James Bell Ballard, the son of John Ballard of Albemarle County, Virginia (c. 1765-1829) was born 4 November 1778, and died 14 November 1858, from pneumonia (Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1965; Findagrave.com).  He married 31 May 1802 Frances Dabney Jarman in Albemarle County, Virginia [verify].  She was born 5 December 1781 in Albemarle County, Virginia, and died 8 February 1857 in Madison County, Kentucky (Findagrave.com) [verify].

By 1830 James B. Ballard had removed to Madison County, Kentucky.  The 1830 census records a household comprised of one male, under 5 years of age, 2 males between the ages of 5 and 9, one male between the ages of 10 and 14, two males between the ages of 20 and 29, one male between the ages of 50 and 59, two females under the age of 5, one female between the ages of 40 and 49.  He owned 19 slaves. U.S. Federal Census, Eastern Division, Madison, Kentucky, Series M19, Roll 39, Page 102.

He left a will dated 18 February 1853 that was first presented for recording 6 December 1858, but the will was contested by his son John D. Ballard, which was subject to an appeal.  This court action delayed recording until 17 May 1864, in Madison County, Kentucky Will Book P, p. 426.

I James B. Ballard of Madison County Ky being old but of sound mind & disposing memory do make this my last will and testament in manner & form following, to wit, in the first place my will and desire is that all of my just debts & funeral expenses be paid.

In the second place I give to my beloved wife one third of my estate both real and personal that I may own at the time of my death.

3d. It is my will & desire that all of my estate both real & personal be sold after my death by my Executors to the highest bidder – the proceeds to be disposed of as hereinafter provided.

I have made the following advancements to my several children which they must all account for on a settlement of my estate after my death.

To my son Will J. Ballard I have given property & money to the amount of $620.25

To John G. Ballard I have given $200.00

To Tho. H. Ballard deceased I have given $500.00

To J. D. Ballard I have given $1,348.00

To Edward P. Ballard dec’d I have given 535.00

To P. P. Ballard I have given previous to this time $445 and in addition I have sold him four negroes, to wit, Polly, George, Green & Nancy for the sum of $1,000.00 making in all $1,445.00.

To Tiberius B. Ballard I have given previous to this time $650, in a note I hold on him for that amount without interest which he is entitled at my death and in addition I have sold him three negroes, to wit, Squire, John & Anna for the sum of $1,000.00 making in all $1,650.00.

To Elizabeth K. Harris I have given previous to this time $300.00 and in addition I have sold her two negroes, to wit, Bob & Lucy for the sum of $1,000.00 making in all $1,300.00.

It is my will and desire that all of the property my son John G. Ballard may hereafter receive from my estate revert back to my other children in the event he should die & leave no lawful children. It is understood that all of the foregoing advancement is not to bear interest. My will & desire is all of my children be made equal on a settlement of my estate there haveing received most to pay back to those that has received less, and lastly I appoint friend John W. Parks my Executor of this my last will and testament revoking all others in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affix my seal this 18 day of Feb 1853.

 — J. B. Ballard

Test: Z.W. Browning, Wm. Campbell
State of Kentucky, Madison County,

At a County Court held for said County on the 6th day of December 1858 the foregoing instrument of writing was produced in open court and offered for probate by T.B. Ballard, P. P. Ballard & J. K. Harris & Elizabeth his wife and the same was resisted by James D. Ballard and at a subsequent term of said Court viz on the 4th day of January 1859 said instrument of writing was again offered for probate and the evidence being heard and considered by the Court the same was ordered to be recorded as the true last will and testament of James B. Ballard dec’d, from which order, on mortion of James D. Ballard, an appeal was granted him to the Madison Circuit Court,. At a subsequent term of the County Court of said County, viz on the 17th day of May 1864, the judgment of the Madison Circuit Court upon the appeal was produced and said instrument of writing was again ordered to be recorded as the true last will and testament of said James B. Ballard, dec’d which has been don accordingly.

At: James H. Embry, C.M.C.C.

James Bell Ballard and Frances Jarman had issue (all info below from Findagrave.com) [verify].  An entry in Findagrave.com listed two additional children, David Nimrod Ballard, born c. 1806 and married Emily Cornellison, and Mary Frances Ballard, born c. 1807.  William Harris Miller in his History and Genealogies  also lists them (but not the spouse of David), and notes that Mary Frances Ballard died young.  We’ll use the birth order from that publication, given that it appears the family was personally known to the compiler.

WILLIAM JARMAN, born 30 May 1803, married Elizabeth Tapp.

John Gerrard, about whom we have not found any records [as of December 2016].

Thomas Houston, who predeceased the writing of his father’s will, 18 February 1853.

James Dabney, born 9 January 1809, died 3 November 1873 (funerary monument, Findagrave.com).  He married Susan Ann Francis, who was born 16 June 1816, died 18 July 18?? (her grave marker is damaged and missing the date; she died between 1860 and 1870).  Both are interred at Richmond Cemetery, Madison County, Kentucky.  Federal Census records indicate James Dabney was born in Virginia; his wife and all children in Kentucky.  The resided near Mount Vernon in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, and had issue: 1. Thomas J. born 1839; 2. William P., born 1841; 3. Daniel, born 1843; 4. Susan, born 1845; 5. Salinda, born 1847; 6. Sarah, born 1849; 7. John, born 1854.

Edward Powers, born 29 July 1812, died 21 July 1848; interred at Ballard/Jarman Cemetery, Bobtown, Madison County, Kentucky.  On 3 July 1834 (bond) married Jane Jane Parks (online database).  He appears to have died without issue.

David Nimrod, married 24 June 1839 (bond) Emily Jane Cornelison.  Died intestate before 2 November 1840, when Richard Cornelison and Robert Miller petitioned to administer his estate. Madison Co. Ky. Administration Bonds, , 1830-1869, Vol. 19-20.

Pleasant Palestine, born c. 1818, married Mary Ann Francis.  Miller’s History and Genealogies notes: “Pleasant Palestine Ballard; married Mary Francis, a daughter of Thomas Francis, April 16, 1840, now living in Richmond, Ky., at the age of nearly four and a half score years.  In an early day, long before the civil war, held the office of Justice of the Peace, sheriff of the county, States assessor and census-taker during the Civil War.  For a number of years was in the United States Internal Revenue Service.  Has been a wonderfully popular man in the county, and especially strong in his party, being attached to the Republican party, but now old and feeble.  His wife long since dead.  (Mr. Ballard recently died, nearly 90 years old.)”  An article in a column called “Madison’s Heritage” by  Robert N. Grise published 30 August 1972 gives this biography:

A man important in Madison County affairs for most of the 19th Century was Palestine P. Ballard, a leader in politics, military affairs and business. Ballard was born in 1818 or 1820—depending on whether you read his tombstone or the information concerning him in early biographical works. He was the seventh child of James B. and Frances Ballard, a pioneer family who came to Kentucky from Virginia in 1803. He was a near relative of Bland Ballard, the famous Madison County settler and Indian fighter.

The James B. Ballard family owned and farmed the land that included the 1770 Boone campsite on the headwaters of Station Camp Creek, later called Joes Lick Branch, where the famous Squire Boone rock was located.

Palestine P. was the successful holder of a number of public offices. At the early age of 20 he was appointed a constable of the county. In 1843 he was appointed by the county court to be a justice, and in 1849 was elected the representative of Madison County in the General Assembly. After farming for about five years, he was elected sheriff of Madison County in 1854, and re-elected to that post in 1856.

A staunch Union man, Ballard was appointed to the post of provost marshall of the City of Richmond, earning the rank of captain. He served from 1861 to the end of the Civil War, despite the setback the Union forces suffered in the battle of Richmond early in the war.

In the 1870’s and 80’s Ballard was assistant assessor for the IRS 8th district and later assistant collector of revenue. For a number of years he was school commissioner of Madison County.

Six years before his death in 1907, Palestine P. Ballard appeared a striking figure in his black suit and carrying gold-headed ebony cane as he made the formal speech at the courthouse presenting the Squire Boone rock to the county.

After having stood at Station Camp on the Ballard farm for 131 years, the famous obelisk-shaped stone had been moved to the courthouse lawn by J. Len Ballard who had bought out the other heirs of James B. Ballard.

Tiberius Bell, born 1820, died 18 July 1890, according to his funerary monument at Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Kentucky.  He married (1) 18 June 1840 (bond) Martha Jane Heatherley, and secondly 24 February 1858 (bond) Leana Walker.  Issue (1): 1. James Louis, born 1841; 2. William Palestine, born 1843; 3. Thomas H., born 1845; 4. Ann Ellen, born 1847; 5. Christy, born 1849.  Issue (2): 6. Sally, born 1859.  His obituary appeared in The Richmond Climax (p. 3, Col. 7):

Tiberius Bell Ballard died at his home near White’s Station, in Madison county, Ky., on Friday, July 18, after a lingering illness, aged 70 years. The remains were deposited in the Richmond Cemetery on Saturday with Masonic honors. He is the last of twelve children of James B. Ballard, deceased, except P.P. Ballard of this place and Mrs. J.K. Harris, of the county.

The deceased was a remarkable man. He never took a drink of intoxicating liquor in his life until a mild stimulant was advised by a physician after receiving a serious kick from a horse two years ago. He never smoked, chewed, uttered a profane word or played any game of chance for money. He always stoutly refused to run for office, though frequently urged to do so.

The deceased sold goods at the forks of the road where Berea now stands and was the sole resident of the immediate vicinity where now is found a town of several hundred people and a famous college. He was familiarly known as “Bery” Ballard, and to this day, many persons think that Berea rived its named from him. At his death he was part owner of the land upon which stands the famous Boone’s rock, a description which may be obtained from any history of Kentucky.

Elizabeth Catherine, married (1) William Harris, and (2) 29 December 1853 John K. Harris, brother to her first husband.  Miller’s Histories and Genealogies notes (in 1907): “She is yet living in Madison County, Ky., staying most of the time with her daughter Mrs. J. W. Stivers in Kingston.”  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.