[These notes on Devereaux Ballard are preliminary and incomplete.]

Devereaux Ballard was the son of William Ballard of Halifax County, North Carolina (c. 1710-1775).

Halifax Co. NC Deed Book 17, p. 442, June 11, 1778. Jonas (X) Wilkins to William Burt of Warren Co.; 150 pounds for land joining William Richardson, Dicken, Deans, Samuel Marshall. Witt: Devereaux Ballard, Mary Ballard.

September Term 1779, named a Justice of the Peace in Wilkes County, North Carolina.  County Court Records, 1778-1797, Wilkes County, North Carolina, by James Alan Williams (Morrisvile, NC: Lulu Press, 2014).

Warren Co. NC Deed Book 8, p. 78, March 30, 1781. James Denton to Lewis Ballard, son of William; 400 pounds for 300 acres on Weaver’s Creek from Thomas Marshall’s line to James House’s line. Witt: Daniel Naeel, Agrippa Nichols.

Warren Co. NC Deed Book 8, p. 17, April 21, 1781. Peter Coleman to Dudley Ballard; 50,000 of “prock” (proclamation money) for 171 acres bounded by Plantpack Branch, Dozer’s line, Frederick Talley’s line, the Pack Orchard Branch, and Reedy Branch. Witt: Richard Marshall, Nancy Richardson.

Warren Co. NC Deed Book 8, p. 31, Dec. 14, 1781. William Brintle to John Ballard; 10,000 pounds for 40 acres at mouth of Allen’s Spring Branch and down Hawkins Creek. Witt: Richard Marshall, Isaac Marshall, William Ballard.

He appears in Brunswick County in July 1783 where he filed a petition against Francis Mallory, defendant in debt and attached the effects condemned and obtained judgments for 5,000 pounds net inspected tobacco with lawful interest from 30 November 1782 and costs.  Recorded July 1783, Brunswick Co. Va. Order Book No. 8, p. 1911.

Warren Co. Will Book 6, p. 144, Aug Ct. 1791. Acct. in Est of Amos Harris, dec’d. by James Arrington, Admtr. Names: William Burt, guardian to Alsey Harris; settlement of James Harris Est; Estrs. of Joel Harris; Jessee Marshall, Amy Ranson, Devereux Ballard, Frederick Cyrus, William Arrington, Francis Capps, Elisha Harris, William Cox, William Alston.

He filed a claim for a Revolutionary War pension that places him as a resident of Halifax County, North Carolina before the Revolution.  Note in the interrogatories below that he states he was “born on Nottoway River in Virginia” — the Nottoway River is the northern boundary of Lunenberg County.  The claim was filed from Claremont County, South Carolina, where he removed sometime between 1790 and 1800, as shown by US Federal Census records.

State of South Carolina, Sumter District Claremont County: Declaration in order to obtain the Benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th June 1832

On this the __ day of April in the year of our Lord 1834 personally appeared before Josiah J. Evans Presiding Judge of the Court of General Sessions and Common Pleas for Sumter District now holding at Sumter Court House Devereux Ballard a resident in the County District and State aforesaid, aged seventy-eight years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That in the year 1779 as the deponent then heard and believes the citizens of North Carolina were divided into classes of fourteen – and that each of the said classes were compelled to furnish one man for the service that the deponent volunteered for his class and entered the service under Colonel John Branch near Halifax North Carolina That shortly after he volunteered he hired as a substitute one Sterling McLemore to whom he paid eight hundred dollars for twelve months service that being the term for which the deponent had volunteered his services – that shortly afterwards the deponent removed to Wilkes County North Carolina – and after the fall of Charleston [May 12, 1780] in South Carolina about the last of May in the year of our Lord 1780, the deponent volunteered in a company raised and commanded by Captain William Lenoir – the Major of the Battalion was __ Herndon – the Colonel was Benjamin Cleaveland [sic, Benjamin Cleveland] – the deponent did not belong to the Cavalry though he frequently did service on horseback – Captain John Cleveland commanded the Cavalry attached to the Regiment the deponent does not believe that the Regiment to which he was attached ever acted in conjunction with any Continental Regiments or officers. The company in which the deponent acted was designated as minute men – we were continually engaged in marching and in all the events incident to a partisan warfare. The Tories at that time and that part of the Country were very troublesome, and the company was employed in keeping them in subjection. The company was marching to Ramsour’s Mill when the battle was fought [June 20, 1780] between the Whigs and Tories at that place, but did not reach it until the battle was decided. The company of which the Deponent was a member was engaged in the Battle of King’s Mountain [October 7, 1780] where the British officer Ferguson [Patrick Ferguson] was defeated by the Americans. The deponent was not present at the Battle, having been left at home on account of sickness. The deponent did not remain at home but one day on account of sickness. The next day being very feeble he traveled more than 30 miles to rejoin his company. At night he came up with a party commanded by Major Floyd [sic, Joseph Cloud]. The Deponent recollects also Captain Francis [Henry Francis] and Captain Trigg [Abraham Trigg]. An express reached this party that night that the Tories had committed murders on the Yadkin River near the Shallow Ford. The deponent then joined the party commanded by Major Floyd and in the company of Captain Francis marched to the attack of the Tories. We met the Tories near the Shallow Ford on Yadkin River [October 14, 1780]. The Tories were commanded by Col. Bryant [sic, Capt. James Bryan]. They were defeated by our party notwithstanding their number was double of ours

– Captain Francis unfortunately was killed Captain Bryan of the Tories fell. The Battle of Shallow Ford was fought two or three days after the victory at King’s Mountain. The deponent returned to his home after the battle of Shallow Ford and by that time his company under the command of Captain Lenoir returned and the deponent rejoined them. The deponent was then engaged in active service until sometime in the next winter. From the great lapse of time and the weakness of memory the deponent cannot recollect the precise period of his quitting the service but to be on the side of truth he will put it down on the first of January 1781 making the whole term of his service seven months. The Deponent acted in the capacity of Sergeant during the whole of his term under Captain Lenoir – and the Deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any agency of any State.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before in open court S/ Th. J. Wilden, CCP S/ Deox Ballard

[Isaac Richbourg, a clergyman and Reuben Long, a Revolutionary Soldier gave the standard supporting affidavit.]

The following interrogatories were proposed to the applicant Devereux Ballard and the answers sworn to in open Court

1st Interrogatory When and in what year were you born?

Answer 1st I was born on Nottoway River in Virginia in the year of our Lord 1756

Interrogatory 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?

2 Answer My age is Registered in a Book my father – but have no knowledge of where the said Book is at present

Interrogatory 3rd Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?

Answer 3 When I entered the service for twelve months under Colonel John Branch I then lived in Halifax County North Carolina, I then removed to Wilkes County North Carolina and lived in that County when I entered service under Colonel Cleveland. In about two years I returned to Halifax County. I lived in that County for some considerable time and about 35 years since I removed to this County District and State where I have since resided

Interrogatory 4th How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer or were you a substitute, and if in substitute, for whom?

Answer 4th I volunteered never was drafted or served as a substitute.

Interrogatory 5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.

Answer 5th  Colonel John Branch, Colonel Cleveland, Major Floyd &c I never served under any regular officers. The Regiment of Colonel Cleveland never acted in conjunction with any other except at King’s Mountain in which I was not present, the general circumstances of my services have been stated in my declaration annexed – I never went out of North Carolina and generally the services I performed were in Wilkes County and that State – Colonel Cleveland lived in Wilkes County.

Interrogatory 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?

Answer I never received a written discharge from the service

Interrogatory 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief in your services as a soldier in the revolution.

Answer: Among many I would enumerate Captain Thomas J. Polk, Charles Polk, Isaac Lenoir, the Rev’d P. B. Bowen, the Rev’d Jesse Hartwell &c.

South Carolina, Sumter District
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Notary Public and Justice of the Quorum ex officio Devereux Ballard who being duly sworn deposeth and maketh oath that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served as a Sergeant for seven months under Captain William Lenoir in the Western part of North Carolina. The Deponent claims nothing for the 12 months for which he hired a substitute and his service of the seven months is exclusive of the 12 months for which a substitute was employed. The deponent can adduce no proof of his having acted in the capacity of Sergeant. The Deponent is confident that no Sergeant in the company to which he belonged had a written warrant nor does he believe that a Sergeant in the Regiment of Colonel Cleveland acted under a written warrant.

Sworn to before me this September 2, 1834. S/ Deveraux Ballard S/ John Hemphill, NP & QU Ex. Off.