John Ballard (1768 - 1839)

Born 15 Apr 1768 in Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Jemima (Dana) Ballard — married 6 Nov 1797 in Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Died 10 Nov 1839 at age 71 in Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Patricia Abbott [send private message]

Biography

JOHN BALLARD,^[1] b. at Oxford, 15 Apr 1768 son of John Ballard and Mary Marsh;^[2] d. at Grafton, 10 Nov 1839 (recorded in Oxford records);^[3][4] m. at Oxford, 6 Nov 1797,^[5] JEMIMA DANA, b. 19 May 1778^[6] daughter of John and Hannah (Humphrey) Dana;^[7] Jemima d. at Whitinsville (recorded at Oxford), 12 Feb 1830.^[8]

John and Jemima resided in Oxford, Massachusetts. In 1800, the household of John Ballard, Jr. was three persons at Oxford: one male 26 to 44, one female 26 to 44, and one male under 10.^[9] Seven persons comprised the household at Oxford in 1820: one male 45 and over, one female 26 to 44, one male under 10, two females under 10, one female 10 to 15, and one female 16 to 25.^[10]

On 9 February 1811, John Ballard of Oxford entered into an agreement with Sarah Ballard, widow of Oxford (his stepmother). This agreement involved John agreeing to care for and support his mother for the remainder of her life. The arrangement was that John received a payment of $900 and at the completion of his obligations to his stepmother he would receive deed to the farm which derived from the estate of his father John Ballard.^[11]

Late in life, John and Jemima sold the homestead in Oxford and removed to Whitinsville.^[12] On 23 October 1826, John Ballard with his wife Jemima, in consideration of ten hundred twenty-five dollars, conveyed to Jonas E. Stockwell of Sutton the farm in Oxford consisting of two lots with buildings, one lot of fifty acres and one lot of eighteen acres.^[13] Jemima died at Whitinsville in 1830 and John was of Grafton at the time of his death in 1839.^[14]

John Ballard of Grafton did not leave of will and on 27 January 1840 John Starkweather physician of Upton petitioned for administration of the estate. The petition noted that John died the prior November and the probate had not been initiated by the heirs. Samuel Allen of Grafton was named administrator.^[15]

Children

John Ballard and Jemima Dana were parents of six children born at Oxford.

i OTIS BALLARD, b. 9 Jun 1799; d. Jul 1813.

ii FANNY BALLARD, b. 27 Dec 1802; d. of consumption, at Worcester, 18 May 1870. Fanny did not marry.

iii MARY M. BALLARD, b. 11 Oct 1806; d. at Natick, MA, 28 Mar 1897; m. at Sturbridge, 20 Oct 1835, OLIVER G. DAVENPORT, b. at Petersham, MA, 28 Apr 1812 son of Jeremiah and Polly (Brooks) Davenport; Oliver d. at Natick, 20 Mar 1897.

iv LUCY DANA BALLARD, b. 25 Mar 1812; d. 15 Sep 1828.

v SARAH BALLARD, b. 4 Jun 1814; d. at Uxbridge, MA, 10 Feb 1895; m. at Uxbridge, 21 Apr 1844, CHARLES ELLIS, b. at Walpole, MA, 1804 son of Aaron and Mary (Bacon) Ellis; Charles d. at Uxbridge, 2 Nov 1866.

vi SYLVESTER L. BALLARD, b. 28 Feb 1817; d. at Oxford, 29 Jun 1888; m. at Worcester, 14 Jul 1855, MARY ANN BACON, b. at Burrillville, RI, 1820 daughter of Luther Aldrich and Polly (Knight) Bacon; Mary d. at Oxford, 28 Dec 1890.

Sources

1. ↑ Family summary taken from Abbott, The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover, p 542
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC4X-WRP : 14 January 2020), John Ballard, 1768.
3. ↑ Ballard, John, Nov 10, 1839, a. 71 y. 7 m. G.S.
4. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2X-GDM9 : 15 December 2020), John Ballard, ; Burial, Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, South Cemetery; citing record ID 67466637, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHY1-Y4Z : 20 May 2022), John Ballard, Jun., 6 Nov 1797; citing Marriage, Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009522.
6. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHJV-224 : 20 May 2022), Jemima Dana, 19 May 1778; citing Birth, Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009522.
7. ↑ Dana, The Dana Family in America, p 189
8. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGY-5B3C : 5 August 2020), Jemima Dana Ballard, ; Burial, Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, South Cemetery; citing record ID 133065389, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
9. ↑ Year: 1800; Census Place: Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts; Series: M32; Roll: 16; Page: 164; Image: 177; Family History Library Film: 205617
10. ↑ 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts; Page: 11; NARA Roll: M33_54; Image: 32
11. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Worcester County, 180:387
12. ↑ Farlow, Ballard Genealogy, p 122
13. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Worcester County, 252:350
14. ↑ Dana, The Dana Family in America, p 190
15. ↑ Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Case 3180

• Abbott, Patricia A. 2023. The Descendants of William and Grace Ballard of Andover Through Six Generations. Emerald Isle, NC: Patricia A. Abbott.

• Dana, Elizabeth Ellery. 1956. The Dana Family in America. Cambridge, MA: Wright and Potter Printing Company.

• Farlow, Charles Frederic. 1917. Ballard Genealogy: William Ballard (1603-1639) of Lynn and William Ballard (1617-1689) of Andover. Boston, MA: Charles H. Pope.