located in the Church Records at the Shaftsbury Historical Society.


It appears Pierpoint E. Ball passed around 11 February 1876 with no will. His widow Sarah A. Ball requested J. H Walbridge as administrator of his estate. Also, mentioned in the will are Justin S. Ball. Neither a death certificate nor burial site was found for Pierpoint.

When the Census of 1880 was taken Justin (33) and Inez (26) were living in Woodford with their children Alice E. (7), Eugene W. (4) and Lila I. (2). The Census of 1900 identifies Justin (53) living in Shaftsbury with his second wife Mary (no age given) and his children: Alice E. (26), Julia A. (19), William (15) and Margaret L. Quinn (18) his step-daughter. Ten years later the Census of 1910 records Jusln/Justin (63) living on Main Street in Bennington with his son-in-law, Fred L. Houghton (62) and daughter Alice B. Houghton (36). He was a machinist working in a machine shop and was contributing to the household. His second wife Mary (Youngs) Ball dies 27 June 1912 at the age of 50 yr. 7 mo. 23 d. from Psoas abscess and septicemia. Psoas is a collection of pus in the ilipsoas which is the strongest flexor muscle of the hip. This type of abscess is caused by lumbar tuberculous.

Justin dies in the Vt. Soldier's Home on 15 January 1921 at the age of 74 yrs. 9 mos. 31 days from "Debility following deprivation of morphine". According to Justin's obituary he served in the Army during the Indian Wars from 1867-1879. Later he received a warrant as a chief musician U.S.A. and was assigned the district of Montana, Department of Dakota, military division of Missouri. He was discharged in 1876. His obituary notes during his service he was in the saddle for 117 days. His obituary states he learned the machinist trade in Worcester, Mass. becoming a journey man on 1 April 1867. Both he and Inez are buried in Grandview Cemetery in Shaftsbury. It is unknown as to where his second wife, Mary is interred.