The Descendants of John R. Balch and Sophia Stone

 

Family 1:

 

John Balch and Sophia Stone of Tennessee. 

 

We find this John Balch in the Sumner County, Tennessee area with his marriage to Sophia Stone in January of 1833.  Note that a Family Tree Maker file shows John born in Green River, Kentucky in 1810.  We do not have the original source for this record.

 

And now I indulge in a bit of speculation, and I forewarn any and all that this is just an idea, a notion, and that there is no basis of fact.  Please remember this.

 

   There is a story passed down through the John Balch – Sophia Stone line for many generations that John told of how his family lost many of their belongings, which included his sister wedding dress, when they crossed, or attempted to get their wagon and team across a swollen stream.  This event is said to have occurred when the family was on their way to a new home.

 

   There is also a similar story told and recorded in my history file notes on the family of William Balch and Rebecca McClellan of Sparta, Tennessee.  This event occurred some time after William the father’s death when William, the eldest son, came back home and moved his mother, his brothers Hezekiah and John, and at least one of his sisters, to his home in Illinois.  It was on this ill-fated trip that while they were camped with several other traveling families on the banks of a swollen river, waiting for the waters to subside so they could ford the stream, that young John Balch disappeared, never to be heard from again. We do not know the location of this event, however, we had assumed that it might have been the Cumberland River, which flows through Sumner County, Tennessee.  We do know that the event happened sometime around 1828-1830.   So, our young John Balch would have been about 17-19 years of age at that time.  We could also assume that John may have been despondent at the time.  It was shortly after losing his father, his family being uprooted from the farm near Sparta to go and live with his older brother in a new place with which he was unfamiliar, and so on.  He may have been disposed to run away from the family.  Also, since he would not have wanted the family to find him, he might have rearranged some of the points in his story about being from Green River.  It may indeed have been the Cumberland River……  But now, we could get carried away here.

 

   Now to the speculation:

 

   I believe it is entirely possible that our two John Balch’s, that is, our young John Balch son of William of Sparta, and our John R. Balch of Sumner County, could be one and the same.  The age seems about right, the two similar stories about the swollen river crossing, and the general area where the event could have occurred.  Our file on William Balch shows that he had moved to the Paducah, Kentucky area in 1828.  We note though that Paducah is just across the river from Illinois, and William is said to have lived in Illinois.  Further there are several rivers that would necessarily need to be crossed on this journey.  Although somewhat north of a route they might have taken, the Green River could have been one of those streams.  And so, while I have not listed this John R. Balch connected to our family, it remains a possibility that it is so.

 

   Please remember that this is just speculation and that none of us researching the family history have been able to establish anything concrete that would permit us to connect this family chain to our Maryland Balch line.

 

Gene Balch , September 2007

 

   A print out of the family history line of John R. Balch and Sophia Stone follows:

 

 

 

 

FIRST GENERATION

 

1.  John R. BALCH was born on 11 Oct 1810 in TN.  He died on 20 Jul 1892 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

   The old Stone-Baulch Cemetery is located 1 3/10 miles north of Gallatin, just off highway 109. 

   This John Balch is unlinked to our Maryland family.  We have seen many references to him and to his wife Sophia Stone.  In many cases the name is spelled Baulch.

 

    A Family Tree Maker file lists this John R. Balch as being born in Green River, Kentucky and shows his death as July 30, 1892.  We note that the Green River itself runs for some great distance east to west across the state of Kentucky.  The source of the river begins at a small lake just south of Stanton, Kentucky, which is SSW of Lexington and empties into the Ohio River just south of Evansville, Indiana.  Although there may have been a Green River town or community at one time, we are unable to identify one at this time.  So, we might conclude that John could have come from an area anywhere along the Green River.

 

     An 1850 Sumner County, TN Census record shows

John - age 39,

 Sophia - age 36,

    John (Jr) - age 1,

    Nancy - age 5,

    Martha - age 7,

    Eliza - age 9,

    Alfred - age 11,

    William - age 13,

     Elizabeth - age 15,

     Catharine - age 17.

This record appears as household 44, on page 559.

 

The 1860 census for Sumner Co., TN lists John and his family, as follows:

John - age 49

Sophia - age 47

   Catherine - 25

   William - 23

   Alfred - 21

   Eliza - 15

   Marthy - 13

   Nancy - 11

   Jane - 9

   Joseph 5

Note the disparity in names and ages.  Obviously some errors were made in recording the data.

 

See the notes under John Balch, son of William Balch and Rebecca McClelland.  Could it be that this is one and the same John Balch.

 

John R. Balch was married to Sophia (Sophy) STONE (daughter of William Nicholas STONE and Elizabeth (Betsey) LOVING) on 17 Jan 1833 in Sumner Co., TN.  Sophia (Sophy) STONE was born on 6 Aug 1814 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died on 5 Sep 1885 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.  TN Census - Sumner County 1850.

 

Wife of John Balch - with children - see ref under John.

 

Bill Stone - [email protected] sends:

 

     The Stone-Baulch cemetery is located 1 & /10 miles north of Gallatin on highway 109.  The cemetery itself is 150 years old and lies to the east of the highway.  The Stones he knows to be buried there are:

 

Stephen Stone and his wife Kizziah

 

Stephen Stone was born in 1750 in Caroline Co., Virginia.  He was a three-time draftee in the Revolutionary War.  He married Kizziah A. (Maiden name unknown) around 1780.  they had three children, believed to have been born in Hanover Co., Va.,  Their names were Stephen Stone, Jr., Dorothy (Dolly) Stone, and Nicholas Stone.

Shortly after the births of their children, the family moved to Gallatin, TN.  There the three Stone children all married into the Loving family:  Stephen Stone married Polly Loving; Dolly Stone married Walter Loving; and Nicholas Stone married Elizabeth (betsy) Loving.

   (Sandra descends from Nicholas)

 

Bill states that Sophia could possibly have been the child of either Stephen Jr., or Nicholas.

   Nicholas had 12 children, one of which (Nicholas Howard Stone) named one of his daughters Minnie Sophia Stone (possibly after a sister or aunt).

   Nicholas's first child, Mary S. Stone was born in Sumner Co., TN on December 6 1812.  She died Nov 7, 1852, and is buried in the Stone-Baulch Cemetery, near Gallatin.   She is believed to have married Zachariah Brazier on Dec 3, 1836.

 

 

 

  John R. BALCH and Sophia (Sophy) STONE had the following children:

 

            +2                      i.    Mary Catharine (Kate) BALCH.

            +3                     ii.    Elizabeth F. BALCH.

            +4                    iii.    William Nicholas BALCH.

            +5                    iv.    Alfred Nelson BALCH.

              6                     v.    Susan Eliza BALCH was born on 14 Nov 1844 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died on 3 Dec 1899 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

            +7                    vi.    Martha Sophia BALCH.

              8                   vii.    Nancy L. BALCH was born on 13 Jan 1848 in TN.

              9                  viii.    John BALCH was born about 1849 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died before 1860. 

 

                                                The 1860 Sumner Co. census does not list John, but does list June, age 9, and Joseph, age 5.

          +10                    ix.    Matilda Jane (Jennie) BALCH.

            11                     x.    Robert S. BALCH was born on 21 Aug 1852 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died on 15 Oct 1854.

          +12                    xi.    Joseph A. BALCH.

 

 

 

SECOND GENERATION

 

2.  Mary Catharine (Kate) BALCH was born on 12 Jan 1833 in TN.  She died about 1921 in FL. 

  

   A note from Melvin Brazzell:    Hello from Sumner Co.,Tenn. My ancestors brother Wiley Brazzell married

Catherine Balch in Sumner Co. She died in the early 1920's in Florida at her daughter's house. I saw the obit from the newspaper. That is about all I know about the Balch family. If I can assist you, let me know.

 

Melvin Brazzell

Sumner Co.,Tennessee

 

 

She was married to Wiley (Willie) BRAZZELL on 21 Mar 1861 in Sumner Co., TN.

 

3.  Elizabeth F. BALCH was born on 8 Sep 1834 in TN.

 

She was married to John W. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) (son of John Overton HIGGASON (HICKERSON) and Nancy STONE) on 5 Sep 1855 in Sumner Co., TN.  John W. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1832.  He died before 1870. 

   Elizabeth and John W. were double second cousins.

   He is said to have served as a Private, A Company, 9th Tennessee Cavaly, C.S.A.  Elizabeth F. BALCH and John W. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) had the following children:

 

            13                      i.    Sarah E. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1857.

            14                     ii.    John W. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1858.

            15                    iii.    Fountain H. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1859.

            16                    iv.    Nancy HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1862.

            17                     v.    Alice A. HIGGASON (HICKERSON) was born in 1863.

 

4.  William Nicholas BALCH was born on 25 Feb 1837 in Galatin, Sumner Co., TN.  He died on 28 Jul 1913 in Gallatin, Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN. 

    Shown in Early Middle Tennessee Marriage Records.

 

    William N.Baulch and his wife were first cousins.

 

   On 3 September 1997 we visited the Gallatin, TN area and found an old cemetery at the Salem Methodist Church, off Douglas road, off highway 109, not far north of Gallatin, Tennessee.  In this cemetery we found the following tombstones.

 

W. N. Baulch                On the same Tombstone:       Elizabeth B. Baulch

Born:  Feb 26, 1837    Born:  Oct 7, 1844

Died:  Jul 28 1913      Died: Oct 18, 1921

 

 

He was married to Elizabeth A. BRAZIER (daughter of Isaac BRAZIER and Martha (UNK)) on 3 Sep 1867 in Sumner Co., TN.  Elizabeth A. BRAZIER was born on 7 Oct 1844.  She died on 18 Oct 1921 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN.  William Nicholas BALCH and Elizabeth A. BRAZIER had the following children:

 

            18                      i.    William P. BALCH was born on 27 Sep 1868 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died on 23 Mar 1927 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN.

          +19                     ii.    George Nicholas BALCH.

          +20                    iii.    Charles S. BALCH.

          +21                    iv.    Cullen A. BALCH.

          +22                     v.    Harriett Ann  (Hattie) BALCH.

            23                    vi.    Mary Ann BALCH. 

            24                   vii.    Joe BALCH. 

 

5.  Alfred Nelson BALCH was born on 11 Jan 1840 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died in 1918 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

Carol Lee advises that there was also a daughter named Maude, who was unmarried and had no children.

 

He was married to Elizabeth Miller RYAN on 31 Oct 1865 in Sumner Co., TN.  Elizabeth Miller RYAN died in 1876 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

 

He was married to Mollie HUDSON on 16 Oct 1876 in Sumner Co., TN.  Mollie HUDSON was born in 1845.  She died in 1887.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

   Note says that Mollie may have been Mary L. Hudson.  Alfred Nelson BALCH and Mollie HUDSON had the following children:

 

            25                      i.    Nettie Alice BALCH was born in 1877.  She died in 1877.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

            26                     ii.    Albert Walter BALCH was born in 1881 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died in 1881 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

            27                    iii.    Clara Mabel BALCH was born in 1885 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died in 1885 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

          +28                    iv.    Willard BALCH.

 

7.  Martha Sophia BALCH was born on 13 Feb 1846 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died on 15 Nov 1922 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN. 

Found in September 1997,  in the old Salem Methodist Church Cemetery on Douglas lane, off highway 109 just north of Gallatin, the graves of Martha and James Richard.  From the matching lettering on the tombstones, and the fact that they were next to each other, we believe that James Richard may have been a son.

 

Martha Baulch Hollis          James Richard Hollis

Feb 22,  1846                       July 3, 1873

Nov 15,  1922                       Mar 10, 1923

 

The inscription on Martha's tombstone read:   "She was too good, too gentle, and fair, to dwell in this cold world of ours."

 

Information on Martha's children from LDS IGI files.

 

 

 

She was married to William Henry HOLLIS on 6 Oct 1867 in Sumner Co., TN.  Marriage information listed in Tennessee Confederate Widows, Page 32.

 

States that Martha S. Hollis (Balch) of Robertson Co., born in Sumner Co., in 1847; lists her husband (veteran) William H. Hollis, born in Sumner Co., in 1843 and married in 1867 in Sumner Co.  The record states that William Hollis died in Robertson Co.  William Henry HOLLIS was born on 14 Jun 1838 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died on 26 Oct 1898 in Robertson Co., TN.      Our source, listed under Martha S. indicates that she was a Civil War widow, stating that her husband William Hollis died in Robertson Co.  However, this record isn't clear, stating that they were married in 1867 in Sumner Co, and that she is a Civil War Widow.  Perhaps it means that William Hollis was a veteran of the Civil war, that he died sometime after the war, and ..... etc....  He was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

   We note that his wife Martha S. was buried with their son at the old Salem Church cemetery on  Douglas Lane, off highway 109, north of Gallatin. 

   He served as a Private, Company E, 30th Tennessee Infantry, C.S.A.

   His wife applied for a Tennessee Confederate window's pension.

  Martha Sophia BALCH and William Henry HOLLIS had the following children:

 

            29                      i.    Robert A. HOLLIS was born in 1871 in Sumner Co., TN.

            30                     ii.    James Richard HOLLIS was born on 3 Jul 1873.  He died on 10 Mar 1923 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN. 

                                               IGI FILE:           James Richard HOLLIS (M)..............  B: 3 Jul 1873                           B: 18 Nov 1976 OGDEN  Ba: 7615616 45

                                                       Father: William Henry HOLLIS             , Sumner, Tennessee                  E: 20 Jan 1977 OGDEN  So: 1058527

                                                       Mother: Martha Sophia BAULCH                  SP:  1 Mar 1977 OGDEN

 

            31                    iii.    Callie Otis HOLLIS was born on 20 Dec 1876 in Sumner Co., TN. 

                                            IGI FILE:           Callie Otis HOLLIS (F)................  B: 20 Dec 1876                          B: 10 Dec 1976 OGDEN  Ba: 7615616 45

                                                       Father: William Henry HOLLIS             , Sumner, Tennessee                  E:  3 Feb 1977 OGDEN  So: 1058527

                                                       Mother: Martha Sophia BAULCH                  SP:  2 Mar 1977 OGDEN

 

            32                    iv.    Mattie Elizabeth HOLLIS was born on 27 Mar 1879 in Sumner Co., TN. 

                                            IGI FILE:           Mattie Elizabeth HOLLIS (F)...........  B: 27 Mar 1879                          B: 10 Dec 1976 OGDEN  Ba: 7615616 45

                                                       Father: William Henry HOLLIS             , Sumner, Tennessee                  E:  3 Feb 1977 OGDEN  So: 1058527

                                                       Mother: Martha Sophia BAULCH                  SP:  2 Mar 1977 OGDEN

 

            33                     v.    Bessie B. HOLLIS was born on 29 Nov 1884 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died on 20 Jul 1890 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

            34                    vi.    George Bush Hollis HOLLIS was born on 5 Aug 1881 in Sumner Co., TN. 

                                            IGI FILE:   George Bush HOLLIS (M)................  B: 5 Aug 1881                      B: 15 Jul 1976 MANTI  Ba: 7603711 88

                                                       Father: William Henry HOLLIS             , Sumner, Tennessee                  E: 27 Oct 1976 MANTI  So: 1058201

                                                       Mother: Martha Sophia BAULCH                  SP: 23 Nov 1976 MANTI

 

 

10.  Matilda Jane (Jennie) BALCH was born on 31 Jan 1850 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died in 1921 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN. 

    Listed in the 1860 Sumner Co. census as age 9.

 

    Found in September 1997 at the old Salem Methodist Church Cemetery on Douglas Road, just off highway 109, north of Gallatin, Tennessee:

 

Three graves with one large stone that simply states  "Fuqua"

The three smaller stones have:

 

Edward J. Fuqua           Fannie Lindsey Fuqua                 Jane Baulch Lindsey

   1869-1933                           1876-1962               1850-1921

 

    It appears that Jane Baulch Lindsey may have been the mother of Fannie Lindsey Fuqua.

 

    We wonder if this Jane Baulch was one and the same as our June Balch.

 

 

She was married to William H. LINDSEY on 1 Mar 1874 in Sumner Co., TN.  Matilda Jane (Jennie) BALCH and William H. LINDSEY had the following children:

 

          +35                      i.    Fannie LINDSEY.

            36                     ii.    John F. LINDSEY was born in 1875 in Sumner Co., TN.

 

12.  Joseph A. BALCH was born on 1 May 1855 in Sumner Co., TN. 

     Listed in the 1860 census for Sumner Co.

 

Received information on this family line from Carol Lee Glanzman in August 1999.  Her Email address  was [email protected]

 

Notes recorded under Carol's record.

 

 

 

 

He was married to Fannie (UNK).  Fannie (UNK) was born on 15 Jan 1862.  She died on 25 Jan 1899 in Oklahoma.  She was buried in Fletcher Cemetery, Murray Co., OK.  Joseph A. BALCH and Fannie (UNK) had the following children:

 

          +37                      i.    Harry BALCH.

            38                     ii.    (Unknown) BALCH. 

 

 

 

THIRD GENERATION

 

19.  George Nicholas BALCH was born in 1871 in Sumner Co., TN.

 

He was married to Clara Thomas STONE on 28 Dec 1898 in Sumner Co., TN. 

   License # /0234  Clara Thomas STONE was born in 1875 in Sumner Co., TN.  George Nicholas BALCH and Clara Thomas STONE had the following children:

 

            39                      i.    Nelson BALCH. 

            40                     ii.    James Homer BALCH. 

          +41                    iii.    Ernest Franklin BALCH.

 

20.  Charles S. BALCH was born in 1872 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died in 1951 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Gallatin Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

Carol Lee Glanzman states that Charles had no children.

 

He was married to Allie DENNING on 11 Apr 1918 in Sumner Co., TN. 

   Marriage License 04/11/1918  # 014/0075  Allie DENNING was buried in Gallatin Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

 

21.  Cullen A. BALCH was born in 1875 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died in 1915 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Gallatin Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

 

He was married to Hettie T. (UNK).  Hettie T. (UNK) was buried in Gallatin Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.  Cullen A. BALCH and Hettie T. (UNK) had the following children:

 

            42                      i.    Grace BALCH. 

            43                     ii.    Herman BALCH. 

 

22.  Harriett Ann  (Hattie) BALCH was born in 1877.  

 

Carol Lee Glanzman refers to a Harriet Ann Baulch, daughter of William Nicholas.  She states that Jessie Hunter was the daughter of Harriet Ann.

 

    We wonder of Hattie and Harriett Ann are one and the same.

 

 

 

She was married to Charles Thomas NIMMO.  Harriett Ann  (Hattie) BALCH and Charles Thomas NIMMO had the following children:

 

            44                      i.    Jennie NIMMO. 

          +45                     ii.    Jessie NIMMO.

 

28.  Willard BALCH was born in 1879 in Sumner Co., TN.  He died in 1947 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN. 

Carol Lee Glanzman states that Willard was unmarried and had no children.

 

Note - we aren't sure about this listed marriage to Maude (Unk).

 

He was married to Maude (UNK).  Maude (UNK) was buried in Stone-Baulch Cemetery, Gallatin, TN.

 

35.  Fannie LINDSEY was born in 1876 in Sumner Co., TN.  She died in 1962 in Sumner Co., TN.  She was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN.

 

She was married to Edward J. FUQUA.  Edward J. FUQUA was born in 1869.  He died in 1933 in Sumner Co., TN.  He was buried in Old Salem Church, north of Gallatin, TN.

 

37.  Harry BALCH was born about 1893.  He died in Aug 1955 in Christina, MT.  Said to have died as a result of a farming accident.

 

Carol Lee Glanzman advises that Harry received 4 tracts of land in Montana through the homestead act starting 8/1/ 1916.  She advises that the family came to Montana from Tennessee, via Texas or Missouri.

 

He was married to Lorena OBEE.  Lorena OBEE was born on 20 Dec 1900 in Mount Blanchard, OH.  She died in Aug 1975.  Harry BALCH and Lorena OBEE had the following children:

 

            46                      i.    Esther BALCH. 

            47                     ii.    Mary Lee BALCH. 

          +48                    iii.    Fannie BALCH.

            49                    iv.    Nina BALCH. 

 

 

 

FOURTH GENERATION

 

41.  Ernest Franklin BALCH. 

 

He was married to Nellie L. VENABLE on 14 Sep 1929 in Sumner Co., TN. 

   License # 017/0043

 

45.  Jessie NIMMO. 

 

She was married to (Unk) HUNTER.

 

She was married to William BRIGHT.

 

48.  Fannie BALCH. 

 

Fannie BALCH had the following children:

 

            50                      i.    Carol (UNK). 

                                           

Carol Lee Glanzman provided info on her family line back to Joseph A. Balch in August 1999.

 

"She holds letters from Ernest Franklin Baulch of Gallatin, Tennessee.  According to a letter, he is the son of  George Nicholas Baulch and George was the son of William Nicholas Balch, son of John R. Balch.

 

One letter from Jessie Hunter, daughter of Harriet Ann Baulch, daughter of William Nicholas Baulch, states that she holds the Family Bible which records information on the Stone side of the family.

 

She states that John R. was referred to in some of the letters as Johnnie, and that he came to Tennessee at a young age after leaving his home in Kentucky, on or near the Green River.  (Note that we have information on other Balches being from the Green River, Kentucky area.)

 

 

As one can see this is an extensive family line and my research only scratches the surface here.  There are other sources for information on this family line on the internet.  I encourage further research for those who might be interested and I would welcome and exchange of information with others.

 

Gene Balch

 

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