C R O Z E T B A L L A R D ' s A N C E S T R Y

Neddy's Nook on the Net
Crozet Ballard's Ancestry
from Thomas Ballard of Middle Plantation

Crozet Ballard photograph, circa 1870, is in possession of Ruby (Via) Doughtie, a descendant of Crozet's sister. Phil James generously contributed the electronic image to this site. In 1877 when my great grandmother, Mollie Powell, was nineteen, she married a handsome young man named Crozet Ballard. His unusual first name was for Colonel Claudius Crozet, a French engineer and military officer under Napoleon who was instrumental in building the railroad in western Albemarle, Virginia near the Ballards' homeplace. The village of Crozet, also named for him, is on land that had originally belonged to the Ballard family. Just three weeks after their marriage, Crozet took sick and died of pneumonia. His gravesite is next to his parents at their farm in Sugar Hollow, Virginia. A few years after his death, Mollie remarried to Crozet's first cousin, Mathew "Jack" Via, my great grandfather, and raised a large family. I have compiled this Ballard lineage to remember the young Crozet Ballard and also for my mother's first cousin, Ruby Via Doughtie, who is the great granddaughter of Crozet's sister, Mary Frances Ballard. Ruby told me that her grandmother Mollie never forgot about her first husband, Crozet Ballard.

No child has been recorded for them, but Nellie (Via) Coleman, the niece of Mollie's second husband, believes that Mollie had a child by Crozet after he died, but that baby died or was stillborn.

~*~First Generation~*~

1. Thomas BALLARD was born March 1630 in London, England and died 24 March 1688/1689 at Middle Plantation, York County, Virginia. His grave is at Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg and there is a plaque there commemorating his participation in the building of the original structure. Inside the church his name is inscribed on a pew nameplate.

Thomas married Anna THOMAS daughter of William THOMAS and Anne. Anna died on 26 September 1678 in York County, Virginia.

~*~Second Generation~*~

2. Colonel Thomas BALLARD (Thomas) was born between 1654 and 1664 in Middle Plantation, York County, Virginia. He died in 1711 in York County, Virginia.

Thomas married Katherine HUBBARD daughter of John HUBBARD and Catharine before 9 May 1685. Katherine died before 1706.

~*~Third Generation~*~

3. John BALLARD (Thomas, Thomas) was born in 1693. He died in 1745 in Yorktown, York County, Virginia.

John married Elizabeth Anne BLAND daughter of the Reverend William BLAND and Elizabeth YATES.

~*~Fourth Generation~*~

4. Philip BALLARD (John, Thomas, Thomas) was born about 1720 in York County, Virginia. He died after 1785 probably in Albemarle County, Virginia.

Philip married Nancy Ann JOHNSON daughter of Captain William JOHNSON and Ann CHEW in 1741 in Culpeper County, Virginia. Nancy died after 1785 probably in Albemarle County, Virginia.

~*~Fifth Generation~*~

5. Johnson BALLARD (Philip, John, Thomas, Thomas) was born in Orange County, Virginia. He died on 4 October 1851 in Barren County, Kentucky.

Johnson married (1) Betty EASTHAM on 22 Dec 1791 in Culpeper County, Virginia.

Johnson married (2) Nancy CRAIG daughter of Thomas CRAIG and Jane JAMESON on 19 November 1796 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Nancy was born in 1780 and died after 1850, probably in Albemarle County, Virginia.

~*~Sixth Generation~*~

6. Thomas Medley BALLARD (Johnson, Philip, John, Thomas, Thomas) was born on 13 December 1814 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He died on 28 October 1896 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was buried in Sugar Hollow, Albemarle County, Virginia.

Thomas married Sarah Jane VIA daughter of Thomas C. VIA and Sally TURK on 2 December 1839 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Sarah was born on 22 March 1820 in Albemarle County, Virginia. She died on 3 March 1904 in Albemarle County, Virginia. She was buried in Sugar Hollow, Albemarle County, Virginia.

They had the following children:

M i. John Thomas BALLARD was born on 13 September 1840 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He died on 16 November 1911 in White Hall, Albemarle County, Virginia. His wife was Ellen who was born in 1844 in Virginia.

F ii. Mary Frances BALLARD was born 19 June 1845 in Virginia. She died on 5 November 1933. She was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery, White Hall, Albemarle County, Virginia.

Mary married John Henry DAUGHTRY on 30 November 1869. John was born 4 February 1842 in of North Carolina. He died on 19 Jul 1926. He was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery, White Hall, Albemarle County, Virginia.

M iii. Burwell Tandy BALLARD "Burl" was born on 1 August 1848 and died in 1902, in Albemarle County, Virginia.

Burwell married Sarah Susan VIA "Sally" daughter of Thomas Turk VIA and Susannah Mildred WALTON on 15 October 1871 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Sarah was born in 1852 in Albemarle County, Virginia. She died before 1943.

M iv. Crozet Lafette BALLARD was born on 16 April 1851 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He died on 15 Apr 1877 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was buried in Sugar Hollow, Albemarle County, Virginia.

Crozet married Mary Anna POWELL "Mollie" daughter of Littleberry M. POWELL and Jane NORVELL on 27 March 1877 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Mollie was born on 20 February 1858 in Rockfish, Nelson County, Virginia. She died on 31 March 1949 in Catonsville, Baltimore County, Maryland. She was buried on 3 Apr 1949 in Mount Moriah Cemetery, White Hall, Albemarle County, Virginia.

M v. Son BALLARD was born on 3 September 1858 in Albemarle County, Virginia.

The music is Mollie Darling in remembrance of Mollie Powell Via, my great grandmother, who related to her granddaughter, Ruby Via, that her first husband, Crozet Ballard, sang it to her. The song was composed by William Shakespeare Hayes of Louisville, Kentucky in 1871 and would have been popular at the time of Mollie and Crozet's courtship.

Go here to listen to the song sung "mountain style".
~ Mollie Darling ~
CLICK the RealAudio button when you are there.
It is a journey back in time and well worth the trip.

America's First Families ~ The progenitor of the Ballard family of Virginia is on the Ancestor Roll of Honor of America's First Families. At their site is more about Thomas and Anne Ballard's life in early Virginia, including the kidnapping of Anne during Bacon's Rebellion.

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Neddy's Nook on the Net ~ Crozet Ballard 's Ancestry
by Edna Barney, www.ednabarney.com
Graphics are courtesy of Country Patch Collections and Ritva's Gallery
The image of Crozet Ballard is from Phil James of Crozet, Virginia.
Copyright © 2001~2006 by Edna Barney, All Rights Reserved
This page was last modified on 28 January 2006.