William Ballard

(Ed. Note: William Ballard is one of my G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G grandfathers)

WILLIAM 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, William 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 at that 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, his age explaining the comparatively inactive service. The wife of William Ballard, as here appears, was named Grace,Berwick. He died on July 10, 1689, and his widow died on April 27, 1694, both in Andover. William Blunt, Henry Holt, Samuel and Joseph Butterfield, and John Spalding were sons-in-law. William Ballard had nine children: Joseph, William, Sarah, Elizabeth, John 2, Hannah, Lydia, Abigail, and Ann.

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 accordin^F 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 0 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-o-o,
Sheep I li-16s-od 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 0
...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 account 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 theur 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 con- tinueth 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 bctween 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 sh needeth & each of ye sons forenamed 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 main- taineing 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 Iying 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 & meado v his father gave Willam Blunt upon the marrage with his daughter which Iyeth on the south of the land forenamed 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 The marke of Thomas Chandler, William Blunt, Grace Baiard widdow, John Abbott, henry holt, Josep Balard Samll Butterfeld, William Balard, Joseph Butterfeld, John Spalden, 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 Josph 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).

Ref: Ballard family genealogy; Starts with Israel Ballard (1748-1810) and his wife Alice Fuller (1751-1796); Spans 1748-1938; Written by M. Patricia Caldwell

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