Document text
Giorgio B. Redfield
Roswell. So M.
sEP :Jot
9/9/38
Torts 7pg,
Subjeots (Pioneer Later')
bourse of informations
Mrs. Berta (Ballard.)
Manning. hoswell* I. mo
A J. BALLARD
Banal* Illostor Llano Bstasate (btaket Plaths)
Roswell Bandar, Agrisaltarieto 1111*
latim alf Firs, Aille•Aneriessa Boy Baby
Born is Bassall Tisiaity•
Ao Jo Ballard,, born in Tennessee* his wife, Katherine (Redaing)
Ballard., born in Texas and their six older ehildren Charlie. Till,
Berta, Ann, Janes Co ant Disk, ease to flew Maxie° in 1869, travel.
in across the plains, in covered wagons. from Mort *Win, Texas.
The eeventh call& Lobert L. was born in iffa
Iss low kiazioo Ow *topped first at kertales Springs where
they found fresh saltwater and vamped all night, going on the
next day to Port Sumner. Where though they had. not expected to
establish their residsmos, they deeided to remelm4
A few months after their arrival in 'tort Sumner their home
was destroyed by an explosion it by some man (a drunk) shoot.
in into a keg of gun powder at a store on the plaza around *blob
the houses weri built.
After the less of their hone in Pert Summar, Mro Ballard moved
his family to Lineolno Jew /Lexie., whore thy were soon in the midst
of the dangerous and molting experienees of the Lincoln County War.
let desiring to raise his ohildren, espeelally the boys, in
the atmosphere of unrest, hostilities and outlawry, that had taken
possession of the town of Liasolue Mr. Ballard in 1864 SOTO& to
Roswell.
2
Mr. Ballard after coming to Roswell ustLbliahed and improved
lhat is now known as the Arthur Stevens farm three miles east of
Roswell on East Second street, Where Lobert L. Jenard., the first
itiglo..Amerioan boy baby of the 1,o1xell vicinity, was born. Mrs.
Ella Lea Dow, da*ghter of Captain Joseph C. Idea, was the first
Anglo baby girl, born in Roswell. Richard Ballard was a babe in
arms when the Ballard family first came to New Mexico. Mrs. Berta
(Ballard) Millmning was ten years of age. Charlie and ill were
old enou h to lend a hand during the first hard years of oultiva,.
ting and improving the Ballard Pus.
Mr. Ballard assisted financially in the expense of the first
school constructed •of adobe, that was built near his home, in 1881,
on the southeast corner of school sootion thirty-six, three miles
east of Roswell, on East second cAreet,
The Ballard children at;,ended this first school, Mere they
were taught by Asbury C. Rogers the first person to teach a sahool
in what is now Chaves County.
After improving the farm on Last .-econd LJtreet he desired, for
his children, the advantagez,., of schools and ohurches that had been
established in 1,oewell. He sold out and built a home on what is
now the one hundred block, South kennsylvania Avenue. At this place
the Ballard faA.ly lived for many years, ilna here his children grew
into useful men and women citizens, in the home their father planned
for them.
In 1875 and 1876 ir. Ballard had hunted buffalo on the Llano
Estacado (Staked ilains) hunting as far west as the -elms River.
He like the country around which Roswell was built later and plan-
ned to return some day with his family and establish a home in the
lower 2eoos Valley.
4.1 during the journey to hew 1141.1.00 the iiallard family ix.
peeted Indian at daily eepeolally around the watering please
in which they nude eanp each nicht but Um were never 1,:olested
by Indians.
The buffalo that had roamed the plain in herde o thoueands
when Jar. iallard had hunted them in previous years Ilerc Last dirk.
ii*earirg, 'out hundreds wert! veen in bunohee by the ohildren, who
hud never tAken then runnine fr., before. They epo.4o thav, *overed parney ur b-inr the noet intereetine experience of their
livee.
tm (itallard) Manning while I/vine in Linooln, was a
ehild friend and pet of iilly the Kid, whom abs renebers an being
quiet and eentlemanly and not at all like the two..gun•desperadoes
of VIG pretmnt ti:40g
Manning, dance and ,obert ;Allard, and
.3allafd Johneon (who le supervisor of the 6.k.A.. kroduotion kro..
Quote) live in otlwell. Charlie and 6111 -:;allard live in 4,rtosia.
Diok LAtilal'd and hie wife Laura (4aglo) isallard live in Aoe.
nix, -zir.ona• !prt ;4aLlard ana igru J,Inra C;mllard) Loaewick,
ehl„,dren of 4ok allard, live in ,Alobwelle
emberu, of ),:x. la; fami4 (or WhXUA there are
children, irrzidt;hildren 116.. great 6rw;aohliaren) livinc in .,415well
at the preeent time llowe been identified with the ulibuileLine and
itapro-vine of the euo allc 'ør the Llunw ywAre (over half u ,Atnr.
t-,-) of their long revidence in the ,alley, ,4141 havc. evcrf been
loadere in ohurch and olub organimation and in the ixocial lift: of
the L:ity
4
Mr. Ballard lived to see the town he assisted very materially
in building, developed into a modern city of 10,000 population,
before his death vhic)1. occurred at :.oswell in 1914. itiXba Ballard,
his wife, died in 1.921'.
Redfield, Georgia B.
J. Ballard
SEP v2-
lovords 750
9/9/38 HIP 2 7T,t
Buffalo Hunter on Llano Estacado (Staked Plains)
Roswell Builder, Agriculturist, and
Father of First Anglo-American Boy Baby
Born in Roswell Vicinity.
A. J. Ballard, born in Tennessee, his wife, Katherine (Redding)
Ballard, born in Texas and their six older children came to New
Mexico in 1869, traveling across the plains, in covered wagons,
from Fort Griffin, Texas.
In New Mexico they stopped first at Portales Springs where
they found fresh cold water and camped all night, going on the
next day to Fort Slmner, where though they had not expected to
establish their residence they decided to remain.
A few months after their arrival in Fort Sumner their home
was destroyed by an explosion caused by some man (a drunk) shoot-
ing into a keg of gun powder at a store on the plaza around which
the houses were built.
After the loss of their home in Fort Sumner, Mr. Ballard moved
his family to Lincoln, New Mexico, where they were soon in the midst
of the dangerous and exciting experiences of the Lincoln County War.
Not desiring to raise his children, especially the boys, in
the atmosphere of Inirest, hostilities and outlawry, that had taken
possession of the town of Lincoln, Mr. Ballard in 1881, moved to
Roswell, which then consisted of only two adobe buildings a hotel
and a store built by Smith and Wilburn (partners) and two or three
adobe huts built on the Hondo about a half mile south of the hotel
and store.
2
Mr. Ballard after coming to Roswell established and improved
what is now known as the Arthur stevens farm three miles east of
Roswell on East Second Street, where Robert Is. Ballard, the first
Anglo-American boy baby of the Roswell vicinity, was born. Mrs.
Ella Lea Dow, daughter of Captain Joseph C. Lea, was the first
Anglo baby girl, born in Roswell. Richard Ballard was a babe in
arms when the Ballard family first came to New Mexico, Mrs. Berta
(Ballard) Manning was ten years of age. Charlie and Will were
old enough to lend a hand during the first hard years of cultiva-
ting and improving the Ballard farm.
Mr. Ballard assisted financially in the expense of the first
school constructed of adobe, that was built near his home, in 1881,
on the southeast corner of school section of thirty-six, three miles
east of Roswell, on East Second Street.
The Ballard children attended this first school. Here they
were taught by Asbury C. Rogers the first person to teach a school
in what is now Chaves County.
After Improving the farm on East Second Street he desired, for
his children, the advantages of schools and churches that were soon
established in Roswell. He sold out and built a home on what is
now the one hundredth block, South Pennsylvania Avenue. At this
place the Ballard family lived for many years. His children grew
into useful men and women citizens in the home their father plan-
ned for them.
Mr. Ballard lived to see the town he assisted very materially
in building, developed into a modern city of 10,000 population,
before his death which occurred at Roswell in 1914. Mrs. Ballard
his wife died in 1926.
3
In 1875 and 1876 Mr. Ballard hunted buffalo on the Llano
Estacado (Staked Plains) hunting as far west as the Pecos River.
He like the country in which Roswell was built later and planned to
return some day with his family and establish a home in the lower
Pecos Valley.
Although there were many hardships encountered by the Ballard
family during the long hard journey across the plains in the wagons,
there was much of interest and beauty of scenery to enjoy in the
new wild country that was so different from the Texas scenes around
Fort Griffin.
They expected Indian attacks daily especially around watering
places in which they made camp each night, but they were never mo-
lested by Indians.
The buffalo that had roamed the plains in herds of thousands
when Mr. Ballard had hunted them in previous years were fast dis-
appearing, but hundreds were seen in bunches by the children, who
had never seen them running free before. They speak of that covered
wagon journey as being the most interesting experience of their lives.
Mrs. Berta (Ballard) Manning, while living in Lincoln, was a
child friend and pet of Billy the Kid, whe.hshe remembers as being
quiet and gentlemanly and not at all like the two -gun -desperadoes
of the present time.
Mrs. Manning, James C. and Robert L. Ballard, and Mrs. Ann
Ballard Johnson (who is supervisor of the W.P.A. Production Pro,.
ducts) live in Roswell. Charlie and Will Ballard live in Artesia.
Dick Ballard and his wife Laura (Gayle) Ballard live in Phoe-
nix, Arizona. Bert Ballard_and,Mrs. Laura (Ballard) Lodewick,
children of Dick Ballard, live in Roswell.
4
Members of Mr. Ballard's large family (of which there are
children, grandchildren and great grandchildren living in Roswell
at the present time) have identified with the upbuilding and
improving of the Pecos Valley for the many years (over half a cen-
tury) of their long residence in the Valley, and have ever been
leaders in church and club organizations and in the social life of
the City of Roswell.
Source of Information
Mrs. Berta Ballard Manning (daughter) Roswell, New Mexico.