Annals of Lancaster reflect the following:
Killed in the Massacre of February 10, 1675 were John Ball, Elizabeth Ball, wife of John and Infant child of John and Elizabeth Ball. (The Elizabeth Ball referring to is Elizabeth Fox.) The family, all being of South Lancaster, were killed outside of the Rowlandson Garrison. 2 of John Ball's family were captured, however, the names were unknown.

Excerpt from the Annals of Lancaster 1643 - 1725:
In 1682, the lands owned by John Ball, who was killed in the massacre, were bought by Thomas Harris. The lands are not described in the Book of Lands, although Ball was one of the first inhabitants.

** Note Worcester Co. was formed in 1731 from parts of Suffolk & Middlesex Counties.

A petition to incorporate Nashaway Plantation as a town was sent to the General Court. The people wished the place to be called Prescott, after John Prescott who went there in 1647, but the Court gave it the name West Towne. The petitioners were unhappy with the name and petitioned for the name Lancaster, which was approved. Thus Lancaster became a town in 1653. John Ball's son John was an inhabitant of Lancaster and played a part in its history.

Excerpt from Ancestry of Hattie E J Bruce - The John Ball Family, by Michael J Roman
John Ball, a tailor, married Elizabeth Peirce, daughter of John and Elizabeth Perice, and had four children by her. She was insane in 1660 and probably had been for some time. In March of 1660-1 John Ball resigned his three children to his father and mother "Peirse" as their own and gave them two oxen and two cows as their own. He also gave his wife to his in laws and the use of his house and lands as long as she continued there, and if God took her before she returned to him, the said property to be his children's by his said wife, Elizabeth. The deed wasn't recorded until October 31, 1664, which makes it likely that Elizabeth probably died shortly before that date, John's subsequent marriage a year later helps bear out this probability. Selectmen's records show that John and Elizabeth Perice were still together in 1657, as evidenced by Abigail's birth in 1658, but were unable to care for the children.

Excerpt from The Early Records of Lancaster Massachusetts - Henry S Nourse
Several Watertown Massachusetts Town records found between December 1656 and September 1658, refer to John, Elizabeth and their children.
December 8, 1656 - Ordered John Ball to the next town meeting to make know his condicion
December 11, 1656 - Selectmen's meeting - John Baall appeared, it is ordered yt Capt. Masan is to Joyne with Brother Baall in putting forth two of his children to Brother Pearce, as also one other child to such as may be thought fit to take same".
January 3, 1656/1657 - "Richard Gale, have covenanted to take, the daughter of John Baall abought the age of 2 yeares, in consideration thearof, the sd Gale is to have the child for fower yeares, & the sd Ball is to find the sd Sarah necessary cloathing for 3 yeares of the sd 4 ..."
January 3, 1656/1657 - John Ball gives consent to putt his tow children as apprentices with John Pearce Senior. Son John ball will stay with him until he becomes of age, 21, at which time Pearce will provide John Ball a Loome fitted for work, double apparrell, with the trade of Weaving. Pearce is to instruct John Ball & to teach him to read English and teach & instruct him in the knowledge of God. The other child, a 5 year old maide, she is to be an apprentice, until she comes of age 18, then the said maide shall be free. She is also to receive from her grandparents John Pearce, a bible & double apparrell. While in her appentiship, she is to be "brought up to reade the english tongue, & instructed in the knowleg of God".
February 3, 1656/1657 - This refers to Elizabeth Ball, who was ordered to spin two Skaines of Sheeps wool, but refused to do so. There is no explanation of the order or what is to become of the wool, but it seems a bit hard to send her to jail if she ignored the order. It is possible the work was to be done to help pay for the care of her children placed in other families.
September 20, 1658 - It was agreed that Joseph Morse would take the three year old child of John Ball for a term of two years, Esther Ball, neice of Joseph Morse who had married Esther Peirce, the sister of John Ball's wife. John signed the agreement by mark and Joseph signed his name. At the same time another child, Abigail, one half year of age, was placed with Anthony White for one year.

On October 21, 1665, John sold to William Perry his farm in Watertown, which he had purchased from John Lawrence, and went to Lancaster. There are no records to say if the children of John and Elizabeth Pearce, lived with their father and his second wife. The children's grandfather, John Pearce, had died in 1661 and their grandmother died shortly after. However, they were not at the house in Lancaster in 1676.


The Massacre of Lancaster February 10, 1675
As a frontier town, Lancaster had no settlement between it and the Connecticut River. Groton was 15 miles to the north and Stow and Marlborough were on the east and south, respectively, making it a good candidate for attack. The townspeople had made some preparations for trouble during the Indian War. Four or Five of the houses had been designated as garrisons. These were centrally located buildings that had been fortified. One of these garrisons was the house of Rev. Joseph Rowlandson, the minister of the town. The town was clearly fearful of the Indians and on the 10th of February, Rev. Rowlandson and two others were in Boston trying to get the General Court to send soldiers for the defense of the town. On the morning of February 10, 1500 Indians are said to have attacked the town in five different places at once. The Rowlandson garrison came under strong attack and was the only garrison overrun. Mary Rowlandson, wife of the minister, was taken prisoner and some weeks later ransomed back to her family. Later she wrote the account of the Massacre.

From the Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson -
In it she writes, "Quickly it was the dolefullest day that ever mine eyes saw." After some hours and several attempts, the garrison was finally set on fire with forty-two people inside. Many were shot or tomahawked as they tried to escape the flames. Those women and children who got out alive were herded off into the woods to be later sold for ransom if they did not die from their wounds or were killed for traveling too slowly.

Very early in the attack a house was over run by the Indians before the inhabitants could escape to the garrison. "There were five persons taken in one house. The father and the mother and a sucking child they knocked on the head; the other two they took and carried away alive." This was the family of a tailor named John Ball. John Ball's estate was administered by his son John of Watertown February 1, 1677/1678. The Ball homestead and the Rowlandson garrison were in the south part of Lancaster. John's lands were never described in the town's Book of Lands although he was one of the first inhabitants. His lands were sold in 1682 to Thomas Harris.

*** Note - Mrs Rowlandson states "The father and the mother and a sucking child", a sucking child would have been an nursing child, which indicates a child under 3 years of age, was killed along with John and Elizabeth. Son Joseph and another child were the ones who were taken captive.

James Savage's A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, Before 1692, refers to John Ball, son of John Ball, Isle of Shoals, who married Elizabeth, daughter of John Pierce, after her death, married Elizabeth, probably the daughter of Thomas Fox. He stated that after the birth of Joseph, March 12, 1670, they removed to Lancaster, where he had short residence. Savage never mentioned the other two children, that are mentioned in Mary Rowlandson's Narrative, however, I do not doubt the validity of Mrs Rowlandson's accounts of the attack.

• Married: ABT 1643

1. John BALL b: 1644 in Watertown, Middletown Co., Massachusetts
2. Mary BALL b: 1651 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts
3. Sarah BALL b: 1654 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts
4. Ester BALL b: 1655 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts
5. Abigall BALL b: 20 FEB 1658 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts

• Married: 3 AUG 1665 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts ¹⁷
• Note:

  Watertown Massachusetts Town Records reflect the following:
  John Ball Senior & Elizabeth Fox maryed the 3 of the 8 m 1665

1. child BALL
2. Joseph BALL b: 12 MAR 1670 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts
3. child BALL b: BET 1673 AND 1675 in Lancaster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts

1. Title: History of Watertown Massachusetts, Henry Bond
2. Title: The Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson - Lancaster Bicentennial Commission, 1975
3. Title: Massachusetts, Middlesex County Deeds
4. Title: The Early Records of Lancaster Massachusetts - Henry S Nourse, 1884
5. Title: Michael J Roman - Ancestry of Hattie E J Bruce - the John Ball Family
6. Title: A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England
7. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Town Records, December 8, 1656, John Baall
8. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Town Records, December 11, 1656, John Baall
9. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Town Records, January 3, 1656/57, John Baall
10. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Town Records, February 3, 1656/57, John Baall
11. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Town Records, September 20, 1658, John Baall
12. Title: A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, Before 1692 By James Savage Volume #1 Pgs 101 - 112 Baldwin - Bangs
13. Title: Robert Roy's Genealogical Files
14. Title: The Descendants of John Ball of Watertown, Massachusetts 1630 - 1635 by Frank Densmore Warren
15. Title: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XVII, Lancaster Records
16. Title: The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725, Lancaster in Philip's War, Edited by Henry S Nourse
17. Title: Watertown Massachusetts Records of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1630 - 1822 First Book, Pg 27, John Ball Senior & Elizabeth Fox maryed the 3 of the 8 m