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From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 934-935
JAMES BALLANTINE (deceased) was one of the pioneers of Grant county, and its record would be incomplete without his life history, connected as he was with its growth and development since 1846.
Mr. BALLANTINE was a native of the State of New York, born in Delaware county Feb. 22, 1822. His father, David BALLANTINE, was born in the highlands of Scotland, and came to America in his youth. His mother, Ann (GRANT) BALLANTINE, was also of Scotch parentage, but she was born in Albany, N.Y., and in that State, she and her husband passed their married life, both dying in Bovina. David BALLANTINE was a prominent business man in his town, where for many years he carried on a mercantile enterprise.
James BALLANTINE was one of ten children, the family comprising seven sons and three daughters. One son died in infancy, but all the others reached mature years, although now this once numerous family is represented alone by Thomas BALLANTINE, a farmer near Sedgewick, Kansas. James BALLANTINE was in his twenty-fourth year when, in 1846, he came to Grant county. Immediately he entered a large among of land, and engaged extensively in farming and stock raising, becoming one of the most successful agriculturists and stock men in Grant county. In 1863 Mr. BALLANTINE met with a serious accident that changed to some extent his course in life. By the running away of his team, one of his limbs was so badly injured that amputation was necessary. Following this accident, he disposed of much of his land, and then made his home, until he married, with his brother, David, and together they engaged extensively in the live stock business and became very prosperous.
On Feb. 13, 1867, Mr. BALLANTINE was married to Miss Abbie A. PENNOCK, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah Ann (DUBELL) PENNOCK. Mrs. BALLANTINE was born in Albany, Ohio, and came to Grant county, Wis., with her parents in her tenth year. The family first settled at Millville, where Mr. PENNOCK worked in a cabinet and furniture shop, having the trade and skill of a mechanic, but his death occurred three years after his arrival, and he left his wife with seven children, the oldest of them but fourteen years old and the youngest but three months. The mother of Mrs. BALLANTINE although left in limited circumstances, reared her family carefully and faithfully to be worthy citizens, and all of them lived to maturity. In her declining years she resided with her devoted daughter, Mrs. BALLANTINE, and there died on April 29, 1899, at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. BALLANTINE settled in the village of Bloomington, and her Mr. BALLANTINE continued in the stock business, and also loaned money. His death occurred on July 18, 1895, in his seventy-third year, his widow and five children surviving to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and kind father. Four of the children are now living: Duncan Grant, who continues his father's business; Grace May; David Walter; and Edith Virtue. Two children have passed away - Anna Mabel, ad the age of twenty-six, and John Robert, at the age of three years. Mr. BALLANTINE was a most successful business man and useful citizen, and was ever held in high esteem. In his political views he was a Republican for many years but in his later life he was a Prohibitionist. Mrs. BALLANTNE has one of the most beautiful homes in Grant county. The stately brick residence is a monument to the taste and liberality of her husband, by whom it was erected for the pleasure and comfort of his family. Mrs. BALLANTINE is a lady of culture, prominent in religious and philanthropic work, and is superintendent of the evangelistic work of the Bloomington branch of the W. C. T. U.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck