Haskew Ball was born 28 August 1844 in a community that was then known as Gardener (later, Honaker, VA).   He taught school before joining the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  During the War Between the States, Haskew’s calvary unit guarded salt mines and possibly lead mines located in Russell County.  Their job was made more difficult because of the Kentucky-Virginia Turnpike that cut through a portion of Russell County, and which was frequently used by Union soldiers.  They did their job successfully until near the end of the war when the Union Army finally succeeded in destroying the salt works.  Salt was an extremely important resource and was always in short supply throughout the war.  Haskew, by the way, was never wounded while serving in the CSA Army.  After  the war, he married Cynthia Hurt on 24 Sept 1868, and they had 8 children.  He also was a farmer.  One of the crops  he grew was tobacco.  Also after the war, Haskew let some freed slaves live in cabins on his land so they could make a living by share-cropping the land.  Haskew died at the age of 97 years 7 months, on 26 April 1942.  According to historical records, a military funeral was held in the Gardener Methodist Church, and also the family cemetery.  Two soldiers in gray uniforms folded the Confederate flag that covered his coffin.  One soldier stated, “Never again in Russell County will this flag appear on the coffin of a departed soldier and never again will soldiers wearing the Confederate uniform be in charge of a funeral and graveside rites in Russell County.”  Then, taps were played by one of the soldiers for Haskew Ball. He was last of the about 1450 Confederate soldiers from Russell County to die.  Haskew was able to participate in at least one Confederate veteran’s reunion in 1920.  His home was originally located on what is now known as Haskew Ball Drive near Lewis Creek in Honaker,  VA.  Only a clearing in the trees now marks that space as lightening struck his home several years ago, and it burned to the ground.  A few yards away still stands a home originally build by his brother, Alexander Rondeau Ball; that  home, started as a log cabin, still exists within the more recently remodeled and expanded structure that is still being lived in.  The history of Haskew Ball’s family, beginning with John Ball (born in Stafford County, VA in 1670) is recorded in the book, ‘The Balls of Fairfax and Stafford County in Virginia,” by Bonnie S. Ball, et al, published by Stevenson’s Genealogical Society, Provo, Utah.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55143476/haskew-ball