CAPT. GAITHER J. BALL

Born in Wilkes County, North Carolina on 1 April, 1836, Gaither J. Ball enlisted and served in the Confederate Army.  He was captured and imprisoned in Louisiana for six months.  Following his release, Ball returned to North Carolina and married Miss Rachel Proffitt on 2 December, 1865.  By 1875 Ball  was a teacher at Dutch Creek in Dallas County, Texas.  Ball moved his family to Partridge Creek in Hamilton County.  While living on Partridge Creek, Ball walked four miles each morning and each evening to teach in Ward School.

When Ball purchased large tracts of land  and moved his family to the McGirk Community, McGirk was still being called Antioch.  Ball opened a store and was co-owner of the Ball and Bickle Gin at McGirk.  In the 1880's Ball donated land for the McGirk Cemetery, where he was interred following his death on 28 June, 1926.