Levi William Ballard Biography


	This biography appears on pages 865-866 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and 
	was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				LEVI WILLIAM BALLARD. 

	The name of Ballard figures prominently in connection with 
industrial and manufacturing interests in Sioux Falls, where Levi 
William Ballard is now managing an extensive marble business, conducted 
under the style of Ballard & Son. He was born upon a farm in Palo Alto 
county, Iowa, June 12, 1876, a son of Samuel William and Emily (La 
Barr) Ballard. The family is of English lineage and was founded in 
America at the time of the Revolutionary war by four brothers of the 
name who came to the new world and served in the colonial army in 
behalf of the cause of independence. The original American ancestor in 
the maternal line came from France with La Fayette and both he and his 
brother, who crossed the Atlantic at the same time, were soldiers in 
the American revolution which brought about the independence of the 
nation. The patriotic spirit of the family was manifest again at the 
time of the Civil war, when Samuel W. Ballard offered his services to 
the government. He was first sergeant of Company A, Sixty-eighth 
Regiment of the New York National Guard with which he was connected for 
thirty days and was then honorably discharged at Elmira, New York, on 
the 29th of July, 1863. He reenlisted for active duty at the front and 
ably defended the interests of the Union. He now resides in Mitchell, 
South Dakota, where he conducts business under the name of the Mitchell 
Granite & Marble Works. In his family are four living children, while 
one son died at the age of eighteen months. He is a thirty-second 
degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. 

	In the district schools of his native county Levi W. Ballard 
pursued his education to the age of fifteen years and afterward 
attended the public schools of Emmetsburg, Iowa, being graduated from 
the high school there with the class of 1896. He afterward pursued a 
commercial course in the Nora Springs (Ia.) Commercial College and in 
August, 1897, came to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to be manager of a 
marble shop for the Emmetsburg (Ia.) firm of Godden & Ballard, of which 
his father was a member. In 1900 Levi W. Ballard purchased the interest 
of his father's partner and the firm then became Ballard & Son. Their 
business today covers South Dakota and parts of Iowa and Minnesota. The 
father is interested in a number of other concerns in this state and 
Iowa, and in 1908 a marble yard was established at Mitchell, South 
Dakota, of which he is sole proprietor. This company is the largest in 
the state manufacturing monuments from the rough marble and granite. 
The plant is operated with compressed air machinery, pneumatic tools 
doing the decorative and design work, and in Sioux Falls employment is 
furnished to ten people. Something of their fame in a business line is 
indicated by the fact that recently they were called upon to erect a 
mausoleum at Rochester, New York, The business has grown to extensive 
proportions and the trade of the firm indicates how commendable are its 
business methods. 

	On the 30th of April, 1903, at Sioux Falls, Levi W. Ballard was 
united in marriage to Miss Matie Eichmeier, whose parents were Charles 
L. and Louise Eichmeier, of Rockford, lowa, where both died. They were 
natives of Germany. 

	Mr. Ballard holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church 
and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He has 
never sought nor desired office, however, preferring to concentrate his 
energies upon his constantly increasing business interests. In Masonry 
he is well known, having taken the degrees of the Yolk and Scottish 
Rites. He is also a Mystic Shriner and is a most worthy exemplar of the 
beneficent principles of the craft. He likewise belongs to the Knights 
of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of the 
lodge, encampment and canton, and to the Modern Woodmen of America. He 
is also known as an Elk and he has the confidence, goodwill and high 
regard of all of his brethren of these organizations. Success has 
attended his efforts since starting in the marble business and he is 
today one of the prosperous citizens of Sioux Falls. His own home is a 
splendid Vermont marble structure, built in attractive style of 
architecture and tastefully furnished, the only one of the kind west of 
Chicago. It is, moreover, the abode of warmhearted hospitality, which 
is greatly enjoyed by the many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Ballard.