Butte County
Biographies
JOSEPH HENRY BALLEW
JOSEPH HENRY BALLEW.--The city of Chico is the abode of a large
number of men who were thrown upon their own resources at an early age and
whose natural abilities were strengthened by contact with the world, thus gaining
for them the esteem of their associates.
Such a man is “Harry” Ballew, as he is familiarly known to the citizens
of Chico. He was born
in Sweetwater, Nev., November 11, 1878, a son of Richard Jackson Ballew
of whom more extended mention is made in this work. Grandfather Ballew was killed by Indians on
the Humboldt road while en route to Nevada.
The oldest of five children born to his
parents Harry Ballew was reared in Butte County and attended the public
schools at Magalia, Lovelock and Centerville. His father was taken sick when Harry was
seventeen and he had to leave school to assist with the work in the saw-mill,
remaining with his father for the following seven years. He then started out for himself and worked at
different occupations until going to Chico. He secured employment with the Northern
Electric Railway, in the electrical department of their shops at Sacramento, installing motor
generators. This he continued to do
until he engaged in the transfer business in 1908, when he purchased the
business from John Taber. The equipment
consisted of a one-horse wagon. He had
to begin at the bottom but he devoted his entire time to his calling and soon
had a paying business, having two teams and wagons busy all the time. As motor trucks came into use, he realized
that he would have to keep up with the times and at once bought a truck. This was in 1913, and he has increased his
efficiency, now being owner of a three-and-one-half-ton truck and doing heavy
hauling all over Butte County, and into Yuba, Sutter,
Colusa, Glenn and Tehama Counties. He is making a decided success of his venture
and is increasing his scope of operations month by month. When it is remember that he began with a
small wagon and one horse less than ten
years ago, and is now owner of a fine Garford truck, with business calling him
to all parts of this section of country, it will be seen that his close
application to business has been the secret of his success.
Harry Ballew was married on August 21, 1910
in Chico to Miss Easley Lillian Blasingame. She was born at Dawsonville, Ga., a daughter of John Stevens
Blasingame, who had come to California, via Cape Horn when he was a lad of
sixteen. Here he engaged in mining and
here he met and married Rose Sullivan, a native of New York State. She came with her parents to California, via Panama, first settling in Nevada County, where her father was
engaged in the butcher business, obtaining his stock in various parts of the Sacramento Valley. Mr. Blasingame returned to Georgia where he lived for twenty
years. He had become a mining expert and
was employed as superintendent of mines for a number of years, when on account
of ailing health, he came back to California and located in Gilroy. Later he was mining at Georgetown but again on account of ill
health, he went back to Gilroy, where he died. His widow lives in Butte County. Of
their ten children, nine are living namely: Clara, Mrs. J. A. Peck, of Chico; Easley
Lillian, Mrs. Ballew; Ida, Mrs. Mathias, of Chico; Willette, Mrs. M. Enos, of
Sacramento; Roberta, of Chico; Minnie, wife of D. A. Honodel of Chico, with the
ammunition train at Camp Fremont; Paul, who died in Sacramento, March 17, 1918;
Ralph, First Lieutenant in One Hundred-twentieth Field Artillery in France; and
Harris, in the ammunition train division at Camp Fremont. The oldest child, Lottie, Mrs. Sheriff, died
in Oklahoma.
Mrs.
Ballew was educated in the public schools and for a time was a teacher, then
she came to Chico and was employed in a
store, later, for twelve years she was a bookkeeper in Hannah’s store. She is a splendid business woman and not a
little of her husband’s success is due to her efficient management and
cooperation. Mr. Ballew is a member of
the Odd Fellows at Stirling City, and both he and his wife
belong to the Rebekahs. He is truly a self-made man, and he has the respect and
good will of all who know him. He is square in all his dealings with the public
and a bright future is predicted for him.
Transcribed by Louise E
Shoemaker, March 23d, 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 828-831,
Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Louise E. Shoemaker.
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