It looks like this story may have been telescoped in the family making two men into one.  See Jeptha R. Simms.  History of Schoharie County and Border Wars, 1845, reprint 1974.  The volume is not indexed so I don't know how many times the Ball family is mentioned.

p. 208

   "Johannes Bella, a thorough going Whig, was chairman of the committee [of safety] from its organization to the end of the [Revolutionary] war."

p. 209

   "Mr. Ball, chairman of the Schoharie committee, had two sons, Peter and Mattice--who were both living in 1837, in the town of Sharon --who, with their father warmly espoused their country's cause; while another son, and his brother, Captain Jacob Ball--a leader among the tories at Beaverdam; and John Peter Ball, another relative, as warmly advocated that of the oppressor."

pp. 213-214

   [An account of how Johannes Ball was tricked into an encounter with an Indian, David, who tried to kill him.]



  There was another John Peter Ball born 1788 to 1863 [1865?] in the town of Berne.  I didn't save the title to that entry (it can be googled) but a "Diary of George Warner of Berne, NY-1862" had probably this John Peter Ball buried January 9, 1863.

http://www.bernehistory.org/area_history/gw1862diary.htm 


Honor Conklin

>>> Harold Miller <[log in to unmask]> 4/8/2010 7:33 PM >>>
*In Amasa J. Parker's 1897 "Landmarks of Albany County" on page 69 it says
of John Peter Ball of Berne: "Once while plowing in his field, during the
war of 1812, he was suddenly confronted by Indians and taken prisoner, he
was returned unharmed." *
*
*
*Could that be real, or is it more likely to be family legend?*
*
*
*Harold Miller*
*AlbanyHilltowns.com*