Anson E. Ballard (1865-1951)

BALLARD, SHEFFIELD, SOWERS, YARGER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal January 19, 1951 (page 5)

Rites for Story City Pioneer, Anson Ballard

Funeral services were held Sunday, Jan. 14 in Story City at the Larson Peterson Funeral home for Anson Ballard, who died at Lake Crystal, Minn., Jan. 11.

The Rev. W. D. Winter was in charge of the services. Mrs. Luther Manson sang "In the Sweet By and By" and "The Old Rugged Cross" accompanied at the piano by Mrs. Alfred Jacobson. Interment was in the Sheffield cemetery.

Pall bearers were Rhine Honderd, Gerhard Erickson, Harry Nielson, Julius Knutson, Charley Wier and C. M. Bergeson.

Anson E. Ballard was born Sept. 15, 1865, and passed to his eternal reward at Lake Crystal, Minn., last Thursday, Jan. 11, 1951. The had reached the age of 85 years, three months and 26 days.

He was the oldest son of Russell and Bashua Sheffield Ballard, and grew to manhood on the Ballard homestead south of Story City.

Anson and his fiddle were much in demand at all pioneer gatherings in the vicinity of Story City. He spent some time in Nebraska and in farming in northern Iowa. Then for many years he lived in Wyoming and the west.

At the death of his father in 1907 he came back to Iowa and cared for his mother until her death in 1918. He remained on the old homestead until the ----- of 1944, then ill health forced him to retire.

At Nephew's Home

Following this, he lived in the home of his nephew, George R. Sowers, for about three years; then in the Henry Johnson home until two years ago when his health failed completely.

Since that time, he has been cared for by his nephew, Leslie Yarger. He had been bedfast since last September but had been cared for by Leslie and Mary until his death.

Mr. Ballard never married. Now in his death, the Sheffield neighborhood lost one of its oldest real pioneers. He leaves to mourn his loss four brothers: Russell, Fred, Keston and Floyd; and one sister Mrs. Marie Yarger.