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Ball, Warren Lafayette, 1834-1878

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1834 - 1878

Biographical History

Warren Lafayette Ball (1834-1878) was a pioneer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints originally from Massachusetts who settled in Salt Lake City and worked for the Pony Express.

During his time in Utah, Ball worked with Howard Egan in establishing the Pony Express, a short-lived messaging service which ran from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA to ship goods quickly and efficiently across the Western United States.

Warren Lafayette Ball was born in Franklin County, Mass. to Joseph Randolph Ball and Sophronia Horr on November 9, 1834. While little is known about his life when the family lived in Massachusetts, in 1843 the family left Massachusetts to travel to Nauvoo, IL -- probably due to family contentions caused by Warren's father's decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

While in Nauvoo, the family faced much difficulty. In 1844, Warren's infant sister Sophronia died. Likewise, in April of 1845 Warren's father died from tuberculosis, and, in spite of receiving a $200 inheritance, Warren later lived with the Anderson family, eventually having to move again as the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decided to head west to Utah.

At the age of 19, Warren worked with Howard R. Egan in establishing a route to deliver goods throughout the Mountain West known as the Pony Express. Originally in the 1850s this route ran through Ibapah, Utah, to California, but eventually the route was expanded to St. Joseph, Mo. While this venture proved to be successful, soon Warren was called by Brigham Young to labor to the Native Americans in Deep Creek, Utah. Warren served dutifully in the region between 1874 and 1875, then relocated to Salt Lake in 1877. In 1878, while living in the region (particularly in American Fork) and writing in his journal, Ball passed away from cancer, only months after marrying his wife Charlotte.

Citation:
UPB Files, May 16, 2017 (Warren Lafayette Ball; b. November 9, 1834; d. September 18, 1878; orphaned in 1844; worked for the Pony Express under Howard R. Egan)

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Warren Lafayette Ball papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8990
Scope and Contents Contains typed copy of Warren Lafayette Ball's journal written in his home in Salt Lake City during the last year of his life (1878) and a copy of "The Travails of Warren Lafayette Ball: Pony Express Rider," (2015) a biography of Ball written by Ohio State University professor Dale W. Adams discussing Warren’s early life and work in establishing the Pony Express. Ball’s journal discusses events that occurred in that year including his service as the guard of Brigham Young's grave and his...
Dates: 1878-2015, bulk 1878