From a scrapbook clipping - article's title missing, as well as the date and the name of the newspaper in which it appeared

COLONEL SINECY BALL - THERESA PIONEER

Charlotte Towne Ball, wife of Colonel Sinecy Ball, was one of the first women to make a home in the wilderness country just north of what is now Theresa village. While she had no thrilling experiences with the Indians, yet she did become well acquainted with wolves and stray panthers came at times to visit her.

Today the busy housewife tunes in her radio to bring music and comfort to her country home, but in her day Charlotte Ball, all alone in the forest, heard only the sound of the cowbells.

There was an unbroken wilderness from Evans Mills to High Falls, now Theresa, when Col. Sinecy Ball made his settlement on lands where the state road now makes its turn a mile out of Theresa village towards Ogdensburg. Col. Ball seemed to have the pioneer spirit, the family were naturally leaders. He was born in Elizabeth, N. J., March 5, 1791, his parents being Nehemiah and Esther Ball. Nehemiah Ball was an officer under General George Washington. In fact he was a descendant of Mary All, as was General Washington.

The family, after the Revolutionary war moved to Steuben county and soon after to Rutland, being attracted to that place by the work of Noadiah Hubbard. Sinecy Ball was a soldier in the war of 1812 and bought in the battle of Sackets Harbor. After the war he was quite convinced that opportunity awaited him around the High Falls on Indian river.

With food for a number of days, axes and gun, he took a small boy with him and started out prospecting, going north out of Evans Mills.

A part of the way they followed a wood road and some of the distance had only blazed trees to guide them. On the hill out of the High Falls towards Ogdensburg, Col. Ball decided to make his clearing and build a cabin where he could bring his wife, a Rutland girl.

Into the wilderness land Charlotte Ball, the bride, bravely came and started to make a home for her pioneer husband who was sure that the place had a bright future. A few years after, the Military road was cut through by his cabin and the Red Tavern started a prosperous business near him. The late Goveror Roswell P. Flower taught his first term of school in the school house later erected, near where Col. Ball made his first clearing.

But when the pioneer woman, not long a bride, began housekeeping it took considerable time to watch out for wild beats. The cabin home had two doors, one at the front and one at the rear and if wild animals became too troublesome they would keep a fire burning in the front and back of the house at night. For it was mostly at night that the animals made their visits and the fire not only tended to frighten them away, but also made things more cheerful.

The cabin was roofed with hemlock bark, peeled from a big hemlock tree cut down nearby and was none too secure against the coming of any animals that might chance to jump upon it from nearby trees. It was because of this fact that one night the wild screams as if of a lost woman calling brought Col. and Mrs. Ball from their couch of sleep and started them peering out of the openings of their cabins. They had some fat-pine knots and they lighted a couple of these and started out to take a walk around their cabin. All was quiet for the moment and the two whispered as to what to do when Mrs. Ball, holding her glazing torch high above her head, uttered a cry. Just above them and over their cabin crouched a big panther on an overhanging limb. They had a problem on their hands sure enough. They dare not let him remain on the limb for fear he would spring upon the cabin roof, which they were fearful would not hold so heavy a beast. If the wild animal should break through the roof it would mean three in bed with them which would be one too many, when one is a big panther.

They were also afraid to shoot the beast for fear they might just astound (?) him and they would have a savage animal pouncing upon their heads. So they started their bonfire and took knots and got them afire and would throw them upon the animal. This was not a safe thing to do as they might let a (spark drop on the cabin ?) and their home would be destroyed. So they tried another plan. When the young wife would throw the brand up at the beast the usband would blaze away with his gun as close as he could and not wound the panther, hoping to frighten it away. It was plain to see that the animal was getting frightened and soon a ball must have strung him so as to as to smart, for with a cry of pain or of rage, he sprange off to the ground and ran snarling away. Of course the couple remained up to keep their bon-fire burning.

As soon as possible the roof was protectd with split poles and split pieces of wood were put across the windows so no animal could enter by roof, door or window. Almost beside the house a small pen was built for the one cow and this log pen was covered with small logs so no animal could get the cow, always kept in the pen every night through the summer.

Many a night, after their windows were protected with bars and the roof covered with the heavy poles, Mr. and Mrs. Ball would sit in their cabin and look out to see the wolves working about the place. They would be attracted to the spot by the smell of cooking and probably of some fresh meat the pioneer had secured with his gun. Upon the covering of the cowpen they would fight in an apparent effort to get in where the cow was. Or, it would often happen, that a half a dozen wolves would jump on the roof of their cabin and snarl and bite at the wooden ples put there for protection. You just could not sleep when this was going on and the husband and wife would arise and watch out the window, generally keeping a bright fire burning in their fireplace inside.

But the young wife dreaded not the nights so much as the days when her husband had to be away from morning till night on some trip for supplies, or on other matters. Left all alone in her little home in the great wilderness, not knowing what moment some animal would come calling or an Indian come to pay his respects, were times she longed for company. But she was brave and never whispered to her husband that she was fearful. But she did hit upon a plan that gave her much comfort.

Left alone for the day Charlotte Ball would build a fire near the back door of her cabin and this would aid her in different ways. The fire itself was company and the smoke settling down would drive away the mosquitoes. The old cow soon learned about the protection this smudge would have from the insects and would join the young bride and the two bcame great chums.

So day after day when Mrs. Ball was alone, she would have the pet cow come and join her. A few potatoes cut up in a little pile inside the cabin doorway would bring the cow and the animal seemed to enjoy the company of the housewife about as much as the bride did of the pet. And so while the bride worked away at her household duties the cow would stand without, with his head inside the door, dreamingly watching her every move. The cow had a cowbell tied about her neck and as she chewed her cud the bell would give out its brazen sounds. As a rule the sound of a cowbell is about s lonesome a sound as one can think of. But to Mrs. Ball, alone in the woods, it was sweet music, and she addressed much conversation to the cow during the day, talking over just anything for company's sake.

The young husband returned home at the end of the day, would listen for the sound of that cowbell from his cabin home and hearing it would know that all was well.

In a year or so neighbors came to join them and the loneliness of that first year was relieved. In 1836 they sold the place and pushed on to lands near Hyde Lake. The husband became Colonel of the militia and had charge of general training of the settlers. They lived full, helpful lives rich in good deeds and faithful to church. They sleep in the Theresa cemetery, the husband has a Masonic emblem on his monument and both had teh fullest respect of those who followed after them.

Return to Shirley Farone's Homepage