John H. Ballengee is an ancestor to many people from West Virginia. Most of the
family relationships are built upon circumstantial evidence. We need a probate record from
Monroe or Summers counties to establish proof of these connections.
We know of him because on the death certificate of Henry Harrison Ballengee, the parents
were given as John H. and Mary Norris Ballengee. It was stated that John H. was born in
WV. Since H.H.'s birthdate was given as 1828, we estimate that John H. was born about
1800-10. We do not yet have a marriage record for this family. Perhaps a descendant owns
a family Bible. We are hoping that by posting what little we know of this family, that
descendants will come forward and help fill in the gaps.
Since John's children resided in Forest Twp. of Summers County, we assume that this was where
he made his home. We do not know of his burial place.
There was an Eli Ballengee who lived in the neighborhood of H.H. Ballengee and is
probably his brother. He was born 13 Dec 1821 in VA (probably Monroe County). He resided
in Forest Hills Township with a Rollinsville P.O.
He married 1) to Mary J. Johnson in Dec. of 1842 (Monroe Bk F6; J:4263). She was the
daughter of Reuben Johnson. She died abt 1844-6, probably in childbirth with their first
child, John R. Ballengee who was born in 1844. He then married Elizabeth Garten 16 Oct
1847 in Monroe Co.,WV with consent by Thompson Evans (BkF8; J 54739). She was b. in
1827 to Richard and Millis Garten and died 6 Oct 1878 (Summers Co. Death Recds). She
was the mother of 6 of his children: Julia Ann, Sarah Melinda, Mary Jane, Richard Thomas,
George H., and Shannon Leo.
Eli Ballengee was a teacher in the Poor Schools in 1848-9.
Eli died 13 June 1900 at Talcott, Summers, WV at the home of his son, R. T. (Monroe Deaths
Vol. 28:9).
2-2 Julia Ann Ballengee b. 1847 in Monroe Co. VA. (1850c, 1860c). Julia Ann md Hiram J.
Davis 7 Feb 1867 at age 20 in Monroe Co., WV.
3-2 Sarah Melinda Ballengee b. 1848 in Monroe Co., VA (1850c, 1860c). She md Lawrence
Williams 17 June 1872 in Summers Co., WV.
4-2 Mary Jane Ballengee b. 1853 in Monroe Co., VA. She md James W. Tomlinson 10 Oct
1867 in Monroe Co., WV.
5-2 Richard Thomas b. 21 June 1853 in Monroe Co., VA. He married Sarah J. Chattin
7 Nov 1877 in Summers Co., WV. He died 19 Mar 1915 and was buried at Oak Grove Cem at
Ballengee, WV.
6-2 George H. Ballengee b. 1856 in Monroe Co., VA.
7-2 Shannon Leo Ballengee b. 1864 in Monroe Co., VA. He md Medcena Miller 29 Dec
1889 in Summers Co., WV. He died 29 Dec 1885 in Summers Co.
Rod Ballengee has sent a copy of a painting of
Giles Henry Ballengee (b. 11/25/1856 - d. 7/2/1897) His wife was Celina V. Chattin
(b. 1864 - d. 6/6/1938)
The Picture of the Roy Giles Ballengee Family was
taken in 1947. Seated up front is Myrtle Blake Akers (b. 9/10/1893 - d. 12/8/1983). and Roy Giles
Ballengee (b7/21/1892 - d. 6/5/1952). Roy is the grandfather of Rod Ballengee who donated the picture.
His father was Giles Henry Ballengee and his father was Henry Harrison Ballengee and his father was
John H. Ballengee.
JOHN M. BALLENGEE b. 1839/40 in Monroe Co.,VA. Married 12 Oct 1858 to Sarah Ann C.
Garten. (Her sister md Eli Ballengee) She was the daughter of Richard and Mary Garten and
was b. 1837 and d. 1921. (See Summers Co. Mg. Book 2, p. 18). They resided in Forest Hills
Twp at the mouth of Indian R. not far from Harrison Henry Ballengee and Eli Ballengee.
H.H., Eli and John M. appear to be children of John H. and Mary, though I have John M's
mother listed as Martha (maybe Mary Martha?)
John M. Ballengee was a confederate soldier, having served in Flowers Co. of VA Battary and
Capt. Lowry's Co. of VA Light Artillery.
The children of John M. and Sarah Garten Ballengee were:
1. Elizabeth T. Ballengee b. 3 Oct 1859 in Monroe Co. and died 30 Oct 1859 (from Monroe Co.
Watchman)
2. Henry Lee Ballengee b. 10 Mar 1867 at Greenville, Monroe, WV. He md 18 Dec 1887 to Laura
A. Kincaid (Summers Mg. Bk 1:5)
3. Virginia Alice Ballengee b. 1872 in Summers Co. md 6 Oct 1887 to James M. Kincaid
(Summers Mg Bk 1:5)
4. John Maston Ballengee b. 1873 in Summers Co., md Anna M. Cox 11 Jan 1894 (dau. of
Harvey & Sarah J. Cox).
John M. Ballengee died in 1872. He is buried at Hoffman Cem, Monroe Co., WV. Sarah later
remarried to James Buckland 18 Mar 1884 (son of Stephen and Malinda Buckland). James
Buckland was named guardian of John M.'s children. (Summers Co.: Fiduciary Bk 1:13).
Sarah died 1921 and is buried at Elk Knob Cem.
