Ballard P. Ward1

b. 14 January 1836, d. 4 September 1912
FatherAlexander Ward2 b. 19 Apr 1805, d. 23 Jun 1858
MotherMary Brandon Buchanan2 b. abt 1810, d. 6 Mar 1892
Birth14 Jan 1836 Ballard P. Ward was born on 14 Jan 1836 in Tazewell County, Virginia.3,4,2 
Marriage28 Sep 1858 He married Sarah Frances Thompson, daughter of Stephen Thompson, on 28 Sep 1858 in Tazewell County, Virginia.2 
  Ballard and "Sallie" appear to have moved several times in their married lives if the places of birth recorded for their children on various census records is accurate. Their eldest 2 children were apparently born in Virginia in 1860 and 1866. 
Cens-18701870 They were then enumerated living in Denton County, Texas, in 1870 (Ballard B. Ward, 34, Sallie F., 30, Stephen G., 10 and MiNerva [sic], 4).5 
  I have not located the family in 1880. However later census records list the birthplace of Sidney (1881) as Arkansas and Leroy (1883) as Missouri. 
Cens-19005 Jun 1900 By 1900 Ballard and Sarah lived in Hansford County, Texas where Ballard was employed as a grocery merchant. He owned his own home. Sallie was recorded as having given birth to 6 children, 5 of whom were living. Sons "Gus", Leroy and Sidney also lived in Hansford County; son Thomas was in Moore County (diagonal to Hansford). They were all either raising stock themselves or working for a stock raiser.6,7,8,9 
Cens-191020 Apr 1910 By 1910 Ballard and Sarah had been married 51 years. They were enumerated that year as members of their son Thomas's household in Hansford (Hansford County). Sarah was stated to be the mother of 5 children, 4 of whom were living [son Sidney may have died in 1908]. Thomas's household also included his wife Rachel and their 2 children.10 
Death4 Sep 1912 He died on 4 Sep 1912 in Texas.3 
Burial He was buried at Hansford Cemetery in Spearman, Hansford County, Texas.3 

Research Comment:

There is some question as to the names and dates of death of Ballard and Sarah's daughters. The book Virginia Connections (1987) names 5 children (Gustavus, Thomas, Virginia, Sidney and LeRoy) but acknowleges that in 1900 Sarah was reported as the mother of 6 children. Virginia Connections includes an 1880 date of death for Virginia, citing a letter from her father. If that is correct then she must be the child who was no longer living in 1900 (mother of 6 with 5 living). However, in 1910 Sarah is listed as the mother of 5 children with only 4 living. The additional child who died would have been Sidney who, per Virginia Connections (and again citing his father), died in 1908. But why is Sarah listed as the mother of 6 in 1900 and only 5 in 1910? And what happened to the child Minerva who was listed with the family in 1870? Was she the 6th child?

Related Links and Images:

When Ballard and Sarah first migrated to Texas they lived in Denton County which can be located Texas map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).
Later they lived in Hansford County which is identified on the same map.

Family

Sarah Frances Thompson b. 5 Nov 1840, d. 28 Aug 1911
Children
ChartsDescendants of John Buchanan and Ann Ryburn
Descendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited10 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S1742] Judy B. Anderson, Virginia Connections - A Genealogical History of the Thompson-Ward Family, p. 393 citing letters left by Ballard Ward; author indicates that Ballard's full name was W. Ballard P. Ward but that he never used the "W."
  2. [S1144] Pauline Haga, Tazewell Co., Virginia Marriage Book 3, p. 19. Record states that W.B.P. Ward, 23, b. Tazewell Co., son of Alexander and Mary B. Ward, resident Smyth Co. married Sally Thompson, 19, b. Tazewell Co., dau of Stephen and L.M. Thompson on 28 Sept. 1858.
  3. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Dec. 2013). Ballard P. Ward memorial # 88346436, Hansford Cemetery, Spearman, Hansford Co., Texas (entry includes photo of shared monument: WARD: B.P. Ward Jan. 14, 1836-Sept. 4, 1912; Sallie F., his wife, Nov. 5, 1840-Aug. 28, 1911).
  4. [S1742] Judy B. Anderson, Virginia Connections - A Genealogical History of the Thompson-Ward Family, p. 393 citing letters left by Ballard Ward.
  5. [S1615] Ballard P. Ward household, 1870 U.S. census, Denton Co., Texas, pop. sched., precinct #2, p. 153 (stamped), dwelling 137, family 137, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2006, image 23 of 56. Enumeration includes: Ballard P. Ward, 34, farm laborer, owns pers. prop of $400; Sallie F., 30; Stephen G., 10; MiNerva [?] A., 4; all b. VA.
  6. [S1565] Ballard P. Ward household, 1900 U.S. cens., Hansford Co., Texas, pop. sched., Precinct 1, ED 81, sheet 2A (p. 177 stamped), dwelling 18, family 18, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 1 of 2. Enumeration includes Ballard P. Ward, 64, b. Jan. 1836, marr 41 yrs, grocery merchant, owns home; Sallie F., wife, 59, b. Nov. 1840, marr 41 yrs, mother 6 children, 5 living; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  7. [S1565] Joseph Jones household, 1900 U.S. cens., Hansford Co., Texas, pop. sched., Precinct 3, ED 81, sheet 1B, dwelling 10, family 10, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 2 of 2. Enumeration includes: Joseph Jones, head, 39, b. Wales, stock raiser; Leroy Ward, 17, b. March 1883, b. MO, parents b. VA, stock herder; Sidney B. Ward, 18, b. Sept. 1881, b. Arkansas, parents b. VA, farm laborer.
  8. [S1575] Thomas E. Ward household, 1900 U.S. cens., Moore Co., Texas, pop. sched., ED 60, sheet 1B, dwelling 18, family 18, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 2 of 5. Enumeration includes: Thomas E. Ward, 26, b. March 1874, marr 2 yrs, b. TX, parents b. VA, stock farmer; Rachell Jane, wife, 18, b. Feb. 1872, mother of 2 children, both living, b. New Mexico, father b. New Mexico, mother b. "Old" Mexico; Y. Prest__, son, 1, b. Aug. 1898; Opal, son, 10/12, b. Jul 1899; both children: b. TX, father b. TX, mother b. NM.
  9. [S16] Hansford County is in the northern part of Texas, just below the Oklahoma panhandle. It was sparsely populated at the turn of the century; most of its residents raised livestock.
  10. [S1567] Thomas E. Ward household, 1910 U.S. cens., Hansford Co., Texas, pop. sched., Hansford, ED 128, sheet 2A (p. 306 stamped), dwelling 23, family 23, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 3 of 6. Enumeration includes Thomas E. Ward, 37, marr 13 yrs, b. TX, parents b. VA, farmer, rents farm; Rachel J., wife, 32, marr 13 yrs, mother 2 children, both living, b. N.M., father b. TX, mother b. MO; __nas P., son, 11, b. TX, father b. TX, mother b. NM; Opal A., dau, dau, 10, b. Kansas, father b. TX, mother b. NM; Ballard P., father, 74, marr #1, marr 51 yrs, b. VA, parents b. VA, no occup; Sallie F., mother, 69, marr #1, marr 51 yrs, mother of 5 children, 4 living, b. VA, father b. TN, mother b. VA.
  11. [S1742] Judy B. Anderson, Virginia Connections - A Genealogical History of the Thompson-Ward Family, p. 393 citing census records and letters left by Ballard Ward.