Ballard Line

To mix it up a little bit, I'm going to throw a post in here on the Ballard line. We descend from Ann Ballard who married Gabriel Maupin around 1745. Algretus Rice Via and Martha Frances Wood both descend from children of Gabriel and Ann - Algretus on his mother, Mary Maupin's side and Martha on her father, Clifton Rice Wood's side (Clifton's mother was a Maupin). Algretus and Martha were 3rd cousins.

Ann Ballard Maupin was named in the will of Thomas Maupin, recorded in Albemarle County on May 9, 1782:

Thomas X Ballard of Albemarle Co., VA - Daughter, Mary, five pounds sterling **Sons, Thomas Ballard and Bland Ballard, wll this my land, they suffering my daughter-in-law, Mourning Ballard, to live on, use and occupy that part of whereon she now lives during her life, the lang to be equally divided between them, so that Bland enjoy the part whereon he now lives, the use of a negro Delphia unto my daughter, Frances Ballard, and after her decease, I give and bequeath the negro, Delphia, to her heirs Daughter Susanna Pettis during her life all my lands in Louisa Coounty, and after her death, I give unto her and to said Susuanna Pettis' oldest son, then living Remainder of my estate to be equally divided among five children, Thomas, Bland, Anna Maupine, Frances Ballard and Susanna Pettis.

Sons Thomas and Bland, Executors

Dated 30th Day of June 1779

Thomas Ballard is more of a mystery and theories abound as to his parentage.


I have come across many family trees that state that Thomas was the son of Captain John Ballard, who lived in Yorktown and whose home still stands there. This appears to be untrue. John did have a son named Thomas, but a recently located Ballard family bible notes that this Thomas was born in 1728.

John was the son of another Lt. Col. Thomas Ballard (born 1655, died 1711). This Thomas gave the land on which William and Mary College was founded. A lawyer by trade, he also served as sheriff of York County, vestryman for Bruton Parish Church, and in the House of Burgesses for several years. He is regarded as the primary founder of Yorktown, Virginia. Lt. Col. Thomas's father was another Thomas Ballard. You can read about him on Wikipedia here. He was a prominent land owner and was also a vestryman at Bruton Parish (see photo at left of a pew in Bruton Parish Church).

One indisputable fact about Anne Ballard Maupin's father Thomas is that he patented 320 acres on the south side of Piney Mountain in Albemarle County in 1738. In the patent, he is listed as being of Caroline County. I have found another patent from 1728 which I believe to be the same Thomas Ballard (a portion of which you can see below). The patent is for 330 acres on the North Anna River and on the county line. Since Spotsylvania and Caroline share a border and each is along the North Anna, I've jumped to the conclusion that this very well could be the Thomas Ballard that ends up on Piney Mountain. In this patent he is listed as being from York County. This would seem to tie him to the family of the more famous Thomas Ballards, possibly even a son of Lt. Col Ballard (1655-1711).

Many family trees list Thomas's birth date as 1717, but that would make it very difficult for him to have a daughter married in 1745! It seems more likely that he was born around 1695. Another theory states that our Thomas might have been the son of William Ballard, son of Lt. Col. Thomas Ballard, and Philadelphia Lee or Ludwell (her name is in doubt). One of their sons, Phillip, also moved to Albemarle County, which lends support to this theory. The name Bland, which Thomas used for one of his sons, is also common in this branch of the family.

Much more remains to be discovered on this line.