The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-25
CALLED AT MIDNIGHT
THOMAS BALLANTYNE PASSED
PEACEFULLY AWAY.
ILL 5 DAYS WITH PNEUMONIA.
HIS FUNERAL, WITH MASONIC
RITES TO-MORROW AFTERNOON.

BaIakIava When the Famous
Charge of the 'Six Hundred" Was
Made-Was at the Capture of Sa-
bastOpOI-Served the COnfederacy
in the Civil war-Was an Honor
airy Member of the Georgia Hus-
snrs-Was an Ex-President of the
st. Andrews Society and an Emil
nent Free Mason.
Mr.. Thomas Ballantyne. one of Sa-
vannah's best known citizens, died
last night at u o'clock, after an illness
of five days from pneumonia. He
passed away at his home No. S19
Broughton street, east, where he had
lived for forty-five years or more.
Mr.. Ballantyne went home with a chill
last Sunday night The next morning his
physician was summoned and at once
saw that his illness was serious, and
after prescribing cautioned him to re-
main in bed. Despite this Mr.. Ballan-
| tyne was up in the afternoon and
could scarcely be persuaded from go
| ing to his business. Tuesday he was
unable to get up and from then to the
end he gradually sank, growing weak
er and weaker, though his mind was
clear for the greater part of the time.
He became unconscious yesterday aft
| ernoon and remained so until death.
From the time his illness became
known he was accorded all that loving
kindness and thoughtfulness could
procure DR.. A. B. Simmons and DR..
T. P. Warning, closely bound to him by
friendship and by fraternal ties, at
| tended him, and the kindly offices of
his friends in the sick room were sup
plemented by the skill of trained
nurses, but his advanced age had so
weakened an unusually strong consti-
tuition that he did not rally.
The news of his death was conveyed
to the Knights Templar at Masonic
Temple and delegation of Sir knights
at once went to the residence.
Mr.. Ballantyne's funeral will take
pla ce tomorrow afternoon and will be
with imposing Masonic rites. The
various Masonic bodies of which he
was a member, the St. Andrews So
ciety of which he was an ex-president,
and at the time of his death almoner,
paying the last tribute of respect
Mr.. Ballantyne's closest surviving
relatives are a sister in Scot
land, and three nephews and
two nieces in Savannah; Mr.. Thomas
Bal1antyne, Jr., Mr.. Samuel N. Bal
lantyne. MIR. William Ballantyne, Miss
Jennie Ballantyne, and Mrs. Maggie
Dahl. He never married.
During the latter part of his life Mr..
Ballantyne's chief interest was the well
fare of the various Masonic organiza-
tons to which he belonged, and they
have acknowledged this interest and
worth by comforting upon him the
highest offices in the gift of the organ
izations. To-day a guard of honor
from the knights Templar will mount
guard over the remains.
Mr.. Ballantyne was not alone prom
inent in fraternal orders, but was wide
ly known among the business men,
with whom he bore the highest repu-
tation as a man of sterling character
and strict integrity. He was, to use a
Masonic term an ancient landmark
with his brethren and friends, and will
be widely missed and deeply mourned
by an unusually large circle of friends
and acquaintances.
A Native of Glasgow.
Thomas Ballantyne was born in Glas-
gov, Scotland, Aug. 5, 1881, and was
named after his father. He was edu-
Gated at Hutchipson's Academy, a
school of renown in Glasgow, after
which he served his apprenticeship as
an iron moulder. Shortly after having
mastered his trade lie enlisted in the
Scottish Greys, or Second Royal ORA
goons, famous in song and story for
its celebrated charge at Balaklava. Mr..
Ballantyne was on shipboard on the
way to his regiment when the charge
was made. into the jaws of death by
the gallant six hundred"
He participated in the Crimean War
and was at the capture of Sebastopoi.
After serving two years in that his
toric corps, he bought his discharge
and returned home. After working
eight months at his trade in Glasgow,
he sailed for New York in 1856. 1t was
not long after his arrival when his
skill as an iron moulder led to his be-
ing put in charge as foreman of the
Newark Machine Works. one of the
largest in this country.
His Work For the COnfederacy.
In 1859 MIR. Ballantyne was sent to
Savannah to do piece of work which
no other could do here, and he was
persuaded to remain, and was given
charge of the late Alvin N. Millers
FOundry ana Machine Works. While
he was here the war broke out and he
was retained as superintendent and
manufacturer of ordnance for the gum
boats of the Confederate Navy. Dur
ing the last two years of the war he
was in charge of the Confederate
States Foundry at Habersham and
Taylor streets, which turned out work
for the Confederate government.
With the fall of Savannah the fed
era1 government confiscated the Miller
Machine Shops and Mr.. Ballantyne
was put in charge to superintend the
repairing of government property for
the steamships and gunboats of the
government.
In 1866 he and Mr.. John McDonough
started a foundry at Arnold and Lib
erty streets under the firm name of Nc
Donough & Ballantyne, and a year
later built the extensive machine and
boiler shops and foundry at East
Broad, Perry and McDonough streets.
His Military Career.
While the war was in progress Mr.
Ballantyne commanded a company of
men recruited from the machine shops
for home defense. He was an honor
airy member of the Georgia Hussars
the Oldest troop of cavalry in the
United States of which, in the DAYS
of his active service, he was second
| sergeant. He went to join his company
the first year of the war, but was
turned back at Richmond The Con-
federate government considered his
! services more valuable in the manu-
facture of ordnance, and sent him back
to Savannah.
Mr.. Ballantyne served as an alder