Judge Stephen Ferguson Balliet (1837-1910)

BALLIET, LETSON, KEITHLEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/31/2017 at 19:43:29

From Nevada Representative April 26, 1910 (front page)

OBITUARY

DEATH OF JUDGE BALLIET

Judge Stephen F. Balliet, long one of the best known citizens of Nevada and afterwards for many years a prominent man of Des Moines, died on Sunday last at Tonepah, in the far western state of Nevada, where Judge and Mrs. Balliet had for a year and more been residing and where their sons Letsona and Joseph have been for some time established. Mrs. Balliet and her son Letson and Joseph were to start east with his body this morning and they are due in Des Moines Friday. The funeral will be conducted Saturday afternoon from the First Methodist church in Des Moines. The burial will be in Des Moines with Masonic cermonies.

Judge Balliet was born in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1837 and he died as stated at Tonepah, Nevada, April 24, 1910, aged 72 years, 5 months and 14 days. He was the eldest of a large family of Mr. and Mrs. John Balliet, and with the family he removed in childhood to Illinois. He grew up there and from there went to the war in an Illinois cavalry regiment. After the war he completed his education in Knox college at the Chicago law school, and in 1867 he came to Nevada and located in the practice of law. Here he was married in 1871 to Helen Letson, and here he continued in the practice until 1883, when he removed with his family to Des Moines. In 1890 he was elected a district judge for Polk county, and here served one term in that position. He is survived by his sons before mentioned and his daughters Stephania, Christine and Imogene, the last named Mrs. Fred Keithley, all of Des Moines.

Judge Balliet was a public-spirited citizen, and it was especially at his suggestion and under his leadership that a cooperative movement was stated here that resulted in 1877 in the building of the opera hall, which was most exceptional public hall for a town of this size at that time and has been a good hall and great utility for the community here ever since. He was a frequent visitor in Nevada in the years after his removal, and his relations with many old friends was retained through all the period. His death will be profoundly regretted by them all.

From Nevada Representative May 3, 1910 (front page)

The funeral of the late Judge S. F. Balliet was held Saturday afternoon at the First Methodist church in Des Moines, services being in charge of the Masons. The active pall bearers were all members of the bar, and the honorary pall bearers were representatives of the G. A. R. Relatives from Nevada who attended were Mesdames Lydia Lockridge, J. V. Waldron, T. P. Worsley, Emmet Armstrong, J. E. Drybread and E. H. Addison, and Messrs. W. P. Zwilling and M. V. Bump. Mrs. Balliet and her son Joseph came from Tonopah, Nevada, with the remains and the former will reestablish her home with her daughters in Des Moines.