Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Ancestors of Mark Willis Ballard

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Ancestors of Mark Willis Ballard

Generation No. 4

      8. Elbert Surveyor Ballard, born August 1855 in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois ²; died April 1916 in Magnum, Oklahoma. He was the son of 16. Harrison Jackson Ballard and 17. Mary Jane Ward. He married 9. Mary Susannah Lee February 02, 1878.

      9. Mary Susannah Lee, born October 31, 1860 in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois; died February 1928 in Boulder, Co.,. She was the daughter of 18. John Miller Lee and 19. Mary Angeline Edwards.

Notes for Elbert Surveyor Ballard:
Lived in Greene County worked on a family farm. Moved to the county seat of Carrollton before the move to Donnellson. Moved to Donnellson, IL in Montgomery County a year or two prior to the birth of Russell in 1893. Although from a rural background, "he was not a farmer by interest, inclination or aptitude and failed...before the Depression of 1893 and moved into the village of Donnellson, a village of some 400 population where he began work as a clerk in a store; and he was earning at the time of (Russell's) birth $25 a month." After a year or two in Donnellson, he purchased a home in Donnellson, "a rather respectable story-and-a-half cottage and paid for it with a monthly payment of $4, until the $400 property was paid off. During this time he earned probably $4 or $5 a month extra as a clerk for the Modern Woodman, a fraternal lodge organization in which he was insured." From "History of the Ballard Family" 1966 by Russell Ward Ballard

Took a job with the Mutual Protective League Life Insurance as an agent which had its main office in Litchfield, Illinois about 20 miles from Donnellson about 10 mile beyond the county seat of Hillsboro. The family moved there about 1902. The Mary with her children Russell and Howard moved to Enid, Oklahoma in 1905 about six months after Elbert was appointed State Agent for the new territory. By this time Harry was married and practicing law in Litchfield.

His son Russell remembers his telling of riding with James Ward, his half brother, in a spring wagon in the winter. They took off their socks and put them on their hands for gloves.

More About Elbert Surveyor Ballard:
Burial: Aft. April 1916, Guthrie, Oklahoma

More About Mary Susannah Lee:
Burial: Aft. February 1928, Guthrie, Oklahoma

Marriage Notes for Elbert Ballard and Mary Lee:
Mary Lee's father gave them a team of horses and $500 with which they began farming.

Children of Elbert Ballard and Mary Lee are:

Howard Orville Ballard, born in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois.

Notes for Howard Orville Ballard:
Left school in the eighth grade wanting to be a farmer. Worked most of his life as a farm laborer. Married at about 30 years of age and had one daughter, Mary Elizabeth. His wife died when the child was about one. Mary Elizabeth was adopted and reared by her grandmother, Mary Susannah Lee. At her death in 1928, Mary Elizabeth, then a young teenager, was adopted and by Belle Ballard and her husband, Roy Worthington.

	ii.	Harry Lee Ballard, born January 1882 in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois.
	iii.	Loey Belle Ballard, born August 1884 in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois; married Roy Worthington September 25, 1906 in Enid, Oklahoma.
4	iv.	Russell Ward Ballard, born November 25, 1893 in Donnellson, Montgomery County, Illinois; died June 1980 in LaGrange, Illinois; married Ethel Marion Horn September 01, 1921.

10. John Henry Horn, born February 16, 1860 in Texas ³; died April 01, 1910 in Texas. He was the son of 20. Frederick Nash Horn and 21. Sarah Catherine Nicholson. He married 11. Ada Liddon Sullivan July 26, 1882 in San Augustine Co., Tx.

11. Ada Liddon Sullivan⁴, born May 15, 1865 in Mariana Co., Florida⁴; died July 04, 1954 in Chicago, IL. She was the daughter of 22. Cyrus Christopher Columbus Sullivan and 23. Susan Marion Lockey.

More About John Henry Horn:
Burial: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tx

Notes for Ada Liddon Sullivan:
Lived in Byron, Georgia for about two years before WWI about 1914-15.

More About Ada Liddon Sullivan:
Burial: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tx

Children of John Horn and Ada Sullivan are:

	5	i.		Ethel Marion Horn, born October 12, 1893 in Shelby Co., Texas; died July 04, 1993 in LaGrange, Illinois; married Russell Ward Ballard September 01, 1921.
		ii.		Bertha Lockey Horn, born April 1886 in Texas.

More About Bertha Lockey Horn:
Burial: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tx

		iii.		William D. Horn, born December 1888 in Texas.
		iv.		John Frederick Horn, born July 1891 in Texas.
		v.		Maggie Z. Horn, born August 1896 in Texas; married Harry R. Burt.
		vi.		Grace Darling Horn, born 1898.

      12. Eugene Harrison Willis⁵, born April 16, 1845 in Woodland, Orange Co., VA; died December 25, 1916 in Culpeper Co., Va. He was the son of 24. Larkin Willis and 25. Mary Gordon. He married 13. Elizabeth Young Hiter March 01 in Rock Spring, Louisa Co., VA.

      13. Elizabeth Young Hiter⁶, born October 17, 1850 in Louisa Co., VA; died February 22, 1923 in Lignum, VA. She was the daughter of 26. Hugh Goodwin Hiter and 27. Susan Hart Harris.

Notes for Eugene Harrison Willis:
Eugene and Bessie Willis built Fox Neck in about 1886 with lumber from the mill at which Eugene worked. The carpenter was George Woodville. The house is situated on a hill in a beautiful bend of the Rapidan River.

A saying attributed to Eugene has come down through the family, "Every fellow has his way, and every fellow's way is right."

Across the Rapidan from Foxneck was a little hamlet called Indiantown -- All Gordon's -- Cousin Willy gordon was a doctor. People would ride on horseback to Foxneck where "granddaddy Eugene" would holler across the river "Whoa Willy Gordon" and tell him where he was wanted. Told by Kate Willis to Mark Willis Ballard

Eugene Harrison Willis enlisted as a private in the 15th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, Company A on April 16, 1862 on his 17th birthday in Orange Co., VA. The company muster rolls show that he was enlisted by Captain Willis (possibly one of his older brothers), and was transferred to the 6th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry on September 7, 1863. Katie Willis has always said he was a courier for General A. P. Hill. This would be consistent with both his age and the fact that A. P. Hill was from Culpeper (the town was known as Fairfax until the name was changed in 1870). Katie said that her grandfather was the only private in the confederate armies (referring to the fact that many veteran's were awarded the courtesy title of Captain or Colonel).

More About Eugene Harrison Willis:
Military service: September 07, 1863, Transferred to 6th Virginia Cavalry ⁷

Children of Eugene Willis and Elizabeth Hiter are:

		i.		Hugh Hiter Willis ⁸, born 1876; died 1951; married Cornelia Croxton Morris; born 1886.
		ii.		Dr. Eugene Young Willis ⁹, born 1878; died 1939; married Mary Clodius Harris; born 1882; died 1962.

Notes for Dr. Eugene Young Willis:
Bought and ran Fox Neck. Bought and lived at Presque Isle. Uncle Gene would ride around the farm with a stethoscope around his neck. People would stop him in the middle of the road for consultation.

He had a practice in West Virginia. Old man Hatfield (of the Hatfields and McCoys) was delerious with pneumonia. He lay in bed with a shotgun and wouldn't let anyone near him. Uncle Gene went in with an overcoat and medical bag over his arms and his hands in his pockets (though he had a pistol in only one pocket. He got old man Hatfield to take treatment. Mr. Hatfield paid the bill with a pearl-handled pistol. (Told by Katie Willis who has seen the pistol)

		iii.		Mary Gordon Willis⁹, born Abt. 1879; died Abt. 1946.
		iv.		Susan Harris Willis⁹, born 1880; died 1934; married Lindsay Dickinson; born 1878; died 1961.
		v.		Elizabeth Malcolm Willis⁹, born 1885; married Robert Alexander Freeman; born 1882; died 1944.
		vi.		Dr. Charles Gordon Willis⁹, born August 23, 1886; died March 13, 1971; married Tevan Jane Bowan.

More About Dr. Charles Gordon Willis:
Burial: Aft. March 13, 1971, Masonic Cemetery, Culpeper, VA

Notes for Tevan Jane Bowan:
Katie Willis says that Aunt Tevan kept only two knives, two forks and two spoons in the kitchen. She served as a Red Cross girl in WWI

	vii.	Lucy Herndon Willis ¹⁰, born 1889; died 1966; married Addison Gordon Willis; born 1887; died 1964.
	viii.	Virginia Isabel Willis ¹¹, born 1892; died 1972; married Dr. Hansford Rowe.
6	ix.	Edward Turpin Willis, born February 01, 1894 in Fox Neck, Culpeper Co., Virginia; died 1975 in Culpeper, Virginia; married (1) Virginia Louise Byrne February 1921 in Falls Church, VA; married (2) Gladys Yowell 1935 in Winston-Salem, NC.

      14. Henry Milton Byrne, born October 1863; died June 26, 1925. He was the son of 28. Henry Milton Byrne and 29. Sarah Ann Elizabeth Francis. He married 15. Catherine M. Hale.

      15. Catherine M. Hale, born September 28, 1859; died June 18, 1927.

Children of Henry Byrne and Catherine Hale are:

	i.	William Hale Byrne, born May 14, 1891; died June 11, 1949; married Kathleen Carlton Owen December 16, 1917; born September 05, 1890; died January 17, 1983.
	ii.	Anna Belle Byrne, born October 27, 1889; died September 15, 1957.
	iii.	Kathryn Milton Byrne, born 1898; died 1977; married Dr. Macon Ware.
7	iv.	Virginia Louise Byrne, born February 26, 1893 in Virginia; died April 10, 1932 in Culpeper, Virginia; married Edward Turpin Willis February 1921 in Falls Church, VA.

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