For some time we’ve wanted to study the ancestry of John P. Ballard, the proprietor off the Ballard House Hotel in the mid-nineteenth century. The Ballard House and the Exchange Hotel, both operated by John P. Ballard and connected by a bridge across the road between the two buildings, were noteworthy establishments in the history of Richmond. You would expect so prominent a citizen to be easy to trace, but being a Ballard, his lineage proved difficult to place. On a recent visit to Richmond we found time to visit his family plot at Hollywood Cemetery.  We were surprised to find that he and his wife Frances Powers had a number of children who died young and are otherwise not accounted for, except in cemetery records. 

Two well known secondary sources make erroneous connections about the family, and unfortunately these have been relied upon by generations by Ballard researchers.  We aren’t immune from error, and endeavor to correct errors when we find them as we visit and re-visit problems that are never entirely solved to our satisfaction.  Rev. Edgar Woods’ History of Albemarle County in Virginia (Charlottesville: The Michie Company, 1901) is one source of many misguided family trees.  The book provides genealogies of the early families in the county.  Another is William Harris Miller’s, History and Genealogies of the Families of Miller, Woods, Harris, Wallace, Maupin, Oldham, Kavanaugh and Brown : with interspersions of notes of the families of Dadney, Reid, Martin, Broaddus, Gentry, Jarman, Jameson, Ballard, Mullins, Michie, Moberley, Covington, Browning, Duncan, Yancey and Others (Richmond, KY: Transylvania Press, 1907).  The book includes a particularly tantalizing (but unsupported) statement (p. 403): “My mother was a daughter of James Bell Ballard and Fannie Ballard nee Jarman.  My great-grandfather was John P. Ballard, his wife was Mollie Powers whose mother’s maiden name was Bell.  My great-grand mother’s maiden name was Sally Maupin, whose mother’s name was Dabney, her mother was a Jennings, who emigrated from England to Virginia, Albemarle County.”  This is, by the way, the only source that provides a name for James Bell Ballard’s mother. Given that this is the personal recollection of a direct descendant, we’re inclined to take the statement at its word.

Miller plagiarized Woods’ work (even citing the book in other sections of his work), but supplemented it with information on his own line that flows from John P. Ballard and Mollie Powers and settled in Madison County, Kentucky — though interestingly, in the section on the Ballard family, he fails to mention Mollie Powers.  Below is Woods’ paragraph on the Ballard family, and we’ll follow that with an examination of each statement.

BALLARD.

Ballard was one of the first names of the county in the order of time.  As early as 1738, Thomas Ballard obtained a patent for three hundred and twenty acres near the foot of Piney Mountain.  His descendants became numerous, all having large families, and occupying farms in the stretch of country between Piney Mountain and Brown’s Cove.  Thomas died in 1781, leaving six sons and three daughters, Thomas, William, John, David, Bland, Samuel, Ann, the wife of Gabriel Maupin, Frances and Susan, the wife of William Pettit.  The second Thomas died in 1804.  His children were John, James, Ann, the wife of a Bruce, Mary, the wife of a Davis, Lucy, the wife of Joseph Harvey, Elizabeth, the wife of Frost Snow, and Martha, the wife of Thomas Pettit.  John married, it is believed, Elizabeth, daughter of Roger Thompson, and died in 1829, leaving seven sons and one daughter, Edward, James, David, John, Nicholas, William, Wilson, and Elizabeth, the wife of Pleasant Jarman.  James, brother of John, married Ann, daughter of David Rodes, and died in 1853.  His children were Garland, Thomas, David, Susan, the wife of Thomas L. Shelton, Selina, the wife of Thomas Bohannon, Judith, the wife of Nimrod Day, Frances, the wife of Porter Cleveland, Sophia, the wife of Hudson Oaks, and Mary, the wife of William Thompson.  William, the son of the first Thomas, married a daughter of William Jarman, and lived below Mechum’s Depot; and his son John P., after occupying a position with Valentine, Fry & Co. in Charlottesville, removed to Richmond, where he founded the Ballard House, formerly one of the most popular hotels of that city.  Bland married Frances, daughter of John Shiflett, and died in 1809.  His family consisted of five sons and ten daughters.  He donated the ground on which the old Ivy Creek Methodist Church was built.

Ballard was one of the first names of the county in the order of time.  As early as 1738, Thomas Ballard obtained a patent for three hundred and twenty acres near the foot of Piney Mountain.  

On 20 July 1738, “Thomas Ballard of Caroline Co.” patented 320 acres between Piney Mountain and Brown’s Cove in Hanover county, “on South side of Piney Mountain.”  This patent is recorded in Patent Book 18, p. 43.  So far, so good.

His descendants became numerous, all having large families, and occupying farms in the stretch of country between Piney Mountain and Brown’s Cove.  Thomas died in 1781, leaving six sons and three daughters, Thomas, William, John, David, Bland, Samuel, Ann, the wife of Gabriel Maupin, Frances and Susan, the wife of William Pettit.  

Here is our first problem.  Rev. Woods confused the offspring of brothers Thomas and John.  He lists the names of the children Thomas’ brother John (see John Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia (c. 1719-1780)), and switches the two sons named Bland.  According to Thomas’ will, his children are John, Bland (who married Frances Shilflett and resided in Albemarle; John’s son Bland removed to South Carolina), Thomas, Anna, Susanna (who married William Pettit), Frances (who married Gabriel Mullins), and Mary.  See Thomas Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia (c. 1711-1782).

The second Thomas died in 1804.  His children were John, James, Ann, the wife of a Bruce, Mary, the wife of a Davis, Lucy, the wife of Joseph Harvey, Elizabeth, the wife of Frost Snow, and Martha, the wife of Thomas Pettit. 

Hare are listed the correct offpring of the “second Thomas” who died in 1804.  The children listed by Woods are those that appear in his Last Will and Testament; however, he omits another son named Thomas who pre-deceased the “second Thomas” in 1794, as shown here (Thomas Ballard of Surry County, North Carolina (c. 1755-1794)).  

John married, it is believed, Elizabeth, daughter of Roger Thompson, and died in 1829, leaving seven sons and one daughter, Edward, James, David, John, Nicholas, William, Wilson, and Elizabeth, the wife of Pleasant Jarman.  

The John P. Ballard (who married Mollie Powers) referenced by Miller is John Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia (c. 1765-1829), the son of the Thomas who died in 1804. Mollie Powers was his first wife, and we believe Elizabeth Thompson was his second wife, who he married in 1816, which, if correct, means Mollie is the mother of all of his children.   

This is where things get interesting, for this John was particularly vexed by his daughter’s marriage to Pleasant Jarman, the son of William Jarman.  But here’s the thing — two of John’s sons married daughter’s of William Jarman — Frances Danbney Jarman married John’s son James Bell Ballard, and Sarah Jarman married another son, William Ballard. 

James, brother of John, married Ann, daughter of David Rodes, and died in 1853.  His children were Garland, Thomas, David, Susan, the wife of Thomas L. Shelton, Selina, the wife of Thomas Bohannon, Judith, the wife of Nimrod Day, Frances, the wife of Porter Cleveland, Sophia, the wife of Hudson Oaks, and Mary, the wife of William Thompson.  

This summary is largely correct, but it omits James’ son James, who removed to New York City, which may explain his absence in this account.  See our summary at James Ballard, Jr. of New York, New York (1813-1881).  James, Sr.’s will naming all of his children, including his son Jame, omitted by Woods, appears here (James Ballard, Sr of Albemarle County, Virginia (1767-1853)).

The will of William Jarman (dated 26 February 1810, recorded 7 June 1813, Albemarle Co. Va. Will Book 5 (1809-1814), pp. 280-282)) provides for bequests (among his many other children) to his son Pleasant Jarman (who married Elizabeth Ballard) and his daughters Frances Dabney Jarman Ballard and Sarah Jarman Ballard (“Fanny Ballard” and “Sally Ballard” in the will).

William, the son of the first Thomas, married a daughter of William Jarman, and lived below Mechum’s Depot; and his son John P., after occupying a position with Valentine, Fry & Co. in Charlottesville, removed to Richmond, where he founded the Ballard House, formerly one of the most popular hotels of that city.

This is in part correct — however, the William, son of the first Thomas, was not the William who married the daughter of William Jarman (not named by Woods), but William, son of John Ballard (died 1829) who married Sarah, daughter of William Jarman (1748-1813).  We know this from subsequent records naming Sarah Jarman as the mother of Thomas Edward Ballard, the son of William Ballard and Sarah Jarman (erroneously identified as “Sarah James” in one record on Ancestry), and Thomas Edward Ballard was proven to the the brother to John Powers Ballard, the founder of the Ballard House Hotel. 

There are other substantial links between the Ballard and Jarman families — as noted above, Sarah’s sister Frances Dabney Jarman married James Bell Jarman and removed to Kentucky, and John’s daughter Elizabeth married William Jarman’s son Pleasant Jarman and also removed to Madison County, Kentucky. John did not seem too pleased with Pleasant Jarman, for in his will he states “My will and special desire is that Pleasant Jarman shall have no right nor title to any part of my estate in that may fall to his wife Elizabeth, but that the part of said Elizabeth’s shall be for the benefit of her children as is herein after directed. After the death of my daughter Elizabeth I give her to my children not only those that are born of her body now, but also those that may be born of her hereafter three Negroes namely, Lize, Washington & Harry exclusive of the equal or child’s part which will fall to their mother at the division of my property. The sd. Negroes and also the child’s part of my estate aforesaid which will fall to daughter Elizabeth will & shall be in the absolute care and management of my sons Edward and David Ballard or either one of them, from now until the death of sd. Elizabeth Jarman. I further constitute my sons Edward & David Ballard or either of them to be my legal agent to manage and act for my daughter Elizabeth until her death.” (Albemarle Co. Va. Will Book 9, p. 441).

Proof that John Powers Ballard was the son of William Ballard and Sarah Jarman rests in the Federal census records.  The 1850 census finds William (age 62) and Sarah Ballard (age 60) residing in Albemarle with their daughters Mary (26), Sarah (28) and Mildred (20).  In 1860, their household consists only of Wm (age 72) and “S.J.” (age 70).  The daughters are presumably married at this point in households of their own. 

In 1870, William (age 82, Line 11) is still living in Albemarle and Sarah has died, but two of his daughters and their families are now living with him: Mildred Powers (age 42) and her children Thomas E. Powers (age 13), Sally B. Powers (age 11), and John B. Powers (age 7).  Mildred had married Reuben Sydney Powers, who died in 1864.   Reuben was the brother of Jane Frances Powers, the wife of John Powers Ballard.

In 1870 another daughter, Sarah (age 53), married to Miletus Brown Jarman  (“M.B.” in the census, age 67), and their son John B. Jarman (age 13) are also residing with William at his farm in Albemarle.

The whereabouts of William’s daughter Mildred and her family is key to connecting John Powers Ballard of the Ballard House hotel to the rest of his family, for the 1860 census in Richmond shows J.P. Ballard, age 44, “Hotel Keeper” (Line 1), followed by his brother Thos. E. Ballard (Line 2, also listed as “Hotel Keeper”, then Jane P. Ballard, age 38 (Line 3, no occupation given) — this is John’s wife, Jane, followed by their children, Willie P. (17), F. S. (Francis Stribling).  After F. S. is Thomas Edward’s wife, Ella C., age 32 (Line 6) followed by their daughter, Lizzie Carta, age 6.  Further down is R. S. Powers (Reuben Sydney), 37 (“Hotel Clerk”, Line 8), followed by M. A. Powers (Mildred), age 30, T. E. (Thomas Edward) Powers, age 3, and Sallie Powers, age 1.  Further down the list at Line 25 is William Powers, age 75 (“Book Keeper”), who was Jane and Reuben’s father.  The hotel was certainly a family affair.

Reuben Sydney Powers died 21 August 1864 and is interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, which may explain why Mildred returned to her father’s farm with her three children before 1870. In 1880 Sarah Jarman is listed as head of household with Mildred and and her two younger children, Sallie and John in the vicinity of the town of Whitehall in Albemarle County. Mildred did not re-marry, and is buried at Woodland Cemetery at Chase City in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, along with daughter Sally Ballard Broocks (1859-1942), her husband William Albert Broocks (1856-1945), and their son Thomas Albert Broocks (1889-1965) in Chase City.

William Ballard’s 1868 will (recorded in 1874) names three of his daughters — Mildred Ann Powers, Sarah Catherine Jarman, and Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow.  Fannie Elizabeth Bigelow was either an elder daughter of William and Sarah who established her own household prior to the 1850 census, or it was daughter Mary (born c. 1824) who adopted this alternate name.  In any event, we’ve found nothing on her, nor anything definitive about Mary. We can only speculate as to why his sons aren’t mentioned in the will.

Albemarle Co. Va. Will Book Vol. 28-29, 1867-1880 pp. 3-5.

In the name of God amen — I, William Ballard, of the County of Albemarle, and the State of Virginia, being of sound mind and memory, do make, declare and publish this my last Will and Testament: That is to say, as follows:

First, I desire that after my death, all of my debts shall be paid out of my estate.

Second, after the payment of my debts, I bequeath all of my real and personal estate to my well beloved daughters Sarah Catherine Jarman, Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow, and Mildred Ann Powers — I desire that except in regard to such special bequests, as are hereinafter mentioned, my three above named daughters shall parcel and divide my real and personal property in such way and manner as they may jointly agree upon and decide.

Third, To my daughter Sarah Catherine Jarman, I specially bequeath the mare and colt now in her possession; the same to be relinquished to her, before any division of my property is made — & further Herein specially wish and direct, that in the event of the death of Sarah Catherine Jarman, without living issue, then this special bequest as well as her third of the other real and personal property, after the disposal of the special bequests, shall revert to my daughters Mildred Ann Powers or she binning dead to her children.

Fourth — to my daughter Mildred Ann Powers, I specially bequeath the Lot of land, known as “The School House Lot”and my residence : also my carriage and horses, in my possession to her before any division of my property is made—

Fifth — I specially wish and direct that in the event of the death of Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow, without living issue, then her third of the real and personal property after the disposal of the special bequest, shall revert to Mildred Ann Powers or she being dead to her children.

Sixth — I wish and direct that in the event of the death of either or both of my daughters Sarah Catherine Jarman and Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow, before my death, and their leaving no living issue, then the third share of either or both of them shall fall to Mildred Ann Powers, or she being dead, to her children — that is to say, should Sarah Catherine Jarman be dead without issue living, then Mildred Ann Powers shall have two thirds of the estate, and Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow the other third, after relinquishing the special legacy herein before mentioned, to Mildred Ann Powers — and in like manner, I wish and direct in the event of the death of Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow, before my death.

Seventh — I wish and direct that in the event of the death of any living issue of either Sarah Catherine Jarman or Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow before the age of twenty one years, then the portion to which the mother of such issue shall have become entitled, shall revert to Mildred Ann Powers or she being dead, to her children.

Eighth — I wish and direct that Mildred Ann Powers shall have unrestricted control of any portion of my estate, to which she may directly become entitled, from my death or indirectly from the death or any other or others of my legatees — and also I wish and direct that in the event of the death of Mildred Ann Powers before my death, then her children shall possess and receive all such benefits as would have been possessed and received by her if living under this Will.

Ninth — I wish and direct that Mildred Ann Powers, Sarah Catherine Jarman, and Fanny Elizabeth Bigelow shall jointly administer upon my estate, and that no security be required of them or either of them on account of their acting as executors.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, and declare this to be my last will and testament, in the presence of the witnesses named below, this fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

William Ballard {Seal}

Signed, sealed, declared and published by the said William Ballard, as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence, and in presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto as also to the interlineations on the 10th and 16th lines of the 2nd page. Benj. F. Jones, Wm J. Points

At a court held for Albemarle County Aug. 3rd 1874

A paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of William Ballard deceased was produced into Court, and B. F. Jones & Wm. J. Points the only subscribing witnesses being sworn deposed that they together in the presence of each other and in the presence of William Ballard heard him acknowledge said instrument as his Last Will and Testament, and at his request signed the same as witnesses, and thereupon it is considered that said instrument of writing is fully proven and was ordered to be recorded as the last will and testament of William Ballard, dec’d.

Teste, H. B. Burnley C.C.

Bland married Frances, daughter of John Shiflett, and died in 1809.  His family consisted of five sons and ten daughters.  He donated the ground on which the old Ivy Creek Methodist Church was built.

Bland, son of Thomas, did indeed marry Frances Shiflett and died in 1809.  The deed conveying property to the Methodist Church is recorded in Albemarle Co. Va. Deed Book 16 (1807-1809), p. 375.

This indenture made this 12th day of March one thousand height hundred and eight Between Bland Ballard of Albemarle County of the one part, and the Methodist Episcopal Church of the other part.  Witnesseth that the said Bland Ballard hath for and in consideration of the good will and affection he hath for the said Methodist Episcopal Church hath given granted bargained aliened enfeoffed and confirmed unto the said Methodist Episcopal Church and their successors forever one quarter of an acre of land whereon the said church have built a meeting house it being one quarter of an acre of the tract of land that Bland Ballard now lives on, lying and being in the County of Albemarle, and for their having built the meeting house agreeable to my wish on the spot I wanted it built, I Bland Ballard do for myself my heirs and assigned covenant and agree with the said Methodist Episcopal Church that the sole right and title of the said meeting house and quarter of and acre whereupon said house stands shall be in the said church, theire preachers and members and successors forever, so that the said Methodist Episcopal Church shall peaceably enjoy or possess the said premises forever, free from the claim of him the said Bland Ballard his heirs or any other person or persons claiming any precedence thereto under him forever.  In witness whereof the said Bland Ballard have hereunto set my hand and see the day and date above written.

Bland Ballard {Seal}

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of: Wm. Ballard, S. Newman, Garland Ballard

At Albemarle September Court 1808.

This Deed of Bargain and sale from Bland Ballard to the Methodist Society was produced into court proved by the oaths of William Ballard S. Newman and Garland Ballard witnesses thereto and by the Court ordered to be recorded.

A copy Teste, John Nicholas, C.A.C.

***

John Powers Ballard pre-deceased his brother, Thomas, in 1878, and Thomas survived until 1902. Their obituaries follow.

Thomas E. Ballard’s first wife was Ella Carter Pollard (1829-1865), and his second wife referred to here was Nannie Overton Price (1847-1931).