BALLARD, Elijah Family. 

Panola Co. TX

Elijah Ballard was b 17 Nov 1844 in Tuscaloosa Alabama and d 30 Dec 1919 in Panola County TX.  His parents:  James H Ballard b 1815 Wilkinson County GA d Tuscaloosa County AL prob between sometime in 1855 and prior to 1860 mother Nancy A _______ b prob 1823 Wilkinson County GA d prob Tuscaloosa County AL.  Elijah Ballard came to Panola County after the Civil War and married 21 May 1869 Panola County TX Eliza Jane Longacre b 1850 Shelby County TX.  Her parents:  Uriah J Longacre Jr mother Harriett E Hooper they married 1848.

Eliza Jane died 26 April 1934 in Beckville Panola County in the home of her daughter Mrs. J. W. Cooper.  After their marriage, Elijah Ballard and his wife Eliza returned to Tuscaloosa County AL and remained there for three years before they returned to Panola County in 1872.  Elijah Ballard and his wife are both buried in the Waldrop Cemetery in Panola County.  Of interest, Elijah Ballard served in Company H of the 44th Regiment, GA.  He was one of only 62 survivors of the 1115 men who enlisted in this Regiment.  He fought in all of the battles of the Army of Northern Virginia and he was surrendered by Gen LEE in 1865.  Of interest also is the fact that S. Y. Allen of Beckville grew up as boys with Elijah, they served in the same Company in the Civil War, came to Panola County and both men and their wives and some of their families are buried in the Waldrop Cemetery.  Elijah Ballard and his wife Eliza had two children:  John Thomas Ballard and his Unknown sister (wife of J. W. Cooper).

John Thomas Ballard b 28 Feb 1871 in Tuscaloosa County AL (his gravestone has 1872) d 27 Mar 1937 Marshall Harrison County TX m 01 Sep 1892 Panola County TX Julia Ester Brooks b 28 Mar 1874 Beckville Panola County TX d 16 Feb 1960 Houston Harris County TX.  Her parents:  Richard Woodrow Brooks mother Molly Frances Roundtree.  John Thomas and his wife Julia are both buried in the Waldrop Cemetery.  They had ten children:

a.  Artee Alton Ballard b 07 Jul 1893 (headstone has 1894) d 15 Mar 1938                                                     b.  Nannie Francis Ballard b 24 Oct 1895 d 04 Aug 1900
c.  John Woodie Ballard b 01 Oct 1898 d 17 Jun 1984
d.  George Miller Ballard b 24 Aug 1901 d 18 Oct 1988
e.  Nellie Grace Ballard b 07 Jan 1904 d 12 Feb 1926
f.   Bonnie Lee Ballard b 23 May 1905 d 12 July 1996
g.  Ellroy Ballard b 06 Jan 1909 d 19 Nov 1994
h.  Richard Aaron (Buck) Ballard b 13 Aug 1911 d 30 Jul 1989
i.   Lennie Mae Ballard 14 Jul 1914 d 28 Jun 1994
j.   Leon Douglas Ballard b 21 Apr 1917 d 26 May 1980

The blood of Elijah Ballard and his wife Eliza continues to flow today through
the veins of their many proud descendants; some who still live in Panola County TX

Submitted by:  Commander William David Farnham, United States Navy (Retired)
09/01/2001