M. D. Ball

Mottrom Dulany Ball (June 23, 1835 – September 13, 1887) was an American lawyer, newspaper publisher, Confederate Army officer and collector of customs for the United States Department of the Treasury. From March 27, 1878, to June 13, 1879, he was the highest-ranking federal official in the Department of Alaska, making him the de facto governor of the territory.

Early life Mottrom Dulany Ball was born in 1835 at Oak Mount in Falls Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Mary (née Dulany) and Spencer Mottrom Ball. Ball was educated at Episcopal High School in Alexandria. He graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts on July 4, 1854. He was a member of Theta Delta Chi.

Ball was a Democrat. He later joined the Republican Party. In November 1885, Ball founded the Alaskan, a newspaper in Sitka. He worked as the paper's first editor. He served in that role until his death. and Mary.

Ball died on September 13, 1887, in Sitka while traveling from Alaska to Seattle on the steamer Ancon. He was buried in Falls Church.