Francis Ballard, Jr, son of Francis Ballard Sr of Elizabeth City County, like his brother Servant received a bequest of land located in Warwick County, Virginia from his father’s will.  His was a smaller allotment (and named second in order of succession), so we assume that he was the younger son.

Given that he likely resided in Warwick, there is little record of him due to catastrophic record losses.  We do not find the name in Elizabeth City County until 1758, so we cannot say definitively whether this is the same Francis, or another (his son or a son of his brother Servant or some other relation).  For now we assume those later records belong to the Francis Ballard, son of William Ballard, who we believe is the son of Francis Ballard, brother of Servant.  Here are the connections to support this assumption:

William Ballard appraised the estate of Edward Roe, with Robert Brough and Angus McKay, recorded 20 July 1738.¹ The will of Edward Roe mentions his mother, Ann Roe, whose own will names her daughter Mary Ballard.

On 7 October 1755 William Ballard is appointed appraiser of the estate of John Ryland, with Charles Pasteur, Willis Scott and George Johnson. The Administratrix is Grissel Ryland, Security William Naylor and Philip Cowper.²

The name “Grissel” is an important clue, for a Grissel is named as the daughter of Ann Roe, who left a will dated 31 October 1747 that also names Ann’s daughter Mary Ballard.³

Will of Ann Roe (abstract). To daughter Grisel; daughter Mary Ballard; daughter Ann Moore; daughter Sarah Cooper; daughter Elizabeth Merriday; daughter Cathrin Boutwell; daughter Margaret Merriday [likely Meredith]; daughter Ellenner Mitchell; daughter Luce Loyal. Exs. Mr. John Moore and Abraham Cooper. Recorded 8 June 1748. Witnesses Robert Brough, John Bennett. Abraham Cooper qualified security, Samuel Jones and Adam Boutwell.

But note in the Elizabeth City Co. Order Book 1747-1755, there is a suit in Chancery that includes Mary Ballard, Jno. Moore and Ann, his wife, Sarah Cooper, Eliza Meredith, Adam Boutwell and Catherine his wife, Margaret Meredith, Grissell Roe, William Loyal and Lucy his wife, complainants against Ann Roe and Eliza Roe, Respondents in Chancery. “It is ordered & Desired that the Heirs at Law pay unto the complainants £5, 14, 8, Each as their proportionate part of the appraised value of the slaves of Edward Roe Senior deceased & that the costs of this Suit be equally born by all the compet & the Defts.”⁴

This last entry tells us that Mary Ballard was a widow; had she been married, her husband would have been named in this suit. Her husband probably died c. 1746, so therefore she was not the wife of the William Ballard named below (son of Francis, Jr), and probably the wife of his likely father, Francis Ballard of Warwick County.  Though she could also be the wife of Francis’ brother, Servant Ballard of Hampton, Virginia.

(Likely) Issue:

WILLIAM.

Endnotes

1. Elizabeth City Co. Va. Deeds & Wills 1737-1749, p.55.

2. Elizabeth City Co. Va. Order Book 1755-1760, p. 26.

3. Elizabeth City Co. Va. Book 1737-1749, p. 292.

4. Elizabeth City Co. Va. Order Book 1747-1755, p. 172.