Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-09-17
RICHMOND WHIG.

DEArH Og A KESrUcKY PIoSEER-The Iousyille ma,
pers announce the death the 5h inst at his residence
IN Sh 10y county, KY of Major Ballard in his 9sh year
lie vas born near fredericksburg Va in August 1889
moved TO Kentucky in 1879 in the war of the
oution and also OF the war 1911 and was renea,edv
Journal saws ''"e
NHl Ballard uneducatej man. but We have rarely
seen one Nho conyerse Hueuty or described scene.
more graphcaly We have often seen him on m. tee.
es'edin hi' buckskin hunting shirt surrounded by
crowds Of men and boys listening with breathless aten
oh 10 ms wonderful stories Weourelves have listened
10 thcm many m hour snd often through the lvelonr
ngh' ~ithog; fatigue and wholly unconscious Of the ap
proach OF morning
We once heard him asked how many Indians he had
kle IN one day 81 kilt" said he six ono morning be-
ore breakfast aud Il not very good morning for the
business either This reply given in his peculiarly bus,
hesske style, we will forget II we had not recur
red 10 The question might haze honght that the old
gentleman wts speaking OF morning hunt for sauir-
rels deer buffalo singulary calm was his manner
but on this as other occasions Major Ballard never
exhibited The slightest compunccns Of his
having killed Indians His fumily and he in his own
person had received too many injuries from the savages
Tor him ever to feel the slightest sympathy for them lie
regarded them faithess reacherous race and The
enemy OF his aud therefore sorruwed but little over
the probable extinction But he often spoke Of some Of
them, a. brave, chivarou and generous aud for them
expressed the vaImest admiration.
Inc history Of M.j. Ballard, abounds in many thrilling
adventures and anecdotes which could relate and which
might interest readers but which the occasion orbd
we cannot however close this sketch without referring
one Of them
In l1ss the Indians attacked bis fathers house situa.
ted near the little fort Tick Creek few miles north.
east OF shelbyvle The attack was made early ia the
morning and began by the savages shooting down his
ototer BeilHnin, who had gone of the house for
wood to make fire. They then assaled the house The
inmates barred the door and prepared for defence The
aiher OF the subject Of this sketch the only man in
he house, ard he aud old the only persons
IN the fort Aroused by the guns he suatched up his own
nhe anu rushed To the defence OF his kindred He fired
ana reloaded and hred again he ran with good eect-
In the meantime the Indians broke open the house aud
Killed his father, his mother and two sisters and toma
naNked the Youngest sister, child, who recovered
Mhen the Indians broke into tie house his mother en-
ueavored to escape by the back door but savage pur
sued her. and he raised his toahask to strike her the
SUBJECT oi this sketch fired him. not however in time
10 prevent tue fatal blow, aud they both fell and expired
'Ose'her Ibe indians numbered about fifteen, but before
they completed their work of death and fled it is supposed
that he subject Ct this sketch killed six or seven OF them
But u was not merely a warrior and soldier that Mai
Ballard rendered important service Kentucky. He
frequently represented the people oShelby county in the
Legislature The State, in appreciation of his services
and u pepeiuate his na have created the county OF
baIaFI and already IN anticipation of his death i bis
name inscribed on the beautiful marble shaft erected in
her beautiful buyng ground in honor Of her
dead.
The generation now on the sphere of action and the
millions who are 10 succeed them, will have but an imper
feet idea ohe character and services Of the bold patriot
&c men who rescued Kentucky from the forest and the sav
age. The deceased was a line specimen Of that noble
race OF men. lie was the last Of his fathers family His
brother james the companion OF his youth the sharer
OF most OF his adventures preceded him but few years
KATE HAYs-Late accounts from Valparaiso state that
Kate HAYS continued to be the idol Of tue people Of that
city. On the evening Of the 9th OF August she received
complimentary benefit from the merchants Of the cty
a he apNr nf fhA bDtz