BALCH

EVANS

JOHN AND CATHERINE CLELLAND BALCH

MARYLAND FAMILY:  Our  immigrant Balch ancestor, John Balch (b. 1630-31, a Presbyterian) arrived in Maryland from County Somerset England in approximately 1658. John decided to come to the new world for fortune.  He settled in Deer Creek, Lord Baltimore's Maryland Colony.  Within a year he married Catherine Clelland, daughter of a Scottish family in 1659. Catherine and John had two sons, Thomas Balch and Robert Balch (no other information about Robert is known). 

THOMAS AND AGNES SOMERVILLE BALCH

Their son, Thomas Balch (born about 1660; died 1730), was a restless and impulsive adventurer,  who in his early 20s chose to travel to Somersetshire England where he served as Captain of the rebellion troops of  James Scott/1st Duke of Monmouth during Scott's attempt to seize the English throne of King James II.  After defeat at the the disastrous final battle at Sedgemoor, July 5,1685, Thomas sailed, disguised, from Bristol to Annapolis Maryland in 1685. He married Agnes Somerville with whom he only one known son Hezekiah Balch.

HEZEKIAH AND MARTHA BLOOMER BALCH

In 1707 Thomas and Agnes' son Hezekiah Balch married Martha Bloomer. Hezekiah and Martha Balch also had sons named 1)  James Balch and 2) John Balch, January 23, 1715-16. Martha died sometime during or after the birth of son John.  By his second wife Sarah whose last name is unknown to me, Hezekiah had two more sons and a daughter.

1) Their son, James was born on  December 5, 1714 at St. George's Parish, MD.   James traveled to England and the "Low Countries" in 1732 (about 17 years of age).  He returned to Maryland and married Eastern Shore resident Anne Goodwyn in 1737.  In 1743 they settled in Harford County, MD in the Deer Creek area.  Anne and James had 12 children.  Anne died in 1760.  In 1769 James moved the family to Mecklenburg area of NC.  James died three years after the death of his beloved son Rev. Hezekiah James Balch (1746-1776, unmarried, Princeton graduate, Presbyterian minister, enjoyed writing poetry, one of the writers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence May 20, 1775.)

John Balch (b. 1715-16) traveled to England and the "Low Countries" in 1732 (about 17 years of age).  He returned to Maryland and married Anne Goodwyn in 1737.  In 1743 they settled in Harford County, MD in the Deer Creek area.   Anne died in 1760.  John moved the family to Mecklenburg area of NC.  John died three years after the death of his beloved son Hezekiah James (1746-1776, unmarried, who enjoyed writing poetry).

Per Balch Genealogica by Thomas Willing Balch (See Google books)
Per http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/2953/chapter2.html

 

3JAMES and ANNE GOODWYN/GOODWIN BALCH

 They had a number of children: 
 Mary Balch, born March 7th, 1738
 Elizabeth Balch, b. 4/25/1740.
 Margaret Balch
 Rhoda Balch
 Hezekiah James Balch, b. 1746, d.1776
 Stephen Bloomer Balch,
 James Balch, born December 25th, 1750
 William Goodwyn Balch, b.1751 d. 10/14/1822
 Rachel Balch
 John Balch, born 1760.
 Amos Balch, born July 20, 1758 in Deer Creek  Maryland; Died 1838 in Bedford Co. TN.  Buried in Thompson Cemetery, Bedford County, TN.
 

AMOS and ANNE PATTON BALCH

Our direct line ancestor AMOS BALCH married ANNE PATTON in 1782 in either NC or TN.  She was the daughter of SAMUEL PATTON and she was born on December 1st in 1760 and died April 5, 1824.

Amos traveled with his parents from his birth home in Deer Creek, Maryland to North Carolina, to Eastern Tennessee, and ultimately to Kentucky.  Amos was a Presbyterian. Though blind in one eye and exempt from service, Amos volunteered for Revolutionary War service. He served 9 months and applied for a pension in 1812.  For more on his Revolutionary War service see: http://balchipedia.wikidot.com/amosbalch  and to see a transcription of his pension filing see: http://southerncampaign.org/pen/s2943.pdf

 Per Genealogy of the Balch Families in America By Galusha Burchard Balch:

In a letter dated March 9, 1834, he wrote the following to his son, Alfred Moore : " I truly rejoice that you live in a state where the curse of slavery dare not show its head, and where republican principles prevail. With regard to myself, I still  teach school not far from Lexington (Tenn.). I still board at Mr. Wadley's. I enjoy tolerable health for a person of my age. I expect to continue my school till the middle of August next."

Children of AMOS BALCH and ANN PATTON are:

JOHN BLOOMER and SARAH COOK BALCH

In mid January of 1817, John married Sarah Cook who was born in 1801, so she was about 16 years old.  Sarah only lived till 1852.  They had 10 children together.

John Bloomer Balch was a farmer in Tennessee until 1840.  At that time he moved to Panola County, Mississippi where he lived until his death 24 years later.   John was an old line Whig who deeply regretted Mississippi's secession. All of his sons served in the confederate army during the Civil War.
 

JOHN COLWELL BALCH, b. 18 Apr 1826, Desoto Co., MS; d. 15 Jan 1883, Rufus, Jackson Co., AR; m. MARY CAROLINE BAKER, 9 Sep 1847, Desoto Co., MS.  John Colwell Balch and his family lived in Poinsett County, AR and then Jackson County, AR in 1861.  Two years after his brother, Minos, John Colwell enlisted in the confederate army in 1863 under General Sterling Price.  They had 10 children, 6 born at Vicksburg, MS and 4 at Rufus, AK.  In 1881 on Christmas Day, John married his second wife, the Widow Eliza Smith.

EMILY BALCH, b. 28 Nov 1818; d. 1864, Never Married.

RUFUS COLWELL BALCH, b. 20 Jan 1819 in Bedford County, TN.  He ultimately moved to Little Rock, AR. Rufus married Elinor P. Wootten in MS.  A farmer, they had 5 children and attended the Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon. Per the Genealogy of the Balch Families in America by Galusha Burchard Balch, Rufus was a man of  "proverbial honesty and sturdy mold (page 484)."  He started as a Private in the Confederate Army in 1862, but rose to the level of Captain of Calvary and served until May 1865.  For several terms, he served as a Justice of the Peace.

MARY ANN BALCH, b. 1821; d. 18701; m. A. BAKER.

AMANDA BALCH, b. 1822; d. Nov 1886.

MINOS NEWTON BALCH, b. 11 Nov 1823; d. 07 Jun 1885.  Minos married Mary Baker in 1850.  They had 2 children, son Marcellus (Sell; Selly) and daughter Mary E.  His wife died in 1853, perhaps at or soon after childbirth.  Marcellus was born 27 July 1852; Mary E. 1853.  So, Minos married again... in 1856 to Mary Elander and they lived in Poinsett County, AK in 1858.  They had 5 children, Margaret, John, Emily J., William Roscoe, and Mary C.   They moved to Jackson County, AR.  In 1861 Minos enlisted in the Confederate Army, serving in the ambulance corps.  His group was surrendered in April 1865 at Goldsboro, NC.

LYDIA BALCH, b. 14 Apr 1827.

JANE BALCH, b. 1829.

ELIZA TENNESSEE BALCH, b. 15 Jan 1830 in Madison County, MS.   Eliza's attempts at having a stable family were very problematic as her first two husbands died after they only had one child together.  First she married a Mr. Brown with whom she had one child, a daughter named Sarah Brown.  Mr. Brown passed away before they had any other children.  The daughter Sarah Brown ultimately married a T. B. Rogers and lived in Janesville, IL.  Then Eliza married a Mr. Edwards and they had one child; and again her husband died after just one child, named Mary!  Eliza then moved to IL and married her third husband, Mr. Wily Matthews in August of 1871.  They had two daughters together, Maud and Gertrude.  Wily and Eliza moved the family to Nebraska.  

HELEN BALCH, b. 1832.
 

JOHN COLWELL and MARY CAROLINE BAKER BALCH

John farmed in Cache, Arkansas.  John and Mary Baker Balch had many children:

JONAS HENRY "LUMP" & MARGARET ALICE CRABTREE BALCH
Second from Left, Middle Row, Jonas Henry "Lump" Balch
Third from Left, Back Row, is likely second wife, Mary O. Balch.
Girl holding vase between parents is Myrtle May Balch (age 11)
3 small children in picture are likely Mary/Jonas' children rather than Margaret/Jonas

Jonas Balch, nicknamed "Lump" was born December 22nd in 1858 in Vicksburg, Warren County, MS.  He died 16 March 1902.  Lump was married twice.  First to our line, Margaret Alice Crabtree, daughter of John Crabtree.  Margaret evidently died prior to 1895, when Lump then married Mary O. LNU. 

1900 Census for Jonas and Margaret Balch, Rickwoods Townships, District 56, Jackson County, AR taken in June 13, 1900:


Jonas H. Balch is listed as married to a "Mary O." who is 24 years of age to his 41.  They have been married 5 years, so this appears to be his 2nd wife.  Following children by previous marriage, to Margaret Alice Crabtree Balch:
       1) Bradford Henry Balch, age 19 now
       2) Corina, age 13, born Oct 1886 - See picture below
       3) Faustine 10, born June 1889 - See picture below
       4) Mirtle/Myrtle, age 9 born May 5, 1891 (d. 1963) (small Photo as adult)  See picture below with her sisters and stepsisters           
       Grace/Gracy age 7, born April 1893  - See picture below

     Children by his second wife, Mary are:
      5 AND 6) Twins Idell & Roell Balch, born Jan 1896, ages 4.  This is a picture of Idell
      and see group picture below with her sisters and stepsisters
     7) Gertha BALCH, born Feb 1898, age 2.

 

 

Here is a picture of Gertha as adult; also see group picture below:

 

 

Also in the household is Ashley Strathy, brother-in-law
  (Mary O. last name is Strathy?) and Robert Hatcher, a "Hireling."

Jonas is listed as born in MS to MS-born parents.  The children are born in AR to an AR born mom.  Jonas is a farmer.  All can read and write.

          GROUP PICTURE OF JONAS' DAUGHTERS

 HENRY BRADFORD and IONA FRANCIS MOSER BALCH
     

Henry Bradford Balch, son of Jonas, was born on December 28 in 1880 in Arkansas.  He died in Mount Pleasant, AR.  He married Iona Francis Moser who was born in Mt. Pleasant, AR 26 May 1882 and died Nov 1968 per the SSDI.

Bradford and Iona
Balch's Wedding Photo 4

 

Donna: My Uncle Tom lived about 2 miles from his grandparents, Henry Bradford and Iona Balch.  They would play cards together often and Henry Grandpa Balch would light a big Aladdin lantern and would say, "We'll play till we burn one bottle of it!" Tom says that his grandfather was a "good man, a caring man" who loved his family greatly.  He would spoil Iona, even doing most of the cooking, which he did very well.  He could make pretty biscuits and gravy and the biscuits would always be perfectly browned on top. Grandmama Balch, Iona, was a very happy woman who laughed often.  Sometimes she would ask Uncle Tom to put drops of water in her eyes, and he did it.  Henry Bradford was an insurance salesman for Modern Woodsmen of America and he served as a Justice of the Peace.  At one point he owned a car that had a turtle back.  Uncle Tom relays the story that he was hunting with another person and they shot a raccoon with a tagged ear.  Grandpa Balch told us that we were in trouble and told us to send the tag into the game and fish commission so they could track it.  Dad, on the other hand, cleaned the coon the next morning and told us not to send it in.  We did anyway and got a letter back telling us the coon had traveled hundreds of miles!  Also, Grandpa Balch had a dog named Shorty.  Around his property was a chain linked fence that was bordered at the bottom with 2x4s.  Grandpa Balch would tell Shorty to go walk around the fence and he would - on the boards everytime!  Ah, another memory!  Uncle Tom was jumped on by two boys, Bobby Gene Rudolph and a Thompson boy, and failed to fight back. Grandpa Balch was not pleased and told Tom, whom he called "Bub" that he would be take a persimmon switch to Bub if he did not fight back.  So, Tom went to the boys and fought them - giving one a bloody nose and both of them bruises.  Grandpa was pleased with Tom defending himself and hugged his neck. 

 

Front, Seated L to R:

Bradford Henry and Iona Balch with their firstborn, Lanceford Balch.

2nd Row on Right: Laura Balch

Others unknown at this time.

 

 

 

 

 

Children of HENRY BRADFORD and IONA MOSER BALCH are:

Bradford Henry Balch's WWII and WWI draft registration cards:
 

1910 Census for Henry and Iona Balch, West side of Barren Fork Township on Cushman Road, Izard County, AR taken April 28th 1910:

Living with the Balch family on their farm is Iona's mom, Mary J. Moser, who is a widow at age 48.  She is listed as having only one child, daughter Iona.   Henry and Iona have been married 7 years and have 3 living children from 4 pregnancies.  Sons are Jacob H., age 6, William W, age 4, and daughter Lucille who is 6 months old.  All are listed as born in Arkansas.

1920 Census for Henry and Iona Balch, Barren Fork Township, Izard County, AR taken in January 1920:

This household, headed by Henry B. Balch, contains Henry age 38, wife Iona 39, Jakie H. 15, Willie W. 14, Lucille 11, and Lanceford 5.  Also with them is a servant P. Crosby 24.  Henry is listed as being born to a Tennessee-born father.  All other listings are for Arkansas.  Henry, Jakie and Willie are all working the farm.

1930 Census for Henry and Iona Balch, Barren Fork Township, Izard County, AR taken April 2nd, 1930:

Henry owns his home which is valued at about $1500 and he is listed as working as a merchant for a general store.  He and Iona are 50, having married when they were 21 years of age.  Living with them is son Lanceford H, age 15, and Chalmus, age 9.  All are listed as being born in Arkansas to AK-born parents.  All are able to read and write and the boys are attending school in 1930. 

NOTE:  Pvt. Lanceford H. Balch was killed in action during WWII while on New Britain Island.  The date was 14 January 1944.  He was the artillery man for his unit and took a direct hit.  He is buried in the  Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.  

Donna: The walking cane of  his grandfather, Henry Bradford Balch, is owned by my Uncle Tom today.  Grandpa Balch whittled the cane personally and it has the initials H.B. carved in the underside of the handle.  Tom is very proud of owning this cane from his Grandpa Balch.

Also Tom is the proud owner of his Grandmama's, Iona Moser Balch, large black iron pot in which she often made soap and lard.  She would begin the long and slow process of rendering down the fatback to white fat and then took the cracklings out first and made corn bread cracklings from the fat. Uncle Tom loved a meal of fresh cornbread, milk, peas and potatoes!

Lucille M. Balch married WILLIAM EARL EVANS

Click HERE to see the Balch/Evans family tree webpage

See also http://www.hsp.org/files/findingaid3058balch.pdf.  Balch Family Papers, a history of the Philadelphia branch of the Balch family which traces it roots back to Stephen Bloomer Balch (1747-1833) born in Deer Creek, MD, brother of Hezekiah James Balch (see above), clergyman and signer of the Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence.

Please share information....  Questions? Comments? 

      catorfamily@bellsouth.net 
 

 

Click on any pictures outlined in blue for full size images

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NEW

From Dave Ball:
14 Balch Children
who are identified by this card:

Balch gathering at Henry Leurs on a Christmas Day.  Faustine had GB in his high chair sitting alone and he was crying.
Can you identify the people?

LtoR: Laura and Faustine Balch

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