Part of the Indiana Biographies Project
Ezra Ballenger
Ezra Ballenger, farmer and dealer in stock, near Williamsburg, was born in Green Township, Wayne Co., Ind., Dec. 20, 1836. He was reared on a farm, and obtained a good business education in the schools of his native village, Williamsburg. He remained at home till he grew to mauhood, and has followed farming through life. He is one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers of his township, making a specialty of line hogs. He was married March 4, 1858, to Martha, daughter of George and Martha Debilbiss, of Licking County, Ohio. Her parents are of French descent. Mr. and Mrs. Ballenger have had three children — Will E., dry goods merchant in Cambridge City, Ind.; Harry M., died at the age of fifteen years, and Izzie B., aged fifteen years. Mr. Ballenger has been a member of the Board of Education of Williamsburg a number of years. He is a member of Chinkarorer Lodge, No. 120, I. O. O. F., and of Encampment No. 74, Williamsburg. He is also a member of the Grand Encampment of the State. Politically he is a Republican. His grandparents, William and Anna (Sharp) Ballenger, were born, reared and married in Virginia, and afterward lived in Kentucky, where Charles B., our subject's father, was born Feb. 17, 1810, and when he was twelve years old his parents removed to Green Township, Wayne Co., Ind. William Ballenger entered the Revolutionary war at the age of eighteen years, and served till its close. He died in 1825. His wife died soon after coming to Wayne County. Charles B. began learning the wheelwright's trade at the age of sixteen, at which he worked seven years. The rest of his life has been spent in farming, which he has followed with much success. He was married June 3, 1S30, to Eliza Scovell, born March 10, 1812, and died Aug. 4, 1881, a daughter of Orr and Mary Scovell. Seven children were born to them — Data, died when four years old; Sylvester, was an attorney at law at Cambridge City, Wayne County, where he died at the age of forty-one years; Ezra, our subject; Martin, was killed by lightning May 27, 1873; Charles, an attorney at law in Indianapolis, who died March 10, 1880; Sarah J., wife of Daniel Bradbury, of Indianapolis, and Mary A., wife of Lafayette Coggshall, of Green Township.
Source:
History of Wayne County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Volume 2