[these notes are preliminary; there is much work to do here]

Edward Ballard was the son of John Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia (1745-1829).

By 1830 Edward Ballard had removed to Madison County, Kentucky.  The 1830 census records a household comprised of one male between the ages of 20 and 29, one male between the ages of 50 and 59 (therefore born between 1771 and 1780), one female between the ages of 15 and 19, and one female between the ages of 50 and 59.  He owned 21 slaves.  1830 U.S. Federal Census, Eastern Division, Madison, Kentucky, Series M19, Roll 39, Page 116.  He married 27 February 1797 Elizabeth Gentry; he died 27 December 1854 [verify].  He is mentioned in the will of Elizabeth’s father, George Gentry, whose will dated 4 July 1806 was recorded 1 October 1810 in Albemarle County, Virginia: “Eightly.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsy Ballard wife of Edward Ballard viz. two negroes Jude & Gresey and their increase to her, her heirs and assigns forever …Twelth.  I give and bequeath to my grandson George Ballard, son of Edward Ballard on negro boy named Joe to him, his heirs and assigns forever…”

Edward Ballard left a will dated 6 June 1844 and a codicil dated 7 May 1852.

I, Edward Ballard of Madison County, Kentucky, do hereby make this my last will and testament, revoking all former wills by me heretofore made.

First, I direct that all my past debts and funeral expenses be first paid.

Second, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth Ballard all my personal estate and slaves and money, and all my real estate, or so much of the same as she may see proper to keep during her natural life with the exceptions hereafter named.

Third. I devise and  bequeath unto my son James A. Ballard in confidence and upon the trusts hereafter named, the tract of land my son George C. Ballard now resides on, containing two hundred and twenty-one acres, which I value at sixteen hundred dollars.

Fourth.  I devise and bequeath to my son John P. Ballard my negro boy named Irvine and the plantation I now reside on, after the death of my wife Elizabeth Ballard, containing one hundred and eighty-six acres, except the sixty acres of said tract on which the said John P. Ballard now resides, and this latter quantity I devise to my said son John P. Ballard without qualification.  The said one hundred and eighty-six acres of land above devised, I value at the sum of eighteen hundred and sixty dollars.

Fifth.  I give and devise to my son James A. Ballard a negro boy named Ben, and the tract of land he now resides on, containing ninety acres, which land I value at one thousand dollars.

At the death of my wife Elizabeth Ballard, I direct that all the rest and residue of my slaves, personalty and money be equally divided among my three sons above named, but the share of my son George C. Ballard in said slaves, personalty and money is hereby devised to my son James A. Ballard in the trust and confidence that he will hold the same and the above tract of land devised to him, in trust, for the use and benefit of the wife and children of my son George C. Ballard.  The said James A. Ballard is to allow my said son George C. Ballard a support out of the estate hereby devised to him in trust.  It is my will that if my son George C. Ballard should die before his wife that she shall have complete support out of the estate hereby devised to said James A. Ballard in trust.  At the death of my son George C. Ballard and his wife I direct that the estate hereby devised in trust of James A. Ballard be equally divided among the children of my son George C. Ballard.

I direct that none of my estate be sold, but divided as above directed.

I appoint my friend Thomas A. Christopher and my son James A. Ballard Executors of this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof I hereunto subscribed my name the 6th day of June 1844.

Edward Ballard {Seal}

Witnesses: W. H. Carpenter, Hugh Goddin

Codicil

I, Edward Ballard of the County of Madison and State of Kentucky do make this a codicil of my last will and testament, which will and testament bears date of the 6th of June int he year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-four, which is signed by myself and witnessed by William H. Carpenter and Hugh Goddin.

I do not wish by this codicil to change any of my former bequests of property in my will referred to above, but to dispose of property which is not disposed of in my former will, and also to change one of my Executors appointed in my will above referred to.

The bequests which I now make are as following:

First, I give to my son James Austin Ballard all the interest I hold in a tract of land purchased by him and myself in partnership of William Harris and deeded to us jointly by said Harris, known as the “Old Town” place, and which place was bought by said Harris from the estate of Richard Gentry, deceased.  All the interest which I am entitled to at my death in the tract off land above described my son Jas. Austin Ballard is to have after my death in addition to what I have given him in my former will above referred to.

Secondly, I give to my grandson Jas. Clifton Ballard, son of Jas. Austin Ballard, fifty-five acres of land which I hold of my own at this time, known as the Thomas tract of land, which tract of land is to be his property after my death, reserving, however, to myself and my family one fourth of an acre of land, including the grave yard, which is on the tract of land, and is to continue to belong to my family and is not to be used for any other purpose than as a bury ground for my family.  With this exception my grand son James Clifton Ballard is to have as his own property the balance of my Thomas land.  I also give to my grandson Jas. Clifton Ballard a negro boy named Squire.

Lastly, in the place of William H. Christopher appointed by me in my last will and testament above referred to to act as an Executor, I now change and I appoint my friend William Harris an Executor, who I wish to act with my son James Austin Ballard as Executors of my last will and testament above referred and to which this a codicil to the same.  Given under my hand and seal this seventh day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty-two.

Edward Ballard {Seal}

Witnesses: Chas. S. Watts, Richard G. Martin

Recorded 1 January 1855, Madison Co. Ky. Will Book L, pp. 302-04.

Edward Ballard and Elizabeth ____________ left issue:

George C.  According to his funerary monument in Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, he was born 8 December 1797, died 30 March 1878.  He married Levina Moberly, who was born 8 November 1798, died 13 February 1881 (Findagrave.com).  Their children were: 1. James, born c. 1822 (probably the James A. Ballard at Richmond Cemetery, born 17 August 1821, died 23 January 1897; married Mary Ann Mason (17 August 1827-11 April 1889); 2. Edward H., born c. 1824 (probably the E.H. Ballard at Richmond Cemetery, born 1825, died 1906); 3. Elizabeth O., born c. 1827; 4. John, born c. 1828; 5. Thomas, born c. 1834; 6. Catherine, born c. 1836; 7. Richard, born c. 1837; 8. Caroline, born c. 1840.  1850 US Federal Census, District 1, Madison, Kentucky, Roll M432_211, Page 224B, Image 453.

John P.  Likely the John P. Ballard, Sr interred at Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, who was born 17 January 1800 and died 25 March 1885 (Findagrave.com) [Verify].  He married Permele Ann Karr, who died 16 August 1849; her tombstone inscription identifies her as the wife of John P. Ballard, age 23 (and therefore born in 1836).  The tombstones are adjacent to one another (Findagrave.com) [Verify].  Note that two other John P. Ballards are buried in Richmond Cemetery; one born 1844, died 25 November 1872; the other born 1827, died 1897.

James Austin. According to his funerary monument in Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, he was born 22 August 1802, died 8 May 1897.  He married (1) 22 July 1824 Pauline Davis (1808-1835); and (2) 11 August 1853 Lucy G. Martin, the daughter of Reverend William Martin, Sr (1765-1841) and Winifred Gentry (1765-1853).  Issue (1): 1. George C. Ballard (1824-1897); 2. Edward Davis Ballard (1825-1907), resided Sangamon County, Illinois; 3. James Clifton Ballard (1825-1897); 4. Richard L. Ballard (1827-????); 5. Elizabeth H. Ballard (1831-1852), married Thomas Springer Bronston, II; 6. Margaret Ann Ballard (1831-1852), married Omera White (Findagrave.com) [Verify].  His obituary appeared in The Richmond Climax, Wednesday, 12 May 1897, p. 4:

An Old Citizen Dies

On account of his perfect health of mind and body, it was believed and hoped that Mr. Austin Ballard would survive many years, or at least round out a century, having been born August 22, 1802. But on Wednesday last he received a hard fall which produced his death on Saturday and this aged, respected, and widely known citizen was laid to rest yesterday in our Cemetery.  He had several children, among them the second wife of T. S. Bronston, deceased, of this city, Mrs. Omera White, of Texas , and Davis Ballard, of Illinois. A number of descendants of the third and fourth generation also survive, among them Jas. C. White, Mrs. H. E. Allen, A. B. Stone, John Bronston, Clinton and Mary Allen and John B. Stone. A considerable estate is left.