BALL, Ephraim, inventor, born in Greentown, Ohio, 12 August 1812; died in Canton, Ohio, 1 January 1872. His education was of the most rudimentary character, and from his fifteenth year he supported himself, following the trade of carpentry. In 1840 he directed his energies toward the establish-merit of a foundry for making plough-castings and a shop for stocking ploughs. He had invented a plough, which later, under the name of "Ball's Blue Plough," met with a large sale. But his first invention was a turn-top stove, which he himself made in Greentown and sold during several years. In 1851, having become associated with Cornelius Aultman and Lewis Miller, the little shop at Green-town was abandoned, and the great firm of Ball, Aultman & county established their factories at Canton. "The Ohio Mower" was invented by Mr. Ball in 1854, and afterward he devised the "World Mower and Reaper," and in 1858 the "Buckeye Machine" was brought out, all of which have sold extensively. Afterward the firm dissolved, and from 1858 Mr. Ball devoted his attention principally to the manufacture of his "New American Harvester," which attained great popularity. In 1865 it was estimated that 10,000 of these machines were produced annually. During the later years of his life, although his inventions were used extensively, Mr. Ball was financially embarrassed, while the owners of his patents acquired great wealth.