JOHN BALLARD, a farmer of Clark Township, was born in Kentucky,
May 18, 1832, and is a son of Taylor and Nancy (Fitzpatrick)
Ballard. The former was of English descent, and was born in 1801,
and was assassinated January 15, 1885; the latter of Irish descent,
was born in 1806, and died March 6, 1883. Our subject's early life
was spent on a farm in Clark Township. He received a good common
school education. At twenty-one years of age he began the struggle
of life for himself as a farmer, and on January 27, 1859, he was
united in matrimony to Charlotte Drake, a daughter of Gideon and
Susan Drake, the former of whom was born in 1801, and the latter in
1805. To this union the following children were born: Theodore,
deceased; Taylor O., born October 8, 1862; Laura May, born
December, 1868; Arthur, born March 6, 1876. The mother of these
children was born December 8, 1837. He and wife are members of the
Protestant Methodist Church, and in politics he is a republican. He
now owns 143 acres of fine land in Clark Township. His father lived
alone, and it was generally known that he had a great deal of
money, and on going to the barn to feed his stock, he was waylaid
and shot twice.
Transcribed by Cheryl Zufall Parker
Banta, D.D. History of Johnson County, Indiana. Chicago, IL: Brant & Fuller, 1888.