[Includes biographical information on George H. Ballard, and George Riem families.]
He whose name stands above is a member of a family which has long been identified with the growth and development of Sac county, each having contributed in his peculiar way to the moral, educational and material advancement of his time. Charles W. Ballard, proprietor of the Glendale farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres located in section 25 of Wheeler township, was born on September 1, 1859, in Colchester, Lamoine township, McDonough county, Illinois, the son of George Haven Ballard and Adaline A. Belles, his wife.
George H. Ballard was born on November 3, 1836, in Perry, Lake county, Ohio, the son of William L. (born in 1786) and Susan (Baldwin) Ballard, the latter born in 1795. George H. Ballard, father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was married in 1856, while a resident of Sycamore, Illinois, the marriage taking place at Malta, Illinois, the home of Miss Belles, who was born September 22, 1838. George H. Ballard was a man of more than ordinary ability and great aptitude. He had a natural bent for mechanics and when quite young mastered the cabinet-maker's trade, in which his ability amounted to nothing short of genius. He frequently contracted for building houses entire, putting many unusual touches into the finishing of same. He was also more or less familiar with steam engineering and frequently operated engines of this class. For a period of eight years he was connected with the Marsh Harvesting Machine Company in the capacity of sub foreman and time-keeper and also was responsible for the proper working of the various lines of machinery. In the spring of 1878, desiring to better his financial condition and possibly secure an excellent location, he left Illinois with a colony which settled in Stafford county, Kansas. However, he did not find conditions there at all to his liking and two years later, in the fall of 1880, he came to Odebolt, this county, and took up his residence on a farm about two and one-half miles north of that city. Shortly after coming to this locality, he purchased the Union restaurant and for a period of nineteen years devoted his time and attention to the management of that business. He is now living in comfortable retirement in Odebolt, having given up connection with the active labors of life. In spite of his years, he retains a keen interest in affairs, both local and otherwise, and his mental and physical activity would do credit to a man several years his junior. There were originally six children in the Ballard family, one of whom, William, died in childhood. Those other than the immediate subject of this sketch are Frank Seymour, who resides in Duff, Rock county, Nebraska; Elizabeth M. (Mrs. Bailey), residing in Osmond, Pierce county, Nebraska; and Etta Emeline (Mrs. Traver), who lives in Webster City, Hamilton county, Iowa. In his younger days, George H. Ballard had a reputation as a sportsman and fisherman of more than usual ability and as he advanced in years he spent weeks and months at his cottage on the shore of Wall lake [now Black Hawk Lake], where he maintained his reputation of earlier days. He has a great store of reminiscences which he takes pleasure in recounting to the delight of his friends.
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Charles W. Ballard, the immediate subject of this sketch, received his education in the schools of DeKalb county, Illinois, and later at Sycamore in the same county. He taught one term of school in Kansas and after coming to this county he assisted in operating the paternal farm for six years and during that time and later taught fourteen terms of school in Richland, Clinton and Wheeler townships, this county. He proved particularly proficient in the education of youth and exerted a wholesome influence over his pupils in the formation of character. During sixteen years of the time his father was engaged in the restaurant business, he was associated with him, having practical charge of the business, especially at such times as the father would be absent on some of his famous hunting trips. The winter of 1903-1904 he spent in California and upon returning to this locality he retired from active business and for two years resided in Odebolt. In the spring of 1907 he took up his residence on his present farm in Wheeler township which he had purchased in the spring of 1900 at a cost of forty-seven dollars per acre. He made this investment after disposing of his farm in Richland township for five thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars for the entire farm.
Mr. Ballard engages in general farming, in which he is eminently successful and pays particular attention to live stock. He has from twelve to fifteen head of high grade Shorthorn cattle and has seven milk cows. He operates a private dairy, disposing of his cream to the creamery. He also produces for the market about one hundred head of hogs annually. He has an excellent strain of thoroughbred Poland China swine, all of which are eligible to registration. For the general work of the farm he keeps two horses and in the season of 1913 from sixty acres planted to corn he produced thirty-five hundred bushels. The management of this farm is such as to constitute another poof, if proof there need be, of the undoubted business ability of the owner and proprietor.
On November 17, 1897, in Orangeville, Stephenson county, Illinois, Mr. Ballard was united in marriage with Mary Esther Riem, born in that town on July 17, 1873, a daughter of George Franklin and Clara Elvira (Cross) Riem, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter born and reared in Illinois. After several years' residence in Illinois, George F. Riem and wife moved to Los Angeles, California, where his death occurred on January 28, 1903. He was in his sixtieth year, having been born on February 26, 1843. The widow, whose birth occurred on June 16, 1851, still resides in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Ballard have two interesting daughters, Blanche Eleanor, born November 20, 1898, still in school, and Myrtle Amanda, born on March 6, 1905.
In politics, Mr. Ballard is aligned with the Progressive party and his religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal church, which the family attends. Fraternally, he is a member of the order of Yeomanry and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, through the local organizations at Odebolt. Mr. Ballard has long been numbered among the progressive and public-spirited citizens of this county and is in every way one of the substantial men of the community. Endowed by nature with strong mental powers and possessing the courage and energy to direct his faculties in proper channels, he early became a man of resourceful capacity, as the able management of his private affairs abundantly testify. He possesses the happy faculty of not only making friends, but binding them to him by his good qualities of head and heart.
Also see biographies on Henry
Ballard and George H. Ballard
with photos of the Union Restaurant.
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