Person:William Ballard (1)

William Ballard
b.Cal 1617
  • HWilliam BallardCal 1617 - 1689
  • WGrace UnknownBef 1620 - 1694
m. Bef 1640
  1. Ensign Joseph BallardEst 1640 - 1722
  2. William BallardAbt 1648 -
  3. Sarah BallardEst 1648 - 1733
  4. Elizabeth BallardAbt 1650 - 1689
  5. John Ballard1653 - 1715
  6. Hannah Ballard1655 - Bef 1700
  7. Lydia Ballard1657 - Aft 1693
  8. Abigail BallardAbt 1659 - 1726
  9. Mary or Ann BallardAbt 1660 - 1703
Facts and Events
Name William Ballard
Gender Male
Birth[1] Cal 1617
Marriage Bef 1640 Based on estimated date of birth of eldest known child.
to Grace Unknown
Death[4] 10 Jul 1689 Andover, Essex, Massachusetts
Estate Inventory[5] 23 Oct 1689 £206 18s. 6d. Taken by Thomas Chandler, John Abbott.
Estate Settlement[5] 28 Sep 1691 Date of agreement among the heirs.
Probate[5] 29 Sep 1691 Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, United StatesAdministration to eldest son Joseph Ballard.

Confusion over two William Ballards

There has been a fair amount of confusion over this man and the slightly older man who settled in Lynn, some sources combining the two (like Savage's New England Dictionary) and some listing this man as the son of the other, even though that would make the Lynn man a father at 14. The Ancestral File nicely splits the difference by doing both.

The Ancestral File, and other assorted sources not citing their logic, list this William's parents as William and Mary Ballard (despite a marriage date of 1639), Henry Ballard and Elizabeth Townsend (also listed as parents of William of Lynn), or Samuel Ballard.

However, research up to the present time has discovered no credible evidence as to the origin or parentage of either this man or of William Ballard of Lynn.


Emigration and Life in New England

"William1 Ballard was born in England, as his name and associations here show, and about the year 1617, as by his deposition at a later time. He is generally believed to have come in the ship 'Mary and John,' sailing from old England on March 26, 1634. He would have been only eighteen at the time which is rather young to set off for a new world, but there are many other instances of very young men coming to America. Moreover, William1 Ballard of Andover was associated in both Newbury and Andover with some of the others who came on that vessel.

In 1645 he owned land in Newbury, Massachusetts, and in 1643 his name appears in the records of Dedham, in the same Colony, as giving bond to pay fines imposed upon two men convicted of 'mutinous and turbulent speeches.' There is no record of him in Dedham other than this, but he may have resided there for a short period. He undoubtedly spent the greater part of his life in Andover, Massachusetts, where his name appears first on the earliest entry in the town records, giving a list of 'the names of all free house houlders in order as they came to towne.' His is the sixteenth name and as it is known that some of the others named immediately before and after him moved from Newbury to Andover in 1644, he may be presumed to have taken up his residence there about that time.

An early deposition of his gives both his age and bears evidence to his hospitable spirit. The document is dated 1662, and relates to a neighbor's lawsuit. It reads: 'The deposition of William Balard aged a bought 45. This deponent saith that a bought sixe weekes senc the houes of Job Tiler being burned he gave the sd. Tilers wife leave to com with her family for a time and live at his houes hir husband atthat time not being at home which accordingly shee did and there remaynes to this time.' The spelling is the notary's

The house referred to was probably the residence mentioned in the following abstract of a deed which he made the following year. 'William Ballard of Andover husbandman, exchanged lands with William Chandler and deeded to him his house and barn and 4 acres of land and one hortyard (orchard), bounded by lands of Nathan Parker, John Lovejoy, Andrew Allen, of Chandler and by the highway; his wife Grace joining in the deed; date, May 20 and 25, 1663.'

William Ballard was engaged in the war against the Narragansetts, better known as King Philip's War, in 1675-1676. He served in the garrison at Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where he was on duty on January 25, 1675/6, and drew pay of 02.08.00. He was then fifty-nine years old but his son William2 was very young judging from the fact that he did not marry until 1682, in an age when marriages were very early. Chelmsford is very near to Andover while at a considerable distance from Lynn, where there was also a William2 Ballard living. The age of William1 explains the comparatively inactive service."[1] See also Bodge's Soldiers in King Philip's War.[2]

Commonly said to have been from Lothingland Hundred, Bradwell, Suffolk, England. However, Robert Charles Anderson, writing in 1997, stated, "We conclude … that the entry from the ship-money list was intended for William1 Bullard rather than Ballard, and was probably misread when extracted for publication. …"[3]

Mr. Anderson did not include a sketch of this William Ballard in The Great Migration series, indicating that there is no record evidence that William Ballard of Andover arrived in New England prior to 1636.


Settlement of the Estate of William Ballard

"At a court held at Ipswich September ye 29: 1691: Letters of Administration are granted unto Joseph Ballard of Andover on all ye estate of his Father William Ballard deceased & ye said Joseph Ballard as principle & William Ballard & Joseph (John) Ballard as sureties with him owned themselves joyntly & severally Bound to ye treasurer of Essex and parties concerned In the sum of four hundred pounds money the condition is that the said Joseph shall act according to law in his administration & Attend ye Courts order for a settlement of ye estate

as attests Thos Wade cleri.

An inventory of ye Estate of William Balard of Andover deceased taken by us whose names are under written the 23 of october 1689.

We apprized that part of land Joseph Balard hath at [£]50 0[s.] 0[d.]. Wee apprized that part of Land William Ballard hath at 50 0 0. We apprized that part of Land John Balard hath at 50 0 0. Beding 13 10 0, Table linnen 01 06 0, Linen yarne 00 17 0, Necessary house Implements 02 18 6, A Chest a box a small cubord 01 03 0, Barrels & other lumber 01 03 0, Sises 0-45-0 the mans wearing clothes 4 li 4 04 0, neat cattle 14 li-0-0, Sheep 1 li-16s-0d 15 16 0, a mare & colt & swine 06 08 0, Indian Corne & Rye 06 10 0, Iron Worke and a sadle 02 13 0; sum total 206 18 6.

Thomas Chandler, John Abbott

This Inventory was presented upon oath by ye Administrator Joseph Ballard to ye court held at Ipswich Sept. ye 29, 1691 for a true Inventory of ye estate of his father William Ballard of Andover deceased to ye best of his knowledge of all that at present appeares as allso If .more appeares to add ye same & to give accomt thereof to ye court In convenient time.

as attests Thos. Wade Cleri.

Articles of agreement made and concluded on between Joseph Ballard William and John Ballard relating to the estate of theire father deceased he dying without a will & also how their mother shall be provided for during the terme of her life & what their sisters shall have, with which they are satisfied as shall afterwards appeare by their subscriptions.

1. We have agreed that our honoured mother Grace Balard widdow shall have her liberty of dwelling in that house which was our fathers in which roome she pleaseth so long as she continueth a widdow, & to have her bed & beding & all other necessary house Implements she hath need of to be her owne proper estate for her use dureing her life & to be [provided] with cloths and what els she hath at her dispose as she seeth cause at her death amongst her children And also that the three sons Joseph William and John at an equall charge between them provide & maintaine her two good cowes winter and summer dureing her life & also lay her in every year sixscore weight of good porke and 6 bushells of Indian corne and four bushells of rye & three bushells of wheat for her provison & so much cord wood as she needeth & each of ye sons fore named to give twenty shillings in or as money & to give her nine pounds of good sheeps wool and twelve pound of flax from the swingle _____

2. The three brothers Joseph Balard William Balard & John Balard have agreed & devided their fathers land between them as equally as they could and also to be at a equall charge in maintaineing their mother as aforesaid & to be at a equall charge in paying their sisters as they have agreed with them. ____

Joseph Balards proportion is about twenty acres of upland where his house now standeth & fifty acres of ye great division and fourteen acres lying by Shawsheen River & two acres lying near James ffryes & six Acres & a half of last division of meadow five acres of it lying at a meadow Called bever dam & one Acre and a half lying at a meadow called Redding meadow & one half of a meadow called the pound meadow. _____

3. William Balards proportion is twenty seven Acres where his house now standeth & fourty Acres of great division & a tract of land lying in Shawsheen feild & two acres of land near James ffryes & four acres & a half of meadow lying upon Shawsheen River & half the meadow & swamp joyning to Joseph Ballards land that lyeth by Shawsheen River. _____

4. John Balards proportion is the housing land & meadow his father lived upon except the land & meadow his father gave Willam Blunt upon the marriage with his daughter which lyeth on the south of the land fore named and is bounded out & also the said John hase a peice of land called the Iland & half the pound meadow to which the sd John is to have a way through William Blunts land & he is to have half the meadow & (_____) with his brother William _____

5. Joseph Balard William Balard & John Balard have agreed with Henry Holt Sam: Butterfeild Joseph Butterfeild John Spalden & Abigail Balard to pay them ten pounds apeice besides what they have formerly had which is to be paid in some merchantable pay at or before the twentyninth day of September next & in token that this is our mutual agreement to all our satisfaction & consent we have hereunto set our hands this 23 day of October in ye year of our lord one thousand six hundred eighty nine.

The widdow Balard desires John Abbott may be her overseer to take care that her sons pay her yearly what they have Ingaged In this wrighting for her maintainnance.

Witness Thomas Chandler John Abbott

The marke of William Blunt [m. Elizabeth], Grace Balard widdow, henry holt [m. Sarah], Josep Balard, Samll Butterfeld [m. Mary], William Balard, Joseph Butterfeld [m. Lydia], John Spalden [m. Hannah], John Balard, Abigaile Balard.

All the relations above named appeared & owned this to be their free voluntary act & deed on September 28─91 came to Haverhill to declare their desire of ye Courts confirmation hereof which they all did _____

before me Nath Saltonstall Assistant

At a Court at Ipswich September 29th 1691 this agreement being produced by ye three brethren Joseph Ballard William Ballard & John Ballard & desiringe ye Courts approbation & confirmation thereof _____

The Court upon consideration have ordered that it be Entred that it is approved allowed & confirmed according to ye intent & meaning thereof as written.

As attests Thomas Wade Cleri [Essex probate Records, 304, 387-390.]"[5]
Founders of Andover, Massachusetts
The first permanent settlement in Andover was established in 1641 by John Woodbridge and a group of settlers from Newbury and Ipswich. Ten men signed the 1644 covenant establishing the church (the 24th organized in Massachusetts), and eighteen men had settled there by 1646 when grants of land were confirmed by the General Court. See The Essex Genealogist Vol. 21:195 (2001).
Signers of the 1644 Covenant: John Woodbridge - Richard Barker - Robert Barker - Richard Blake - Edmond Faulkner - John Frye - Nicholas Holt - John Osgood - Joseph Parker - Nathan Parker
Additional Settlers by 1646: George Abbott - Andrew Allen - John Askett - William Ballard - Thomas Chandler - Andrew Foster - Henry Jacques - John Lovejoy - Daniel Poor(e) - John Russ - Benjamin Woodbridge
Current Location: Essex County, Massachusetts   Parent Towns: Newbury, Ipswich   Daughter Towns:
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 De Forest, Louis Effingham. Ballard and allied families. (New York, N.Y.: Priv. published, 1924)
    8-9.
  2. "Soldiers in King Philip's War", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
    43:61.
  3. Anderson, Robert Charles. William Ballard Is Really William Bullard. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Apr 1997)
    72:135-36.
  4. Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912)
    2:384.

    "Ballard, … Willia[m], sr., [died] July 10, 1689."

  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 William Ballard of Andover, in Farlow, Charles Frederic. Ballard genealogy : William Ballard (1603-1639) of Lynn, Massachusetts and William Ballard (1617-1689) of Andover, Massachusetts and their descendants. (Boston, Mass.: Published by Charles H. Pope, 1911)
    65-67.