Putnam patriot., 1910-08-26
Gathering oi the Bailsrds.

Stxty.nine members ot the Ballard family gathered at Niehots Grove,
 West Thompson, last week Wednes- day for the annual outing ef the Ral-
 lard elan. 1t has become pfovefbial
 when the kallards gather the weather
 man furnishes one of his best summer days, and this year was no exception
 as the day was delightful.
 It was the usual joyful day of joyful greetings and intercourse, tinetared as
 needs be with a biI oi sadness at the
 thought of loved ones who would no
 more brighten the day with their pres- ence, but whose memory willsalways be cherished by their kin.
 Albertus \. Bruce, N, and his wife, Elizabeth tBaliard Bruce, s5. drove rom their home in romfret Landing and received . hearty welcome. They are the oldest of the Rallards, and have missed but one reunion In 2 years.
 They entered into the spirit of the day
 and surrounded hy,the younger mem-
 bers were always the center of merry
 group.
 Those coming the longest distance
 were John Gilman Ballard, wife and little boy of Minneapolis.
 At noon bounteous dinner was
 served and the air of the pines had
 whcttcd the appetiles so that all did full justice to the good things. Alter dinner ]. (. Nichols presided over the business session, and reports were read from the secretary as to the finances. and from the agent of the Bates cemetery fund.
 The following officers were elected
 for the ensuing year:
 Secretary and tfeasurer--stephcn
 Ballard.
 Historiau--Rhoda Ballard. Committee of Arrangements--J. C. Nichols, Frank Ramsdell, N. !. Bal- lard.
 Committee on Amusements--E Earl
 Pierce, Bessie Eddy, Dorothy N ,sh. Speaking and amusements followed,
 and Mrs. Jessie Gilbert, .he historian,
 read the following historical sketch. THE HISTORY
 Little did l think when year ago
 was appointed historian to record Hal.
 lard history from August, 1903, to Au. gust, 1910, WAS being 50 badly used as poor unprotected mite by the great family of the Balisrds. am called to report two deaths, one Daniel Corey, died January i2, 1910. Many of us have souvenirs of his skillfnl handi-
 work in little cups and balls Of differ ent colors by his expert work on n
 turning lathe. Marvin l.. Bixby died
 November i6, 1909.
 Only one marriage to report. Allen
 Woodward and Mrs. Sara Darling Of
 Fall River, May 24, 1910. Surely something must be the trouble with our young people; why have we only
 one wedding to reports We learn
 there are some that have the symptoms
 strongly developed, but have not yet come to head, and viii be heard from later. But unless our young people bestir themsel,e es for the future pros perity of the Ballard family we of the older generation will have to start an "Everybody' columnn in some mstri- monial journal. For shame, young people, to let such thing be possible, Births, we have four to report: Feb
 ruary g, 1910, Into the family of Fred
 and Mary Willis, George Frederick Willis. On March IS, 1910. Roger
 Richard Child came to live with John
 and Josephine Alton Child. Both of these births were in Putnam. On
 March 20, 1910, away out in EIdridge,
 Iowa, son, Winthrop Ballard, to Dr. John E. and Frances Ballard Crouch. 1 Then on June l igI0,came q daughter, Priscilla Ballard, to gladden. the home of Fred and Olive Ballard Purdy oi
 Mares River. Nova scolia.i
 l The above are all the actual events
 of history that have come to my notice although each heart has had it's own
 heart history which k too sacred foi
 any historian to record. But is it too much to hope that the events in the l life of each Ballard have tended t
 make them better Bailards and bette' citizens than they were onei year ago.