Document text
FEB 6 1937
story told aad obsokid by
(trs) Bart* Ballard Namtag
Redfield Georgi B. 2/5/37/ el 6 y words
1.4. Ballard Family
Pioneers of Pecoa Valley
Given by Mrs. A.J. Manning
Father, A.J. Ballard was born in Tennessee and Mother
Katherine Redding Ballard vvs born in Texas. They with all of
thier children came from Fort Griffin Texas and arrived in
Port Sumner New Mexico in 1879.
Father had been a buffalo hunter on the Llaho Astacado
(staked Plains) several years before moving us to New Mexico
While the journey over the plains in a coverild wagon was
a hard one no IndiAns were encountered. We were thrilled_
espicially my brothers Charlie;rWill—amilizeit over numerous
herds of buffalo we saw on the plains I was ten years old
/prot,Q., /1,-4.--e-
at that time my brother Robert L. Ballard was born three
*A
miles east of Roswell on east second street, on what is now
know as the Arthur Stevens place. He (Bob) was the first
boy baby born in the Pecos Valley Ella Lea Dow, daughter
of Captain Joseph C. Lea was the first girl baby born in
Roswell.
We watbhed Roswell grow from two adobe houses,
built by Van C. Smith and Aaron Wilburn partners, one was a
store and he other a four room hotel, with a dormer -window
attic sleeping quarters for guests. Captain Lea owned both
buildings and lived in he hotel at the time of our coming
to Roswell. There were two or throe little mud and stick huts
a little north east of the hotel and store. Of the six little
trea spoken. of by Cht,ialm. Roberts as "m- king struggle
to liv• the e were only thre left.
up sister Ann BallL;rdohnson (State Supervisor of WPA
Production Projects) and two brothers Samos C and Robert L. live
in Roswell. Richard (Dick lives in Phoenix Arizona, Charlie
and Will live in 1,44PINIew Mexico.
"We sold our farm on East Secone street to the Arthur
Stevens family and built a home in Roswell on what is now the
one hundred block South Pannsylvaila avenue a liitle north
of where Mrs. ilarie S. Moreland lives at the present time,
102 S. Pennsylvania avenue.
"Father passed passed away in 1920", anKother in August 1926".
SF