John Ballard, a farmer of Clark Township, was born in Kentucky, May 18, 1832, and is a son of Taylor and Nancy (Fitzpatrick) Ballard. The former was of English descent, and was born in 1801, and was assassinated January 15, 1885; the latter of Irish descent, was born in 1806, and died March 6, 1883. Our subject’s early life was spent on a farm in Clark Township. He received a good common school education. At twenty-one years of age he began the struggle of life for himself as a farmer, and on January 27, 1859, he was united in matrimony to Charlotte Drake, a daughter of Gideon and Susan Drake, the former of whom was born in 1801, and the latter in 1805. To this union the following children were born: Theodore, deceased; Taylor O., born October 8, 1862; Laura May, born December, 1868; Arthur, born March 6, 1876. The mother of these children was born December 8, 1837. He and wife are members of the Protestant Methodist Church, and in politics he is a republican. He now owns 143 acres of fine land in Clark Township. His father lived alone, and it was generally known that he had a great deal of money, and on going to the barn to feed his stock, he was waylaid and shot twice.