Edward Ball was born in 1744 in Craven County, South Carolina, the son of Bartholomew Ball and Elizabeth Henlen and the grandson of William Ball and Margaret Sampson, immigrants. In December 1768 he moved to Liberty County. On January 21, 1772, he married Rebecca Jones, daughter of William Baker, Sr. and Sarah Osgood. From 1775 to 1777 he served in the Georgia Provincial Congress, and in 1777 he was a 2nd Lt. in Capt. John Bacon's Company of Riflemen in Liberty County, Georgia. He was killed in action in 1779. His surviving children were William F. and Sampson Edward. Family patriots included Col. James Thompson and Elizabeth Ball Thompson; Col. Hugh Giles and Sarah Ball Giles, under Marion; John Mikell and Anne Ball Mikell, who supplied militia; Sampson Ball, husband of Sarah Elizabeth Baker and a militia sergeant; and William Bartholomew Ball, militia.