Thomas Ballard of King George County, the likely son of Bland Ballard, Sr of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, we surmise was born c. 1732, and was dead by 1785, the date when we know that his son William was in possession of land Thomas had acquired in Stafford County, Virginia.

There are other records in the vicinity bearing the name Thomas Ballard, but we are not certain if they are connected to this particular line.  The Thomas Ballard who on 10 March 1746 witnessed a deed would have been too old to be Bland’s son; it may have been Bland’s brother, or he belonged to another line altogether (indenture between Edward Franklyn and Robert Sharman, both of St. Thomas Parish in Orange county, for 150 acres in Orange, “Land beginning Richard Quin’s upper corner … on the Rappadan River.”  Other witnesses were W. Bell and Simon Ramsey).¹

A Thomas Ballard appears on a list of Orange county tithables dated 16 September 1749 that Phillip Bush, Constable “have view’d in his presinks”.  The list includes “Thos Ballard (1), Ed. Dearing (1), Robt Dearing (2)” and further down, a Will Ballard (1).   This Thomas is also too old to be Bland’s son, and would have been born c. 1728.

Culpeper County, where the subject of this sketch originated, was cut from Orange County on 23 March 1748; Culpeper in turn gave birth to Madison County in 1792 and Rappahannock County in 1833.  Bland Ballard’s land then rested in Culpeper County, and ultimately ended up in Madison County when he is mentioned in a subsequent deed recorded in Madison in 1793.

Thomas Ballard of Culpeper County purchased land of John Sharpe on 2 October 1753,² and is named a son-in-law in the Will of Frances Newgent of King George county, Virginia, the latter document proving that Thomas had married a daughter of Frances Newgent.  We learn that her name is Alice from other documents, referenced below.

26 March 1759. Will of Frances Newgent, of Parish of Brunswick & co. King George, Spinster. To my son Thomas Newgent my bed; to my son Edward Newgent my negro man; to my daughter Ann Newgent my negro woman and one cow; to Edward & Ann, all household furniture & sheep equally divided; to sons James Nelson & son-in-law Thomas Ballard, all cattle equally divided. Executor: Thomas Ballard. Witnesses: Thos. Newgent, James Innis, Ann Newgent.³

He is also probably the Thomas Ballard named in an assignment from Micajah Poole, survey dated 30 September 1749, “265 acres on Gourd Vine Fork, on S. side of White Wallnut Mt. & David’s Mt.; adj. the Rev. Mr John Thompson, John Chizam.  Chain carriers Gerrard Mayfield, John McKenzie.  Surv. Philip Clayton.⁴  He obtained a grant for this land on 14 January 1761, where he is identified as “Thomas Ballard of Culpeper Co.”⁵  This same land was sold 17 May 1784, but at this time he is identified as “Thomas Ballard of Stafford county”, and is joined in the conveyance by Alice, his wife; that deed recites that the land had previously been conveyed to William Paton and Elizabeth Paton on 29 August 1783, but that deed was never recorded, so to perfect the title Thomas and Alice join in this later conveyance.⁶  Thomas is again named in the description of land in King George county in a deed dated 2 June 1767⁷ and again 29 June 1767.⁸

We should take note that in 1777 there was a boundary adjustment between Stafford and King George Counties.  As originally constituted, Stafford County ran along the length of the Potomac River, while King George County ran along the Rappahannock.  A more convenient division took place, where Stafford’s lower end was swapped for King George’s upper end, placing the two county’s boundaries crosswise instead of lengthwise along the neck.  It appear’s that Thomas Ballard’s land prior to 1777 was in King George, and after that date, in Stafford County.

A Thomas Ballard witnessed a transaction in King George County on 27 November 1771,⁹ and possibly his son William Ballard witnessed the will of John Webb on 7 February 1777.¹⁰  We know Thomas Ballard and Alice Nugent/Newgent had two children, William and Mary, for they are named as nephew and niece, respectively in the will of Ann Nugent of Fauquier county, Virginia, dated 14 September 1780.

14 September 1780. Will of Ann Nugent (abstract). To nephew Lincefield Sharpe, 4 slaves, to him & heirs of his body lawfully begotten; in fault of such heirs, slaves equally divided between my brother Edward Nugent & my nephew William Ballard & my niece Mary Ballard. To niece Mary Ballard, 1,000 lbs of tobacco & cask, & one feather bed. To nephew William Ballard, 1,000 lbs of crop tobacco & cask. To nephew & brother Lincefield Sharpe, my stock of cattle, 2/3 to nephew, 1/3 to brother … to nephew Lincefield Sharpe, all residue. Executor: Lincefield Sharpe. Witnesses: Peter Grant, Thos. Nugent, Susanna Grant.¹¹

Mary Ballard had married 14 November 1782 George Hampton,¹² and their children Frances (Frankie) and Susanna are named in the will of Thomas Nugent dated 11 September 1789.

11 September 1789. Will of Thomas Nugent (abstract). To nephew Lincefield Sharpe, all lands whereon I now live, purchased of John & Dixon Brown & of Mr Wm. Skinker, also tract where Lincefield Sharpe now lives purchased of Joseph James, to him & his heirs. If he should leave no heirs, to be sold & divided among the children of my brother Edward Nugent. To brother Edward Nugent, slaves, livestock, tools & equipment. To children of brother Edward Nugent, slaves. To nephew Thomas Nugent, negro girl. To brother Edward Nugent, title to land he lives on … To children of niece Mary Hampton (Frances & Susanna), negroes. To Ann Nugent Sharpe, daughter of nephew Lincefield Sharpe, negro girl. To nephew William Ballard, £10. To nephew Lincefield Sharpe, residue of estate. Executors: Lincefield Sharpe & brother Edward Nugent (in case of his death, his son Thomas Nugent). Witnesses: Peter Grant, George S. Blackwell, William Woodside.¹³

Ann Nugent’s will and that of her brother’s Thomas Nugent both named Lincefield Sharpe, a neighbor of Thomas Haydon, the father of William Haydon who married Ann Ballard, Bland Ballard’s daughter.¹⁴  We know from the 1759 will of Lincefield Sharpe, Sr that he had married Frances Nugent, the sister of Ann Nugent and Thomas Nugent.¹⁵

On 9 March 1785, in preparation of a journey to Kentucky, William Ballard appointed his sister’s husband George Hampton as manager of his estate, with instructions of disposing of his property.

9 March 1785. I, William Ballard of Stafford Co., Va., about to remove to the western waters, Ky., move to dispose of my estate. Appoint brother-in-law George Hampton, who married my sister Mary, my whole trustee & manager of my estate; I give my niece, Frankie, a negro girl named Sukey; I give to my niece Susanna a negro girl named Lucy; rest of my estate, equally divided among all children of my sister Mary. Should I return to have the use of my above said negroes & lands. Land & slaves referring to deed in Stafford Court bearing date the 25th December 1778 for both land & slaves, likewise by land claimed on the Western Waters, to the amount of a balance preimption 250 acres balance of Military Right, 2,000 acres … Witnesses: George F. Luck, Lewis Cobbs, Timothy Parrish, Bernard Renolds, Henry Chiles, Rchd: Burch.¹⁶

William Ballard was dead by 16 January 1812, for on that date the children of Mary (Ballard) Hampton executed a deed conveying the Stafford County, Virginia land inherited from William Ballard (formerly lying in King George county) to Richard Stevens of Stafford county; by this time, Mary Hampton had two more children, John Hampton and Abner V. Hampton, who joined in the conveyance with their mother and sisters; all had removed to Montgomery county, Tennessee.

16 January 1812. William R. Gibson & Frances, his wife, Jonathan Johnson & Susannah, his wife, William Trigg & Ann, his wife, John Hampton & Abner V. Hampton, all of co. of Montgomery, State of Tennessee, to Richard Stevens of Stafford, for $434. 216 acres, formerly belonging to Thomas Ballard & conveyed by said Thomas Ballard to William Ballard by deed bearing date 25 December 1778, & by William Ballard conveyed to George Hampton & Mary his wife during their lives & at their deaths to their children, dated 9 March 1786. [also signed by Mary Hampton, relict of George Hampton, dec’d].¹⁷

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Notes

1. Recorded 22 May 1746, Orange Co. Va. Deed Book 10, p. 315. W. Bell may have been a relation of Guy Bell, who witnessed several transactions for Bland Ballard, including his will of 1791.

2. 2 October 1753. Deed between John Sharpe & Judy, his wife of Parish Brunswick & co. King George, & Thomas Ballard of co. Culpeper, for £64. 16, a 262 acre parcel of land lying in co. of King George in a branch in the line Knights pattent now Capt. Hancock Lee’s … corner to Bryan Obanian. Witnesses: John Mauzy, James Nelson, Edward Newgent. Acknowledged 4 July 1754 by John Sharpe and Judy his wife she being privately examined by Thomas Jett gent…Recorded 4 July 1754, King George Co. Va. Deed Book 4, pp. 119-21.

3. Recorded 6 December 1759, King George Co. Va. Will Book A, pp. 107-08.

4. Peggy Shomo Joyner, Abstracts of Virginia’s Northern Neck Warrants & Surveys, Vol. III (1986).

5. Gertrude E. Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, Volume II, 1742-1775 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988) p. 122.

6. 17 May 1784. Indenture between Thomas Ballard of Stafford co. & Alice his wife, and William Paton and Elizabeth his wife of the same county of one part and John Thornton of Culpeper Co., Gent., of the other part; Whereas Thomas Ballard did obtain a patent dated the 14th day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Sixty one for a tract of land containing Two hundred and sixty five acres lying in the Gourd Vine Fork of said County of Culpeper and bounded as by the said Patent Beginning at two chesnut Oaks … corner to the late Revd John Thompson’s land … in John Chism’s line … North side of Davids Mountain corner to said Chisam … Whereas Thomas Ballard and Alice his wife did afterwards to wit the Twentininth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Eighty three by Deed of that date sell and convey to William Paton the tract of land aforesaid which Deed was never recorded, and William Paton has since agreed to sell and convey the same to John Thornton … Recorded 17 May 1784, Culpeper Co. Va. Deed Book M, 1783-85, pp. 159-62. John Thornton and Jane, his wife, in turn sold this land to Thomas Chancellor by deed dated 22 March 1785, recorded 22 March 1785, Culpeper Co. Va. Deed Book M, 1783-85, pp. 368-70.

7. 2 June 1767. Indenture between Hancock Lee of co. King George & the Right Honorable Thomas, Lord Fairfax of co. Frederick, for £200, parcel of land lying in co. King George near Horse Pen Run … corner to Mr Arthur Morson … Edward West’s Mill Branch … corner Lincefield Sharpe … corner Thomas Ballard … corner John Sharpe … main road leading to Falmouth … meanders of such road … racepath corner to John Lee containing 2,800 acres … if H.L. pay full sum with legal interest before 1 July 1769 … Recorded 2 June 1768, King George Co. Va. Deed Book 5, pp. 743-45.

8. 29 June 1767. Indenture between John Sharpe, Senior of King George co. & Thomas Sharpe Junior, son of said Sharpe of same co., for natural love & affection unto his son & for his maintenance & livelihood, 89 acres, being part of tract whereon John Sharpe now liveth … east side small hill being corner trees to the land Thomas Ballard purchased of John Sharpe … in Mr John Waugh’s north east line. Witnesses: John Blackitt, Edward Fitzsimons, Adam Banks. Recorded 2 July 1767, King George Co. Va. Deed Book 5, p. 675.

9. 27 November 1771. Indenture between William Fitzhugh of King George co., Esq., & Reubin Payne of sd. co., planter, in consideration of covenants, Farm let 100 acres ling in co. King George bounded upon Charles Webster, Thomas Ficklin, & Peter Jetts lines … to have & hold during natural lives of Reubin Payne & Ann his mother & Francis his brother … paying yearly on feast of St. Luke neat sum & quantity of 500. Witnesses: Joshua Brown, Thos. Ballard. Signed: Wm. Fitzhugh, acknowledge, agree to lease during joint lives of Lucy my wife & my own, 1 October 1761. Signed: Natl. Harrison, witnessed: John Fitzhugh, Ben Grymes, Jr. King George Co. Va. Deed Book 5, pp. 994-96.

10. 7 February 1777. Will of John Webb (abstract). To wife Judith Webb, negro girl Milly. To son John, negro boy George. To son WmSon (Williamson?), negro boy Ned. To daughter Prissilla Webb, negro girl Alse. To wife land whereon my mother now lives & the rite to land I bought of Colo. Thomas Marshall, during her widowhood & at her death or marriage the land whereon my mother now lives to my son John. The land I bought of Colo. Thomas Marshall to my son WmSon Webb. The land I bought in Northumberland of Thomas Lowther & Smith Barret shall be sold to discharge my debts & any other part of my estate …Executor: Loving wife & my friends William Ballard, William Miskell & John Keith. Witnesses: John Keith, James Key. Recorded 25 May 1778, Fauquier Co. Va. Wills, pp. 355-57 (cited in John K. Gott, Abstracts of Fauquier County, Virginia, Wills, Inventories and Accounts, 1759-1800 (1972, p. 150).

11. Recorded 23 May 1785, Fauquier Co. Va. Wills, p. 54 (Gott, p. 94).

12. J. Estelle Stewart King, Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Marriages of Fauquier County, Virginia 1759-1800 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978) p. 52.

13. Recorded 22 February 1790, Fauquier Co. Va. Wills, pp. 160-61 (Gott, p. 192).

14. Robert Haydon, Thomas Haydon II, Colonial Virginia Planter, 1698-1782 (Little Rock, Ark., 2000, privately published), pp. 22-23.

15. Will of Lincefield Sharpe (abstract). I Lincefield Sharpe of county of King George being Antient and Infirm of Body … my desire that my Negro woman slave named Nann be sold to raise money to discharge my debts … give to my son Thomas Sharpe the land and plantation whereon he now dwells and all the land I hold adjoining thereto on the lower and East side of Lick run … to my three sons Lincefield Sharpe, John Sharpe and Benjamin Sharpe six Negroes … to be equally divided among them … to my three daughters Mary Sparkes, Sarah Burbridge and Frances Daniel twenty shillings each … to my beloved wife Frances in Lieu of her dower the use of all the rest of my estate during her natural life and after her decease I bequeath the same as follows: To my three daughters, four Negroes … the land whereon I now live containing about 275 acres to be sold and the money equally divided between my children Lincefield Sharpe, John Sharpe, Benjamin Sharpe, Mary Sparks, Sarah Burbridge and Frances Daniel … appoint my son Lincefield Sharpe and my friend Thomas Burbridge Executors … this 24 March 1758. Witnesses: Eliza. White, John Willson, Gerard Banks. Recorded 1 November 1759, King George Co. Va. Will Book A, pp. 105-7.

16. Stafford Co. Va. Wills & Deeds, 1785-87, pp. 360-61.

17. Recorded 22 January 1812, Stafford Co. Va. Deeds Liber AA, 1809-13, pp. 298-301.