TBXACO STATION DBDICATION
(ROSALIA VISITOR BESOURCB &INTBRPRBTIVE CBNTBR)
TO THE CHARLES J. HALL FAMILY & DESCENDANTS
JUNE I, ZDDt
Charles James Ball, was barn Jan1W'J' 18, 18 GI in Baltimore, IUJland. Charles left home at an earl, age, fallowing the death of his mather. Be worked at ablacksmith shop in Stillwater, Minnesota. In 188I, at the age of ZI, he moved to Spokane, lashington where he worked at ablacksmith shop. On August 18, 18 I4, he married Sophie lendt. The, had twa children, LilHan and Bdward Ball.
After Sophie died in 18 I8, Charles remarried to Julia Peterschick Schultz, larch 3, I10 I. Charles operated ablacksmith shop in Spokane called "FaU CitJ Borse Shoeing aDd Carriage." In IIO?, the Balls moved to Iosalia, lashington aDd opened the C. J. Ball "General Blacksmithing" shop at the corner of G~ & Ihitman Streets. (current location of our Texaco Station)
Ir. Ball was elected to the IlGsalia Tan COUDcD and then was elected in I I I I as layor and served twa terms. Be always took an active interest in promoting the best interest of the tan. Be was part of Iosalia's histor, for nearl, 35 ,ears. Be fought for ameasure an the ballot to "PAVB" the streets of lasalia. The melSure wan b, anI, 4vates.
Charles Ball was also an inventor. In I I I Z he held the patent for inventing the "Sack-Balder" for horse drawn thrashing machines later called "The Sacker" made here in laSllia. In I I a0, he invented and patented the "Tractor Bitch". The hitch was aconnection between the plow and the tractor or ather implement. Be improved the hitch far the auto tractor drawn plows. Ir. Ball also buDt sailboats, foUowing in the footsteps of his father who earned aliving as aship's carpenter.
Later he closed and razed the blacksmith business and in it's place, built the Texaco Central Service Station in 1823. The house the lall's lived in was an the lot directly behind the station. Charles also had aworkshop dawn the street where he built the sailboats. It was in that shop that Ir. lall died while working an aproject an December 8, 1841.
The Telaca Station continued to operate until it closed in early 18 80's. It remaiDed closed until 2000, when descendants of the Rail Family donated the station and property to the Rosalia Chamber of Commerce. Rosalia would like to thank the fallawiDg Charles J. Ball descendants: the families of Ludin, Jensen, Calhoun, Blakely, Petek, Johnson, Peterschick, Schultz, Wendt and Ott.
