John H. Ballengee was probably born about 1804 in Monroe Co., VA. Researchers have discovered him through the death certificate of his son, Harrison Henry Ballengee, who died in 1904. His parents were listed as John H. and Mary Norris Ballengee. John is of the age to have been a grandson of Isaac Sr. and Jean.
Jean/Jane Ballengee wrote her will in 1804 and did not list John as a son. However, in the 1810 census there are two unknown persons living with the George Ballengee family who may have been a sister and a male who may have been John H. We have never seen the name of John H. in Monroe Co. records although the deeds have not been thoroughly searched.
John H. was married to Mary Norris. This event would probably have taken place about 1820, judging from Eli's birth date of Dec 1821. We do not have a record of the marriage so the place has yet to be discovered. Early tax records of Virginia might indicate the counties where Norris families resided.
We know of three individuals who were likely the children of John H. and Mary Norris Ballengee: Eli, Henry Harrison, and Elizabeth Ballengee.
The eldest son of John H. and Mary Norris Ballengee was born 13 Dec 1821 in Virginia (probably Monroe Co). He married (1) Mary J. Johnson Dec, 1842 in Monroe Co., VA. She was the daughter of Reuben Johnson. She died about 1846. Eli then married Elizabeth Garten 16 Oct 1847. She was born 13 Jan 1826 to Richard Garten (who died 6 Oct 1898 in Summers Co.at the age of 96) and his wife, Millis Garten. Elizabeth died 22 July 1898. In 1848-9 Eli Ballengee was a teacher in the Poor Schools. Eli Ballengee died 13 July 1900, aged 78, at Talcott, WV at the home of his son, R.T. (See Monroe Mg bonds, jacket 54739)
THE CHILDREN OF ELI BALLENGEE
1) JOHN R (Reuben?) BALLENGEE, the child of Eli and Mary J. Johnson Ballengee was born about 1844 in Monroe Co., VA.
2) JULIA ANN BALLENGEE, the child of Eli and Elizabeth Garten Ballengee was born about 1847. She married 7 Feb 1867 in Monroe Co., VA to Hiram J. Davis. They named their first child Florence B. in 1871.
3) SARAH MELINDA BALLENGEE, the third child of Eli and Elizabeth Garten Ballengee was born about 1848 in Monroe Co., VA. She married 17 June 1872 in Summers Co. to Laurence Williams. He was born in Scotland and at age 21 lived in Summers Co. where he married Sarah.
4) MARY JANE BALLENGEE, the fourth child of Eli Ballengee and his second wife, Elizabeth Garten, was born about 1853 in Monroe Co., VA. She married 10 Oct 1867 in Monroe Co., to James W. Tomlinson.
5) RICHARD THOMAS (SQUIRE) BALLENGEE, the fifth child of Eli Ballengee and his second wife, Elizabeth Garten, was born 21 June 1853 in Monroe Co., VA. He married 7 Nov 1877 in Summers Co., VA. to Sarah Jane Chattin. She was the daughtaer of George Washington and Mary Catherine Kessler Chattin. R.T. died 19 Mar 1915 at Talcott, WV and Sarah died 23 Nov 1941. They were both buried at Oak Grove Cem. at Ballengee, WV.
Their children were: [1] Homer b. 17 Oct 1879, Summers Co., WV and died 11 Jan 1943. He married Katherine Florence Chattin 24 May 1904 and they had one child. [2] Bessie M. b. 28 Mar 1882, Summers WV. She md David Franklin Dunn 28 May 1901 and they had 5 children. She died 1958. [3] Grace M. b. 20 Sept 1883; died 1962. She married Walter B. (Jack) Dunn (brother to David F.) 4 June 1903 and they had 2 children. [4] Schuyler Caulifax b. 30 Jan 1885 at Ballengee, Summers, WV. He died 27 July 1958. He married Ida E. Canterbury and they had 6 children. {Virginia Ballengee Sherman, researcher}
6) GEORGE H. BALLENGEE, the sixth child of Eli Ballengee and his second wife, Elizabeth Garten, was born about 1856 in Monroe Co., VA.
7) SHANNON LEO BALLENGEE, the seventh child of Eli and his second wife, Elizabeth Garten, was born about 1864. He married 29 Dec 1885 in Summers Co., WV to Medcena Miller. She was born about 1869 to A.J. and Sarah Miller.
(Records on Eli's family from: Monroe Co. Marriage Records, Death Records, Birth Records; Summers Co. Marriages and Deaths; Censuses of Monroe: 1850-80.
Henry Harrison Ballengee was the son of John H. and Mary Norris Ballengee and was born 30 Nov 1828 in Monroe Co., WV. He was married 15 Nov 1845 in Monroe Co. to Lucinda Garten with Lewis Copeland posting bond. She may have been a widow of a Garten or Lewis C. may have been her guardian. Her parentage is not yet known and Lewis Copeland may be her father. She was born in 1831 and died 5 Feb 1913 in Monroe Co., WV.
When the Civil War came along, H.H. joined the confederate side and became a private in Co. A. of the 26th Battalion of Virginia Infantry. It would be of interest to know where that company served.
H.H. and Lucinda had five children before the war broke out and two more afterward:
1) JAMES L. BALLENGEE the first child of Henry Harrison and Lucinda Ballengee was born in 1848 in Monroe Co., VA. He was listed in the 1860 Monroe census.
2) GEORGE WASHINGTON BALLENGEE, the second child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 4 July 1852 in Monroe Co., VA. He removed to Missouri in 1881 where he married 30 Aug 1881 to Margaret Etta Ballard. She was b. 3 Jan 1865 in Lawrence Co. Ohio to Isaac F. and Rebecca (Arnot) Ballard). They resided in Craig, Holt Co., MO where they had four babies. An infant was b. 30 Aug 1889 and died 12 Oct 1889; Edna b. 6 Mar 1891, md W. R. Henderson 27 Aug 1913 and died 30 Jan 1920; Veva b. 14 May 1893 was the reporter for this family; and Hazel b. 10 Aug 1901 and died 28 Sep 1901. George W. died 17 June 1932 and Margaret lived until 27 Oct 1953. They were buried at the New Liberty Cemetery at Craig, MO.
3) VERA MARY JANE BALLENGEE, the third child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 25 May 1853 in Monroe Co., VA. She married David Allen 4 Dec 1873 in Monroe Co., VA. They reared a family of seven in WV. Ruth Anderson had the family Bible which lists: Etta Florance b. 16 Sep 1874-9 Sep 1904, md B. D. Thompson; Walter Elba 15 Oct 1876 - 19 May 1944, md Lottie Cardon 28 Aug 1901; Laura Janet 23 Jan 1879 - 21 Jan 1940, md Luther Wales Anderson 1 May 1906; Grace Alice 6 July 1882 - 22 Jan 1968, md Cyrus Emmett Brown; Ulda Viola 23 Apr 1885 - 30 Sep 1967, md B.D. Thompson; Bertha Claudia 3 July 1888 - 9 Sep 1904, md Cleo Hutchison 19 Nov 1898; Roy Russell 6 June 1893 - 9 Nov 1946, md Verna Byrd 1 Mar 1914. David Allen died 4 Dec 1873 and Mary Jane died 11 Feb 1923 at Lick Creek, Summers, WV., and was buried at Forrest Hill, WV. (Ruth Anderson and Ruth Nolder contributors)
4) GILES HENRY BALLENGEE, the fourth child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 17 Nov 1855 in Monroe Co., VA. He married 28 Dec 1882 to Salina Virginia Chattin. She was b. 13 Nov 1864 to George W. and Mary C. (Kessler) Chattin. They lived in Summers Co., WV and contributed the land which became the Oak Grove Cemetery. He died 28 June 1897 and was buried at the cemetery on his property. Salina died 9 June 1937 at Ballengee, WV. Their children were: Kyle b. ca 1884 and died in infancy; Willie Clyde 18 July 1886 - 22 May 1967 and md Warnie Gustus Tabor 25 Dec 1902; Thomas Estil 29 Aug 1888 and md Vergie Mae Kessler; Nellie Faye 19 Mar 1890 - 2 Feb 1926, md Edward Martin; Roy Giles 21 July 1892 - 5 June 1952, md Myrtle Blake Akers 12 Feb 1915 (more info); Harry Holman 23 apr 1894 - , md Pearl Willis; Charles Carmelle 11 Sep 1895, md 2 Sep 1926 to Eunice Mae Bryant; James Finnel 3 Apr 1897, md 1) Iddings, 2) Ana Lively. (contributors: Mrs. C.C. Ballengee, Thomas Estel Jr, Myrtle Akers Ballengee)
5) WILLIAM HARRISON BALLENGEE, the fifth child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 6 Oct 1858. He married 1) to Burdette Moore and 2) __
6) RICHARD A. BALLENGEE, the sixth child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 28 Mar 1861 in Monroe Co., WV and died 12 June 1901. He married 24 Jan 1889 to Lucy Jane Wilson. They reared six children in Monroe Co.: Gaye 30 Nov 1889, md Frank Bert Parker 2 May 1906; Carrie 26 Jan 1893, md Joseph g. Bowman 20 Sep 1919; Pearl 30 mar 1896 - 15 July 1969, md Posey G. Smith 3 Dec 1919; Paul Richard 15 Apr 1901 - 3 apr 1949, md Erma R. Ballengee 31 Aug 1921, the dau of George Thomas and Isa Belle Mann Ballengee; Ray 9 Mar 1891 - 24 Sep 1909; Glenn 24 Mar 1898 - 4 Mar 1900. After Richard A. died, Lucy Jane md Silas W. Parker 15 Apr 1903 in Summers Co., WV. (Sources: Monroe Co. Mgs, Deaths, 1870 census, Erma Ballengee, J. Kenneth Peters).
7) LORENIA (or LAVENA) ALICE BALLENGEE, the seventh child of H.H. and Lucinda Ballengee was born 21 June 1870 in Summers Co., WV. She married 8 Nov 1888 to Henry A. Gwinn. They had 9 children: Homer who lived in Wash. D.C., George who became a minister and lived at Peterstown, WV; John moved to L.A.,CA; Rose md a Zemmick and lived at Lakeside NE; Lina md a Holmes and moved to Edwood, IN; Ruth who married a Prewitt and lived in Scotland, IN; Paul moved to Cincinnati, OH; Edna md a Myers and moved to Fairmont, IN; and Mamie who md an Everling and lived at Elwood IN. (from Veva Ballengee, a cousin)
Probably the daughter of Eli and Mary Norris was born about 1825. She was married in Monroe County, VA to Meredith Fisher. James A. Fisher posted bond. The bond is dated 1 Feb 1845 and states that the marriage would be performed shortly. Witness: Mariday Fisher and James R. Fisher (copy donated by Adaline Beck). The children of this couple were: Henry Harrison, b. 1845; A.C. b. 1847; A. J. b. 29 Sep 1849; Nancy J. b. 1852; Elizabeth b. 1855; Martha D. b. 1857 in Monroe Co; Lucindy b. 1859 in Fayette; Cinthy b. 1860 in Fayette. The first 6 children were all born in Monroe Co.
Meredith Fisher served in the Civil War. He was enlisted in Capt. Thurmond's Co., VA Cavalry as a private. He was captured in Fayette Co., VA and taken to Wheeling and was then transferred to Camp Chase, Ohio in 1862. He was then transferred to Cairo, Ill where he was exchanged. He was sick at the time. For his services he was granted 400 acres in Fayette Co., WV.