Ballard, Edward J. “Edd,” 1878-1940

BALLARD, SMITH, WILPERS, DENKOF

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/7/2022 at 14:14:20

From the Alton Democrat, July 5, 1940, Granville news:

Edd Ballard, 61, passed away very suddenly Saturday, June 22, at his farm home southeast of Granville. Although he had not been well for about a year he was able to be up and around most every day. Five weeks ago he went to Rochester, Minn., where he spent five days at the Mayo clinic. The family was aware that Mr. Ballard had an incurable ailment but were unprepared for the shock of so sudden a death.

Mr. Ballard had made many friends during the last forty-five years of his life spent near Granville as was evidenced by the large number of floral offerings and the hundreds in attendance at the funeral.

Edd Ballard was born Aug. 31, 1879, at St. Louis, Mo. He was enrolled in the St. Louis orphanage at a very early age. While still a child he was fortunately given a home with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wilpers of Wein, Mo. Due to the death of Mrs. Wilpers, it was thought best that Edd be given a home by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Denkof where he remained until he came to Granville at the age of 16. He farmed out in this community and learned something of the carpenter trade which he followed exclusively the first 3 years after his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Smith on May 8, 1906. Then Mr. and Mrs. Ballard moved to the home place which he had farmed for 31 years previous to his passing.

Mr. Ballard was the father of four children, Andrew of Marcus, Bert and Grace of Granville and Hazel of Marcus. The family also raised a niece of Mrs. Ballard, Mrs. John Poldervaaret (Blanche) who spent 17 years in the Ballard home. Besides the widow and four children, he leaves to mourn two grandchildren, Gerald and Joyce Ann Ballard.

Funeral services were held at St. Joseph’s church Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock with Rev. Zeno Reising officiating. Pallbearers were the following neighbors: Henry and John Ahlers, Carl Kuehn, Joe Kestel, Harry Peckinscheider and Earl Miller. Interment was made in St. Jos. Cemetery.

Immediate relatives and close friends from out of town in attendance at the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Will Smith of New Hampton, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, Pringhar; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith, Paullina; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith, Cherokee; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith, Granville; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ferguson, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Voss, Worthington, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Voss, Sr., Paullina; Mr. and Mrs. John Engelhart and Josephine Glessner of Sheldon.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate (informant Elizabeth Ballard) has Edward John Ballard, husband of Elizabeth Smith; born August 31, 1878 in St. Louis, Missouri; parents’ names unknown – orphan; a farmer; residence O’Brien County, Caledonia Township, Granville RFD; in this community 31 years; died at 3 a.m. June 22, 1940; cause, congestive heart failure, duration unknown; due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, duration 2 years; buried at Granville.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Edward Ballard, b. 1878, d. 1940, ss Elizabeth, St. Joseph Cemetery, Granville IA. His FindaGrave.com page adds a photo of the joint headstone of him and Elizabeth; her full name and dates, Elizabeth Schmith Ballard (1882-1968); and two children, Andrew Ballard (1907-1979) and Bert Edward Ballard (1909-1974).

His World War I draft registration card (Sept. 1918) describes him at age 40 as tall, medium build, grey eyes, light hair.

The 1880 U.S. census for St. Louis, Missouri shows Edward Ballard, age 2, as one of many children living in St. Joseph’s Home, an orphanage run by an order of Catholic nuns. The 1900 census shows him, age 20, living with and working as a farm laborer for, John Mulvany and family in East Orange Township, Sioux County. By 1910 he is renting his own farm in Caledonia Township with Lizzie, two sons, Andrew (3) and Bertie (1), and his father-in-law, Fred Smith (64). In 1920 he is still renting, but by 1930 he owns the farm.