John Ballard, the son of Thomas Horace Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia, married (1) Molly Powers, and (2) on 1 August 1816 in Orange, Virginia Elizabeth Thompson, the daughter of Roger Thompson and __________ Crenshaw [verify].  According to a memorandum written by W. Elbridge Harris of Madison County, Kentucky and given to William Harris Miller, who quoted it in his History and Genealogies (1907), “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.”¹

John Ballard died in 1829.²   Elizabeth Thompson is said to have been born 19 September 1785.

Some researchers claim John Ballard resided in Madison County, Kentucky, in spite of documents like the following power of attorney and his will, which both recite that he was a resident in Albemarle County, Virginia.

On 25 December 1827 he executed a power of attorney recorded in Madison Co. Ky. Deed Book R, p. 573:

Know all men by these presents that John Ballard, of Albemarle County, State of Virgina, have made, ordained and consitute and appointed and by these presents do make, ordain, constitute and appoint Edward Ballard and David Ballard, of the County of Madison and State of Kentucky, my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, but to my sue for the benefit of my daughter, Elisabeth Jarman, and her children, to ask, demand, sue for and recover and receive the property now in in the possession of Pleasant C. Jarman, now in the State of Kentucky, the following property, to wit: Three negroes: Henry, Judith and Elisa Ann, two feather beds, and furniture, one walnut chest, to be disposed of as my attorneys think best for use and for the benefit of Elisabeth Jarman and her children.

And further to do an execute all and every other lawful act and acts needful for recovering and obtaining of the said property, but to my use as aforesaid, as fully and effectually to all intents and purposes as if I were personally present: hereby ratifying and confirming whatsoever my said attorneys shall lawfully do, or cause to be done.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 25th day of December, 1827.

Witnesses: John Ballard, William Thompson, William Ballard, Wilson Ballard.

Virginia, in the Clerk’s Office of Albemarle County Court, the 2nd day of January 1828: the within Power of Attorney was this day produced to me in said office and proven by the oaths of William Thompson and William Ballard, two of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and the same was admitted to record.  In Testimony Whereof, I, Alexander Garrett, Clerk of the County Court of said County, have hereunto set my name, and affixed the seal of said Court, this 2nd day of January 1828, in the 52nd year of the Commonwealth.  Alexander Garrett, Clk.

He left a will dated 12 July 1829, which was recorded in Albemarle Co. Va. Will Book 9, p. 441.  We are researching this line and will adjust this page accordingly as we sort out the facts.  It appears most of his sons settled in Kentucky.

Will of John Ballard – July 12, 1829.  In the name of God amen.  I John Ballard Senr. of Alb. County and State of Virginia, being in declining health but of sound and disposing memory and understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs do therefore make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz: after my just debts are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows.

Item, My will is that all my land be sold at public auction upon a deal of one, two or three years or more, two or three annual payments either as my executors may think proper and the money from the sale to the disposed of as I herein after direct.

Item, my will is that all my personal property shall be equally divided amongst my children named Edward Ballard, James Ballard, David Ballard, John Ballard’s two sons, Nicholas Ballard, and I lend my daughter Elizabeth Jarman her part of my estate to the managed and disposed as is herein after directed, to them and their heirs so lawfully begotten of their bodies.

Item my will is that my son John Ballard’s sons shall pay the sum of one hundred dollars to my estate which they owe said estate.

Item, I give my son John’s sons the sum of three hundred and eighty eight dollars to make them equal to a lone [loan] I made my other children, bearing date Sept. 30th, 1826.

Item, My daughter Elizabeth Jarman shall pay my estate fifty dollars.

Item, My will is that my sons William and Wilson Ballard shall share equal part of my estate in money or bond, and if there be not money enough to make them equal with the other children, they are to make themselves equal and if there be a residue of money after making William and Wilson equal to those that have Negroes, it is to be divided equally amongst all my children.

Item, My will is that the girl Ann which I lent my son Wilson shall be divided with my other Negroes as I have above directed and he (Wilson) shall have two hundred and eighty eight dollars in money in her stead.

Item, My sons William and Wilson and my daughter Jarman has each had a bed and bolster without furniture for which I wish a reasonable deduction made at the dividing of my property.

Item. I give my Grandson Austin Ballard (son of Wilson) one hundred dollars.

Item.  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.  And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Nathaniel Thompson and Edward Thompson or either of them to be executors to this my last will and testament. Revoking and annulling all former wills made by me heretofore.

In testimony here of I set my hand and seal this twelfth day of July eighteen hundred and twenty nine.

John (X) Ballard

Signed and sealed and acknowledged in the presence of William Thompson, William Ward, Roger (X) Thompson.

Ordered recorded 7 November 1829.

The wording of the will suggests several of his children were from different mothers, though we have not yet definitively determined which children were the product of which marriage. We will divide them as another research has, but have not yet verified this information.  We do know that David Ballard named a son Thompson.

The children of John Ballard and Molly Powers were:

EDWARD, married Elizabeth Gentry.

JAMES BELL, married Frances Dabney Jarman.    

Elizabeth, married Pleasant Jarman.

JOHN P., married Elenor Wallace.

The children of John Ballard and Elizabeth Thompson were:

DAVID, married Elizabeth ___________.

Nicholas, born c. 1795, married 4 November 1813 Elizabeth W. Clark (Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch database).  By 1830 Nicholas Ballard had removed to Madison County, Kentucky.  The 1830 census records a household comprised of one male between the ages of 5 and 9, one male between the ages of 10 and 14, one male between the ages of 40 and 49, one female under 5 years of age, two female between the ages of 10 and 14, one female between the ages of 40 and 49.  He owned nine slaves.  U.S. Federal Census, Eastern Division, Madison, Kentucky, Series M19, Roll 39, Page 107.  The 1850 Federal Census records him as head of household (age 55), but living with three farmhands: Edward Hudson (age 29), William Carpenter (age 29), Eliza Carpenter (age 24), and the Carpenter’s son, Luis Carpenter (age 1).  U.S. Federal Census, Madison County.

William.

Wilson, married _____, and had issue, his son Austin.  Austin [“Osten”] Ballard in 1830 was residing in Madison County, Kentucky.  The census records a household comprised of one male under 5 years of age, 1 male between the ages of 5 and 9, one male between the ages of 20 and 29, two females under 5 years of age, and one female between 20 and 29.  He owned four slaves.U.S. Federal Census, Eastern Division, Madison, Kentucky, Series M19, Roll 39, Page 117.

Endnotes

1. William Harris Miller, 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) p. 403.

2. Will of John Ballard dated 12 July 1829, recorded Albemarle Co. Va. Will Book 9, p. 441.