A 4"x6" glass plate negative, bust portrait photograph of William and Jennie Ball, David City, Nebraska. William is wearing a dark three-piece suit, a watch chain hanging from the vest buttonhole, white shirt with stiff front and stiff, stand collar with white bow tie. Jennie is wearing a dress of sheer white fabric with small vertical pin tucks down the long sleeves and across the bodice yoke, sheer plain-fabric bodice gathered onto a sweetheart contoured seam across the bodice edged with tiny fabric ruffle, shoulder straps outlined with small ruffle, stiff high-stand collar trimmed with lace and edged with tiny fabric ruffle, a watch chain around her neck.
Thorpe Opera House Foundation/Boston Studio Project
Local Accession Number
00036930000
Source
Original format: 4"x6" glass plate negative from the Boston Studio Project collection.
Historical Notes
William Ball was born October 17, 1874. He attended East Olive Elementary School in rural Butler County and Bryant Business College at Stromsburg. He married Jennie Wilgus on September 17, 1900, and they lived on the family farm that was homesteaded by his father, Curtis Mack Ball, in rural Butler County. Jennie was born December 7, 1879, in West Liberty, Iowa. William farmed, raised cattle and sheep. He loved music and baseball. He led the David City Concert Band in his spare time. He also served on the County Board of Supervisors. They raised one son who lived to adulthood: Herman, who was born November 12, 1908. William died February 6, 1963 and Jennie died July 15, 1964.
