Ball Brothers

The five Ball Brothers were the founders of the Ball Corporation (originally Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company) and greatly improved the city of Muncie, Indiana through their philanthropy and business. They were also instrumental in the creation of Ball State University, and Ball Memorial Hospital, which are named for them.

Their legacy continues today as several of their homes are open to the public on the grounds of the Minnetrista Center and through the Ball Brothers Foundation and the George and Frances Ball Foundation in Muncie.

From oldest to youngest, the Ball Brothers were:
*Lucius Lorenzo Ball (1850-1932) was a physician with a private practice in Muncie.
*William Charles Ball (1852-1921) was an effective salesman for the company, and also served as its treasurer.
*Edmund Burke Ball (1855-1925) was co-founder of Ball Brothers Glass with brother Frank. He served as company secretary and treasurer.
*Frank Clayton Ball (1857-1943) was co-founder of Ball Brothers Glass with brother Edmund. He was the first company president, serving for 63 years.
*George Alexander Ball (1862-1955) served the company as bookkeeper, secretary, treasurer, vice president, president and board chairman. He was also involved in politics, and was a Republican national committeeman from Indiana for several years.

The Ball Corporation was founded by Frank and Edmund Ball, who borrowed $200 from their uncle in 1880 in order to buy the Wooden Jacket Can Company. Frank had previously been a salesman for Wooden Jacket. By 1884, the other brothers had been brought into the company, and in 1887 the family and the company moved to Muncie.

External links

* [http://www.ballcorporate.com/page.jsp?page=65 Ball Corporation history of the Ball family]
* [http://www.bsu.edu/library/collections/archives/ Ball State University Archives & Special Collections Research Center]