William Henry BALLOW

                   «b»The History of Adams County, Illinois:  Containing a History of the County«/b»
Ballow, Honorable Charles, Justice of the Peace, Clayton; was born in Williamson County, Tennessee, 6 Novemberl 1818.  He is the son of William H. and Priscilla (Manier) Ballow; the former born in Virginia 10 October 1783, the latter in Kentucky 4 March 1788.  He came with his parents to Morgan County, Illinois, in 1827 and to Adams County in November 1837.  He married Araminta P. Berry, 3 October 1848, who died 13 January 1870, leaving two children Charles B. and Martha Jane.  Mr. Ballow was elected Justice of the Peace in 1850 and has held the office most of the time since.  He was elected a member of the House in the General Assembly of Illinois, for the year 1873 and 1874; served as postmaster in Clayton, from 1855 to 1860.  He has been an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years.  Politics, Democratic

«b»Portrait and Biographical Record of Adams County, Illinois: containing
Pg. 444
«/b»Charles Ballow, a prominent and influential citizen of Clayton, claims Tennessee as the state of his nativity.  He was born in Williamson County in 1818 and is a son of William H. and Priscilla (Menier) Ballow, the former of Scotch descent and the latter of French lineage.  The father served undeer General Jackson in the War of 1812.  The family numbered the following children:  Ann Rebecca, who was born in 1807, became the wife of John Ausmus, a farmer, and now resides in Adams County at the age of eighty-five years; Patsy, born in 1811, became the wife of Peter Ausmus, who removed to Linn County, Missouri; John, born in 1813, married Miss Overby, and removed to Texas, where he died in 1880;  Temperance, born in 1816, is the wife of Lemuel McAllister, of Kansas, and they have seven children:  Henry, born in 1821, married Miss King, by whom he had nine children, and resides in Exira, Iowa; Albert G., born in 1824, married Miss King and resided in Clayton County, Iowa, until his death, which occurred from drowing in 1849.  The father of this family was again married in 1846 and had two children by that union.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the subscription schools of Illinois, but his privileges in that direction were very limited.  He afterward worked at the carpenter's trade for a number of years, when he devoted his energies to merchandising.  He has frequently been called upon to serve in public positions, and for fifteen years had been Notary Public.  In 12872, he was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature and served for two years.  He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1860 and has held that office almost continuously since.  He held the office of Postmaster under Franklin Pierce and agains under James Buchanan.  In politics, he is a stanch Democrat and has ever taken an active part in the success and growth of his party, and for six years was Chairman of the Central Democratic Committee of the county.

In 1848, Mr. Ballow was united in marriage with Miss A.P. Barry, in Vermont, Fulton Co., Illinois and unto them were born two children:  Charles born in 1857, is an employee on the railroad and Martha Jane, born in 1860 is a milliner of St. Louis.  The mother died in 1870, and Mr. Ballow in June, 1882, wedded Mrs. Charlotte Kinnear, who was born in New York City in 1837, a daughter of Arnold Dickinson.  The latter served in the War of 1812.  She is the youngest of nine children.  The Dickinson family was one of prominence in the Empire State, and her father served as Congressman.  Mrs. Ballow's first husband died in 1868 in Trinidad, Colorado, where Mrs. Ballow resided ten years ere her husband's death.

Mr. Ballow is a memberr of the Presbyterian Church, with which he has been connected since 1848.  For twenty years, he served as its Elder and was also Trustee.  He is a Royal Arch Mason and is the only charter member belonging to the lodge.  He has also been a prominent member of the Odd Fellows' society for 20 years.  His wife has taken the Rebekah degree and is also a member of the Eastern Star Chapter of Masonry, being the first Worthy Matron of that order.  Mr. Ballow was one of the organizers of the Adams and Brown Counties Old Settlers' Association, and served as its President.  His wife has been member of the Presbyterian Church of Clayton, for ten years and is one of its active workers.  She is a member of both the home and foreign missionary societies, is interested in Sunday School work and is a prominent member and Vice president of the woman's Christian Terperance Union.  Mr. and Mrs. Ballow are charitable and benevolent people, in whom the poor and needy find a friend.  Their upright lives, so much devoted to church and the interests of others, have won them the confidence and esteem of all throughout the community.  In his business career, Mr. Ballow has won success and is now one of the substantial citizens of Clayton.