Arranged alphabetically and chronologically.

An old card index to the letters has been found, and added to the collection, in many cases giving fuller descriptions than the entry in the finding aid. [11/2002]

Letters to and from family and relatives, friends, politicians, eastern capitalists, law partners and clients, government officials, and others. Subjects include: land purchasing, the Land Grant of 1842, Bounty Land Act, 1850, Oregon trip, Fort Vancouver, Blackfeet Indian Battle, 1833, Mexican War, 1847, Indian Policy (1877), etc. Some of the more interesting are:

John Ball to Nathaniel Ball Jr. (his brother), July 15, 1832: Provides an account of his trip west after leaving Missouri.

John Ball to N. Ball Jr., March 4, 1833: the Ft. Vancouver territory and travels since the Blackfeet Indian skirmish.

John Ball to his sister, January 1, 1834: describing the Wahoo, Sandwich Islands, and his farm and the neighbors in Willamette, Oregon

Charles D. Smith to John Ball, December 2, 1831, February 2, 1831: the trip to Oregon.

J.S. Whiting to John Ball, March 6, 1832: Ball's trip west with Captain Wyeth's Company.

John Ball to parents, July 13, 1832, February 23, 1833: tells of living conditions and dealings with Indians.

Dr. T.C. Brinmode from John Ball, July 15, 1832, January 1, 1833: describes his travels and skirmish with the Blackfeet Indians.

Thomas Ferry from John Ball, October 8-12, 1877: describes Indians in the Northwest and Michigan, and comments to President Hayes on the Indian Policy.

E. Backus to John Ball, June 24, 1847: describes the Mexican War at Vera Cruz.

John S. Barry to and from Ball, February 7 -April 11, 1842, regarding Land Grant of 1842.

John R. Bennet to John Ball, November 5, 1853, December 18, 1853: genealogical history of the Ball Family.

Wm. M. Ferry to Ball, November 23, 1843: immigrants and the type of land they were looking for in Michigan.

G.W. Francis to Ball, July 8, 1840: regarding boarding schools.

Henry Barnard from Ball, December 1852: asks help in getting a principal for Union School in Grand Rapids, describes school building, district, and town.

Wm. A. Richmond to John Ball, March 11, 1838: state politics and internal improvement system.

John T. Neely to John Ball, 1850: printed copy of the bounty land act of 1850 granting land to United States soldiers of wars since 1812 to present.

Alexander Walsh from John Ball, 1839: provides an extensive description of Michigan.

C.J. Walker from John Ball, January 30, 1838: describes a flood in Grand Rapids due to an ice jam in the river.