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Immigrated 166 Name: Thomas Ballard Year: 1676 Place: Maryland Source Publication Code: 8510 Primary Immigrant: Ballard, Thomas Annotation: Index from manuscript by Arthur Trader, Chief Clerk in the Maryland Land Commission, 1917. And see nos. 4507-4511, Land Notes. Source Bibliography: SKORDAS, GUST, editor. The Early Settlers of Maryland: an Index to Names of Immigrants, Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680, in the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. 525p. Repr. 1986. Page: 21

Thomas Sr. Ballard (son of Thomas Ballard and Ann Napper Napier)65 was born 1630 in Inkbouough, Worcester, England65, and died March 24, 1687/88 in Williamsburg, York Co, VA. He married (1) Alice ?. He married (2) Anne Thomas on 1650 in Williamsburg, York Co, VA, daughter of William Thomas and Anne Thomas.

The first Ballards in America landed at Willis Wharf on the Eastern Shore of VA in 1617, according to records found in a small church and in the courthouse of Accomack Co, VA. They were among the first English settlers to move beyond Jamestown VA, the first English settlement which landed in 1608. According to the remaining local Ballards the name is Franco-Norman and orginated in the Bals Mountains.

There was a Lady Baylord who was a Lady-in-Waiting in England. She was a paramour of one of the higher echelon withing the court. When she had her child, she changed the name to Ballard. Have not been able to prove or disprove.

Ballard, the founder of the Virginia family, pattented 1000 acres in Glouster Co., now called "New Kent Co." on the S. E. side of Mattapony, along the head of Mr. William Wyatt's land, on 16 July 1655, for the transportation of 20 persons. His next patent was for 600 acres upon the head of Poropotank River W.N.W. upon the land of Capt. Gill, deceased, on 15 October 1657. Thomas assigned this land to Major David Cant on 2 Pril 1622.

On 6 October 1658, Thomas Hickman re-patented Thomas Ballard's first grant of 1000 acres in New Kent. Hickman's grant describes the land as "granted to Mr. Thomas Ballard 16 July 1655 and by him deserted." It seeems that Thomas Ballard "deserted" the previously mentioned 1000 acres and added 300 more on the north side of the Mattapony River. On 6 October 1658 he patented 1300 acres there and used the same 20 headrights.

On 16 April 1664, Anthon Branch pattended 150 acres on the N>W. branch of the Nansemond River which had been sold to him by Mr. Thomas Ballard. Came to America on the ship "James" arriving at Yorktown in May 1635

Thomas Ballard was appointed Clerk of York County in 1652 and served for many years thereafter. He was Burgess from James City in 1666, was appinted Lt. Col. of Militia in 1669, and member of the Council in 1675, whose members were chosen from the wealthiest, most educated and influential citizens of the colony. In this office, of Counselor, he was both a Naval officer and a collector of customs. Members of this council constituted the Upper House of the General Assembly. In many respects, they were the New World conterpart of the English Hose of Lords. He was Speaker of the House of Burgesses in 1680 - 1684.

Colonel Thomas Ballard wife Anne, thgether with Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon, wife of Nathaniel Bacon, Sr. (a cousin of Nathaniel Bacon, Jr- the rebel); Mrs. Angelica Bray, wife of Colonel James Bray; and Mrs. Elizabeth Page, wife of Colonel John Page; all wives of members of the Council; were captured by Nathaniel Bacon, Jr. during his rebellion by a raid on Middle Plantation. When Bacon besieged Jamestown, theese ladies, wearing white aprons, were compelled to stand before his breastworks, so that they could be recognized by their husbands and therby cause Governor Berkeley to cease his cannonade.

Colonel Ballard married Anne, step daughter of William Thomas whose will was probated in York County in 1664. In his will, William Thomas mentioned his wife, Anne, calls Sarah Herman and Jane Hilliard "daughters-in-law, and Thomas Ballard "son-in-law". Son-in-law at that time meant step-son.

Thomas Ballard and his son, Thomas, were vestryment of Bruton Parish Church at Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg) werre he was buried on 24 March 1689. His name is inscribed on a bronze tablet in the interior of the church; also on the plate of a pew. No one knows how many graves the Bruton Parish graveyard contains, or the age of the oldest. Many of the early murials are not marked. In some instances, the lack of grave markers led to people being buried atop one another.

There are Wills in Worchester County England for Thomas Ballard dated 1608, 1620, a burial in 1550, 1559, 1607

Colonel Thomas Ballard (March 1631 - March 24, 1687) was a member of the upper class of the Virginia Colony and founder of the Ballard family in America.

[1]Thomas resided in York County, Virginia for a good portion of his young life. He patented land in Gloucester County, Virginia along with some in the Propotank and Mattaponi rivers. He was also involved in many land transactions including one property that he sold that would become the land in which the College of William and Mary was founded. Thomas would later become a member of the Governor's Council. In this position he was firstly a Naval officer and secondly a customs collector. He would also become a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, the Burgesses' Speaker, and Colonel of the local militia. His luck did not last though at the peak of his political career Nathaniel Bacon during the Bacon's Rebellion raided Middle Plantation and took many of the wifes of leading politicians including Anne Thomas, Ballard's wife. Though Anne was later returned it lead to her sudden death one year later.

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THOMAS BALLARD VIRGINIA (1630/31-1689)

In Colonial Virginia, Thomas BALLARD was often referred to as the Honorable Thomas BALLARD, or as Colonel BALLARD. He was born in March of 1630/31 in England. Some researchers believe that he was brought to the New World as a child by his parents.

Whether or not he came as a child, it is fair to say that he was the founder of the Virginia BALLARD family.Thomas BALLARD married Anne THOMAS in 1650. Anne bore his eight children before her death in 1678.

Thomas lived in York County, Virginia, and imported at least twenty persons into Gloucester County, Virginia, under the head right system. He also patented land in Gloucester, County as well as lands on the Propotank and Mattapony rivers. Both the head right system and the land patenting practice were devised to populate the new colonies and proved to be lucrative propositions for many of the early colonists.

Thomas BALLARD was a party to a number of recorded land trading transactions. Among these was the purchase and sale of the land on which William and Mary College was founded."The College of William and Mary was originally built on a tract of 330 acres most of which has been sold off, only about 30 acres remain. The tract was the property of the Honorable Thomas LUDWELL, Secretary of State 1660-1678, who lived at 'Richneck'on the west side of Archers Hope Creek. Thomas LUDWELL sold this land March 1674-75 to Hon. Thomas BALLARD of the Council...In 1693 BALLARD sold the same tract to the Trustees of the College."

It was probably Thomas BALLARD Jr. who made the sale in 1693, since Thomas the elder died in 1689. It is of interest to note that the grandson of Colonel Thomas BALLARD, William BALLARD, married a LUDWELL.

Thomas BALLARD was a member of the Governor's Council, whose members were chosen from the wealthiest, most educated and influential citizens of the colony. In this office, of Counselor, he was both a Naval officer and a collector of customs. Members of this council constituted the Upper House of the General Assembly. In many respects, they were the New World counterpart of the English House of Lords. His many offices included Clerk of York County, Member of Council, Member of the House of Burgesses, and Speaker of the House of Burgesses. He was also a Colonel in the James City County militia.

At the height of his political career, the Bacon Rebellion had a devastating effect on his life. In a raid on Middle Plantation, the rebels kidnapped the wives of many of the Governor's highest officials. These included the wife of Thomas BALLARD, as well as the wife of Nathaniel BACON's cousin, who was also on the Governor's Counsel.

The kidnapped women were used as human shields against and retaliation of the Governor. Once the rebellion collapsed, BALLARD sat on the court martial of BACON the rebel. Still, the trauma of these events took its toll. Within a year of the court martial, BALLARD's wife died.

In the following and final decade of his life, Thomas BALLARD remarried, was promoted to the rank of Colonel of the James City County militia, was elected speaker of the House of Burgesses, and was vestryman of Bruton Parish Church. Upon his death in 1689, he was buried at Bruton Church, and his name was inscribed on a bronze tablet as well as a pew nameplate there. Submitted by George F.Emerson

The Children of Thomas BALLARD and Anne THOMAS were. 1. Thomas b.1654 York, Co. VA. d.c.26 Sept 1706 2.John b.1659 York Co.VA. 3. Lydia b.1660 York Co. VA. 4. Martha Margaret b.1661 James City Co. VA. 5. William b1663. 6. Elizabeth b.1665 Spotslvania, VA 7. Frances b.1665 James City Co. VA. 8. Matthew b.1667 James City, Co. VA Married 2, Alice?...no known children