Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-David Ballantyne
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
DAVID BALLANTYNE, owner of one of
the largest sheep ranches of Lyon Township,
Dickinson County, resides on section
13, and is one of the worthy citizens
that Scotland has furnished to America. He was
born in the Parish of Carnwath, Lanarkshire, June
3, 1846, and is a son of David and Nicholas (Johnson)
Ballantyne. His father died when he was
only nine years old, his mother's death occurring
when he was a lad of twelve. As he was reared
on a farm, he became familiar with agriculture and
stock-raising.
In 1870, crossing the Atlantic, Mr. Ballantyne
came to America, coining direct to Kansas in company
with a friend, William Bothwick. Together
they rented a farm belonging to George Henderson,
situated on Smoky River, some two miles east
of Chapman, Dickinson County, and began stockraising,
purchasing cows at $70, and calves at $25,
per head. They continued to operate the farm
until the spring of 1872, when the price of cattle
was reduced one-half. Mr. Bothwick, disgusted
and discouraged, returned to Scotland, but Mr.
Ballantyne determined to remain until he had
won back the money he had invested, which
amounted to about 81,000.
Entering the employ of Messrs. Elliott & Bowne,
who owned a ranch of fourteen hundred acres,
Mr. Ballantyne remained with them for two years
and three months, herding cattle during most of
that period. In the meantime, when he had been
in their employ about six months, he pre-empted
land near Ramona, placed thirty head of cattle on
it and gave it in charge of a party who operated it
on shares. His employers having dissolved
partnership, the firm of Bowne & Ballantyne was
formed in 1874. They bought one-half section of
land one mile southeast of Herngton, where our
subject now resides, and together continued business
during the succeeding twelve years. They
had three hundred and twenty sheep, twenty head
of cattle, two mules and two ponies. Their flock
of sheep was afterward increased to sixteen hundred
head.
On dissolving partnership, which they did in
1886, they had seven hundred sheep and seventy
head of cattle. They had also increased their land
by additional purchase to thirteen hundred and
twenty acres. Mr. Ballantyne took the sheep, six
hundred and forty acres of land and two horses as
his share, while Mr. Bowne retained six hundred and
eighty acres and the cattle. Our subject now has
six hundred and eighty acres, and nine hundred
sheep, an excellent cross between the Cotswold and
Shropshire breeds, and shears about 1900 worth of
wool annually. He also owns a herd of tine Shorthorns,
including eight registered cattle. In addition
to the above, he raises a good grade of Clydesdale
horses. His farm is under a high state of
cultivation, one hundred acres being plowed land,
on which fine crops are raised, and four hundred
acres being bottom land. One pasture, containing
two hundred and forty acres, and another of eighty
acres, are surrounded by stone fences. The many
improvements upon the place are indications of
the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
On the 29th of February, 1876, in Linlithgowshire,
Scotland, occurred the wedding of our subject
and Miss Agnes Jack, a native of that place,
and the daughter of William and Janet (Love)
Jack, also natives of Scotland. Their union has been
blessed with five children, as follows: David, Janet,
Willie, Agnes and Elizabeth. Mr. Ballantyne is a
supporter of the Republican party, for which he has
always worked, with the exception of voting for
Grover Cleveland in 1884. Himself and wife
hold membership with the Presbyterian Church.
In 1886, with their three children, Mr. and Mrs.
Ballantyne returned to Scotland, making a long visit
in their native country, the trip costing them
$1,000. On the 6th of May, 1885, there was a
terrific hail and wind storm in the section of
Kansas in which our subject resides, and he met
with a great loss, his house being so greatly damaged
that he was obliged to rebuild it, and his
stock also met with great injury, thirty-five sheep
and two hundred and twenty-five lambs being
killed. Mr. Ballantyne is a thorough-going business
man and is one of the very few who have
made a success of sheep-breeding in this part of
the country. He considers Kansas as fine a country
as could be found, and has but one fault to
find with it�its numerous severe storms and occasional
cyclones. By strict attention to business
and upright, square dealing, he has made a fortune
here and can now take life comparatively easy.
With characteristic energy and undaunted courage,
he overcame the misfortunes of his first enterprise
in this State and owes his well-deserved success to
those qualities. No man in the community is more
highly esteemed and none have a wider circle of
earnest friends. He is an open-hearted, hospitable
man, and has a very pleasant home and estimable
wife and family. Mrs. Ballantyne, though for
many years longing to return to her native land,
has become reconciled to living here, and her husband's
remarkable success and the many beauties
and advantages of this land have led her to believe
that Kansas presents the finest opening for
business to be found in any country.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP