Henry Bally, a prominent farmer and stockman of Rock Creek township, has been a resident of Butler county for thirty-eight years. He was born in Ashland county, Ohio, May 19, 1845, and is a son of Yost and Elizabeth (Bare) Bally, natives of Germany. The parents were married in their native land and immigrated to America some time between 1820 and 1825, settling in Pennsylvania. At an early day they moved to northern Indiana, and from there to Ashland county, Ohio. In 1847, when Henry was about two years of age, the family migrated to Illinois and settled in Woodford county, about twenty miles from Peoria. At that time Peoria was a small village of less than one hundred inhabitants and had only one grocery store. The parents spent the remainder of their days in Woodford county, the father dying in February, 1878, and his wife departed this life in 1882. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom Henry was the ninth in order of birth.

Henry Bally grew to manhood on the home farm in Illinois and received his education in the public schools, such as were provided in those pioneer days. When the Bally family located in Woodford county, the father bought land for $3.40 per acre, and the same land today is worth $340 per acre.

In 1869 Henry Bally married Miss Martha A. Bunch, a daughter of Joseph and Phylenia (Moorehouse) Bunch, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Massachusetts. Mr. Bunch was a Republican and a strong Union man during the Civil war, and one of his sons served in the Union army during that conflict. After his marriage Mr. Bally engaged in farming in Illinois, and met with a reasonable degree of success until the panic of 1873, when he lost all. He then decided to go farther west where opportunities were greater, and in 1878 came to Kansas and located in Rock Creek township, Butler county. His capital was limited and he began operations in a small way. He increased his holdings from time to time until he has become one of the substantial and well-to-do farmers and stockmen of Rock Creek township, and today is a leader in his community.

To Mr. and Mrs. Bally have been born three children, as follows: Bertha, married L. M. Base, of Rock Creek township; Harry, died at the age of four years, and Nora, married Arthur J. Watkins, of Rock Creek township.

Mr. Bally is a Republican and takes a keen interest in political affairs, but has never aspired to hold political office. Mr. and Mrs. Bally are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and prominent in the community in which they reside. They belong to that type of pioneers who, by self-sacrifice, have made Butler county what it is today.

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