Blount County AlArchives Biographies.....Ballenger, Wm. May 4 1827 - after 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 13, 2004, 3:06 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
  WM. BALLENGER, one of the pioneers of Blount county, was born in Tennessee,
May 4, 1827, a son of John T. and Hulda (Whitten) Ballenger. The father was born
in Virginia and the mother was a native of Alabama. The father came to Alabama
in 1831, and settled on Cane creek in the wilderness, where he remained about
seven years, and about this time was shot from ambush while herding wild cattle
by a man named John Burding, but finally recovered and began flat-boating, and
after running the river about five years he was drowned. He served one term as
justice of the peace and was a member of the Masonic order. He and wife were
members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a son of Ned and Miss
(McHaffey) Ballenger, both natives of Virginia. The grandfather was a soldier in
the war of 1812. Mrs. Hulda Ballenger was a daughter of George and Winnie
Whitten, both natives of Alabama. Wm. Ballenger was reared in Alabama and after
his father was drowned the support of the family fell upon his shoulders and he
had a hard time. Many were the times that he went barefooted in the snow and
frost in winter, and if the family had shoes to wear by Christmas, they were
doing well; beside this, they had to tan their own leather and make their own
shoes. He attended school very little, but learned to read and write at noon
while his team was resting. In 1852, he married Lomantha Shepherd, daughter of
Jeremiah and Miss (Rogers) Shepherd, both natives of Newberry district, S. C.,
but who came to Alabama sometime in their teens. This union has resulted in the
birth of eight children, five still living: Thomas, Dr. Joseph, Mary, Dr. O. and
Dr. Bartemus. The mother was born and reared in Walker county, Ala. Mr.
Ballenger has served one term as justice of the peace of Beat No. 9, in Walker
county; has been a member of the Masonic order twenty-five years, and he and his
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1864 he enlisted in Capt.
Rice's copmany in the Confederate service, and soon after was appointed a
miller, and, owning a mill, he ground flour and meal for the soldiers and their
families, receiving no compensation whatever. He would divide the last peck of
meal with a soldier's widow and never expect anything for it. He began life
after marriage without anything, but being a hard worker soon came to the front.
He first began farming, and in connection with farming he embarked in vairous
kinds of business - flat-boating, steam-boating, dealing in stock, etc. - and
was successful in all his undertakings, and as fast as he accumulated money,
invested it in land, until he became one of the largest land owners in Blount
county, owning at one time over 3,000 acres, and for about twenty-two years
running two mills and gins. He is a man who has seen hard times, but is now
comfortable, and well surrounded with this world's goods. In 1876 he located in
Blount county, and settled on a farm near Arkadelphia, and at one time owned
nearly the whole of that town; and is now one of the substantial old citizens of
Blount county. Knowing the advantages of an education, he has graduated three
boys, who are all practicing physicians.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 501-502

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