OKGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of OKGenWeb State Coordinator. Presentation here does not extend any permissions to the public. This material can not be included in any compilation, publication, collection, or other reproduction for profit without permission. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ===================================================================== JEFFERSON DAVIS BALLARD, M.D. Vol. 3, p. 1225 As a physician, business man and public leader Doctor Ballard has been identified with the old territorial regime and with the new state since 1892, and has become well known in different parts of the state, being now a resident of Oklahoma City. He was born August 10, 1861, in a log house on a farm in St. Genevieve County, Missouri, a son of John and Susan E. (MCDOWELL) Ballard. His parents were the natives of Missouri and his grandfather Ballard, a native of Virginia, followed Daniel BOONE into Kentucky and afterwards pioneered into Missouri during the early 30's. Doctor Ballard received his education in the public schools of his native county and in 1891 graduated M.D. from the Missouri Medical College of St. Louis. His first practice was done at Dallas, Texas, but he soon afterwards removed to Old Indian Territory, locating at Purcell. In 1892 he established his home at Colony, Oklahoma, and in November of the same year was elected probate judge of Washita County, being the first to hold that office by election. In 1894 he resigned to accept the appointment of physician to the Cheyenne and Arapahoe (sic) Indians at the Seger sub-Indian Agency, and he spent about five years in the duties of this Government appointment. In 1899 Doctor Ballard located at Weatherford, Oklahoma, and besides the practice of medicine conducted a drug business until 1904. Throughout his career in Oklahoma he has taken an active part in democratic politics. In 1898 he was elected representative from the old Twenty-fifth legislative Assembly District, composed of eight of the largest counties in the territory. As a member of the Fifth Legislative Assembly he was on a number of important committees and was chairman of several. In 1899 Governor C. M. Barnes appointed him member of the board of regents of the Territorial Agricultural and Mechanical College of Stillwater, and during his two years as member of the board he was elected its secretary. In 1903 he was elected mayor of Weatherford for a term of two years. In 1905 Doctor Ballard located at Sayre, Oklahoma, and practiced medicine there until 1910. While there the town sent him as a member of a committee to attend the Constitutional Convention for the purpose of securing a change in county boundaries so that Sayre might be made the county seat of Beckham County. In 1911 Doctor Ballard was appointed assistant state auditor, but at the end of a year and a half he resigned to take the office of assistant state examiner and inspector. In April, 1913, he engaged in the drug business in Oklahoma City, and he now confines his medical practice to office work. Typed for OKGenWeb by: Paul Grose, February 25, 1999.