John Ballenden

[Johnbarry]

The Ballendens
My name is John Barry Hawthorne. I was born in 1934 in Kimberley, South Africa. I am a retired geologist and my wife (Margaret Joy Farrer b 1935) and I live in the village of Scarborough near Cape Town. We have four children and ten grandchildren.
My mother Lillian Anna Ballenden (1900 – 1984) was directly descended from John Ballenden (1758 – 1817) who was born in Orkney and became the Chief Factor of the Hudson Bay Company in 1798.
Our descent is through John Ballenden’s second son, John McNab Ballenden MD and John Ballenden’s second (bigamous?) wife Eliza Gray (1777 – 1853) whom he married in Orkney in 1797. His first wife was Jane Favell – they married at Brandon House in 1780 and had six children. As far as I know the only son was a William Ballenden.
John McNab Ballenden (1813 – 1895) was born in Orkney and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. Once qualified he moved to the village of Sedgley in Staffordshire were he practised medicine for many years. He married Elizabeth Wilson Jobson (1819 – 1918) They had seven sons and two daughters.
The Ballenden’s second son Christopher Jobson Ballenden (1841 -1948) started medical studies but emigrated to South Africa in 1859, no doubt in search of adventure. He was accompanied by his brother John aged 16.
C J Ballenden married Edith Pauline Chappe (1853-1946) in 1874. The had eight sons & one daughter.
Their eldest son John Laffette Ballenden (1875 – 1952) who married Maude Mary Chalker (1876 – 1948), was my mothers father and my grandfather.

I have done some research on the African branch of the Ballenden family & have found records of about 200 direct descendants of C J Ballenden and hence of John Ballenden. Many are still in southern Africa but a large number have moved on. Some have returned to England whilst others have gone variously to Spain , Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and the USA but none to Canada,


I am hoping that through the Red River Ancestry of Manitoba site I may be able to establish whether or not there are any descendants of John Ballenden & Jane Favell who still bear the Ballenden name, living in Canada at present.
I am also interested in links with descendants of other families closely related or linked to the Ballenden, such as the Favells, McNabs, McLeods, McKays, Bunns, Prudens & Harriotts.

[gnstill]

Welcome to the Forum John.

First, check this link: JOHN BALLENDINE (1758-1817)

We already have a Forum Topic under discussion for this lineage, so to keep things organized and avoid confusion I am moving your comments there, where I we can continue discussions. Here’s that link: FORUM DISCUSSING DESCENDANTS of JOHN BALLENDINE

[Ballenja1]

Hi John
I'm married to Christopher Ballenden who lives in Sydney, Australia - 5th son of John (Jock) St Clair Ballenden who immigrated from South Africa in the 50s. Jock would be your mother's cousin.

Chris was in contact with a distant relative in South Africa about 10 years ago who sent him some material on the Ballenden family (photocopies of photos and news clippings plus some handwritten family tree lineage etc). I have kept the material tucked away until I started on our family tree - which I began about a month ago. Unfortunately Chris can't remember who sent it - he does remember that 'Ballenden' wasn't their surname (which makes me think it could have been you)?

I would love to get better copies of the photos, especially one of Jock's parents (Henry & Mary) at John Laffette's (your grandfather?) wedding, so, if by chance you are the Ballenden historian I'm looking for, could you please contact me.

thanks
Janelle Ballenden

[gnstill]

Welcome Janelle. As explained above – we already have a Topic for this lineage. To avoid confusion I am moving your posting there, and will later remove this Topic altogether. Go to this link:
FORUM DISCUSSING DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BALLENDINE