Zelia R. Ball about 1850 in Alexandria, Virginia[1][Notes 1] to a free African-American woman who raised her in Washington, D. C. Her mother worked with the Underground Railroad and fearing for her daughter's safety, she made an arrangement with Dr. Peter Parker to assist her in taking her child to New England.

Mother and child pretended to be slaves of Parker until they reached the port of New York and were able to make their way to Providence, Rhode Island.

[7][5] Upon completion of her schooling, Ball returned to Providence[8] and applied to become a teacher in Washington, D. C.[9] On June 27, 1878, she married Inman E.

[17] In 1915, the couple left Oklahoma, moving to Macon, Missouri, where Inman became president of the Colored Baptist College.

Within three years, they moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Inman served as president of Roger Williams University and Page continued teaching.