Lincoln County, West Virginia   Biography of James BALLARD

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West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, Supplement Vol. 7, Hardesty's,
Lincoln County, published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974

    James Ballard, now a resident of Hamlin, was born in Orange County, 
Virginia, on the 14th day of October 1793, and is therefore ninety years of 
age. His father was Elijah Ballard, who was born in Orange County in the year 
of 1743, and, together with two of his brothers, served in the Revolutionary 
War, and was with generals Greene and gates in all the southern campaigns, 
participating in the battles of Kings Mountain, Cowpens, and Yorktown. At the 
latter place he saw General O'Hara present the sword of Cornwallis to 
Washington. Soon after the close of the war he married Mildred Dahoney, and 
in 1796, when his son James, the subject of this sketch, was three years of 
age, removed further west, and until 1810 resided in Monroe County. he was a 
millwright by occupation, and in his labors was greatly assisted by his son. 
In the above year another move was made, and this time a cabin was reared on 
the banks of the Cole River, three miles below where Boone Court House now 
stands. Here they were pioneer millers, and for years were the only ones who 
built mills in this section of the state.
    In the year 1811 they erected a horse mill for George Bentley. It was 
located in Teays Valley, near the present site of Scott Depot, in Putnam 
County. Four years later (1815) they built a tub-wheel mill at the upper 
falls of Cole River for Joseph Thomas, who was the first settler at that 
place. In 1819 contracted and built a tub-wheel mill at the lower falls of 
Cole for Philip R. Thompson and James Swindler, and the same year they 
repaired to Teays, and built a water mill for Joshua Morris. It stood on the 
creek, about one mile from the railroad crossing, north of Hurricane station.
    In 1817 James was united in marriage with Mary Wells, the daughter of one 
of the first pioneers of Lincoln County. She was gored to death by a vicious 
cow on the 23d day of June 1856. In April, 1858, Mr. Ballard was a second 
time married, this time to Mary Merrett, who is still living. With the 
exception of three years spent in Indiana, he has passed his entire life 
among the hills of West Virginia. He is a member of the first Methodist 
Church organized in the Mud River country, and is now a worthy and consistent 
member of that denomination.