Stephen Bloomer Balch (1747 - 1833)

Born 5 Apr 1747 in Deer Creek, Baltimore (now Harford Co), Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 7 Sep 1833 at age 86 in Georgetown, Washington, DC, USA

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Biography

Stephen Balch is Notable.

Name

Stephen Bloomer Balch^[1]

1747 Birth and Parents

Balch was born on April 5, 1747 on his father James Balch's holding, Bond's Hope, on the north side of Deer Creek in what was then Baltimore Co., but is now in Harford County, Maryland. ^[2]

He was the son of James Balch and Ann Goodwin. ^[1]

1774 Education and Religion

He was educated at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where his classmates included Aaron Burr and William Bradford. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1774. ^[2]

Soon thereafter, he became principal of the Lower Marlborough Academy in Calvert County in southern Maryland. ^[2]

He was Presbyterian.^[1]

1776 Revolution

Balch also served in the American Revolutionary War. ^[3]

1779 Ordination

He was ordained in 1779 at the age of 32.^[1]

He was ordained as minister by the Presbyterian church. In 1780, he began preaching out of a small house near Bridge Street (now M Street), which was used during the week as a school. Around this time, Balch also became headmaster of the Columbian Academy in Georgetown, which is where George Washington sent his nephews. ^[4]

1780 Georgetown Presbyterian Church

In 1780, Balch established the Georgetown Presbyterian Church, which was the second church in Georgetown. He also served as headmaster of the Columbian Academy in Georgetown.^[1] Balch remained the pastor of Georgetown Presbyterian Church until his death in 1833. ^[4]

1781 Marriage to Elizabeth Beall

In 1781, Balch married Elizabeth Beall, who was the daughter of George Beall.^[2] Balch had a home built in 1773 on Duck Lane (now 33rd Street). Balch also owned an island in the Potomac River, as well as a 10-acre (40,000 m2) farm outside of Washington. He spent the later years of his life living at 3302 N Street. ^[4] His wife died in 1827. ^[1]

1828 Marriage to Elizabeth King

A year after his wife's death, at age 82 he married Elizabeth King, who survived the ceremony only eighteen days. ^[1]

1830 Marriage to Jane Parrott

In 1830 he married again to a widow, Mrs. Jane Parrott. ^[1]

1833 Death

He died in Washington, D. C., September 7, 1833, aged 86.^[1]

Balch remained the pastor of Georgetown Presbyterian Church until his death in 1833. ^[4]

Balch was originally interred in the narthex of Georgetown Presbyterian Church at 30th and M Streets NW beneath a small pyramidal marble stone. His remains were disinterred and reburied at Presbyterian Burying Ground (the church's cemetery) in the spring of 1873. They were disinterred again and reburied at nearby Oak Hill Cemetery on June 18, 1874. ^[5]

Children

The Balches had eleven children including: ^[4]

1. Harriet Balch (married 1st James Reid Wilson, and 2nd Gen. Alexander Macomb),
2. Alfred Balch (Princeton, 1805),
3. Lewis Penn Witherspoon Balch (Princeton, 1805),
4. George Ninian Beall Balch,
5. the Reverend Thomas Bloomer Balch(Princeton, 1813),
6. Anne Eleanora Balch (married Capt. James Campbell Wilson),
7. Elizabeth Maria Balch (married Rev. Septimus Tustin),
8. Jane Whann Balch (married Rev. William Williamson)
9. Hezekiah James (died young)
10. Franklin (died young).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Wikipedia. Stephen Bloomer Balch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bloomer_Balch. Accessed November 1, 2016
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Clark, Allen C. (1912). "Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch, A Pioneer Preacher of Georgetown". Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C. 15: 73–95. Retrieved 16 April 2015. Cited by Wikipedia. Stephen Bloomer Balch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bloomer_Balch. Accessed November 1, 2016
3. ↑ "A Brief History of the Presbyterian Congregation in George Town" (PDF). Georgetown Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2008-04-06. Cited by Wikipedia. Stephen Bloomer Balch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bloomer_Balch. Accessed November 1, 2016
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Ecker, Grace Dunlop (1933). A Portrait of Old Georgetown. Garrett & Massie, Inc. pp. 41–43. Cited by Wikipedia. Stephen Bloomer Balch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bloomer_Balch. Accessed November 1, 2016
5. ↑ "Dr. Balch's Career". Washington Evening Star. April 1, 1893. p. 11, cited by Wikipedia. Stephen Bloomer Balch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bloomer_Balch. Accessed November 1, 2016

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #14448211 accessed on 17 Aug 2018
• Wikipedia: Stephen Bloomer Balch
• Wikidata: Item Q7608729, en:Wikipedia

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Balch-131 created through the import of NEWEST BACKUP_2011-10-12.ged on Oct 13, 2011 by Season McMillan. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Season and others.