Margaret B. Ballard, Compiler, Monroe County Historical Papers and Other Material
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 2537
Papers of Dr. Margaret Byrnside Ballard (1900-1976), regarding the history of Monroe County, West Virginia, and the Ballard family. As a genealogist and author of local history, she was an avid collector of the historical materials contained in this collection, most of which relate to her family and Monroe County. The collection includes personal papers, business records, historical and genealogical research material, scrapbooks, bibles, memorabilia, artifacts, photographs, broadsides, paintings, and postage stamps.
Personal papers and business records include papers of the Ballard family, such as estate settlements and the papers of Helen Houston Ballard Clark, Margaret's sister; papers of her parents Isaac Newton Ballard and Kate May Walkup; and papers of Margaret Byrnside Ballard herself.
Historical and genealogical research material includes papers concerning local family genealogies that were compiled by Margaret Byrnside Ballard, materials compiled by Dr. Ballard concerning various topics of local history and of personal interest to her, and a genealogical index.
English
No special access restriction applies.
Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Margaret Byrnside Ballard (April 9, 1900 - September 25, 1976) was born in Greenville, Monroe County, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Isaac Newton Ballard, the local postmaster and owner of a general store, and Kate May Walkup.
Margaret B. Ballard was educated in the public school at Greenville; Alleghany Collegiate Institute, Alderson, WV; attended West Virginia University; received the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland's School of Medicine in 1926. Dr. Ballard practiced medicine, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, in Baltimore, Maryland from 1926 to June 1965. She was also a member of the faculty of the University of Maryland's School of Medicine from 1929 to 1965. Upon retiring, Dr. Ballard returned to Monroe County to pursue her interest in genealogy and local history.
Dr. Ballard was a member of the University of Maryland's School of Medicine's Alumni Association; the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland; the Baltimore City Medical Society; the West Virginia State Historical Society; the Greenbrier Historical Society; the West Virginia Artist's and Craftsmen Guild; and the Centerville Presbyterian Church in Greenville, WV. She was also one of the founders of the Monroe County Historical Society.
Dr. Ballard is the author of two books: A University is Born, the story of the founding of the University of Maryland, and William Ballard, A Genealogical Record of his Descendants in Monroe County. She has authored numerous writings for newspapers concerning local history and had several medical articles published in journals. In addition to her writings on local history, Margaret Ballard did genealogical research for other families as a professional genealogist. For a transcript of an oral history with Dr. Margaret Ballard conducted by Dr. George Parkinson, see Goldenseal Magazine, the April-June issue of 1977.
39.8 Linear Feet (Summary: 39 ft. 10 1/4 in. (81 document cases, 5 in. each); (4 document cases, 2 1/2 in. each); (2 flat storage boxes, 3 1/2 in. each); (2 flat storage boxes, 3 in. each); (1 flat storage box, 5 in.); (1 large notecard box, 9 1/4 in.); (2 ambrotypes in composite box, 1 3/4 in.); (2 notecard boxes, 6 1/4 in. each); (3 notecard boxes, 6 3/4 in. each); (1 flat storage box, 1 1/2 in.); 8 reels of microfilm; 2 unboxed paintings; and off-site stamps.)
Papers of Dr. Margaret Byrnside Ballard (1900-1991), regarding the history of Monroe County, West Virginia, and the Ballard family. As a genealogist and author of local history, she was an avid collector of the historical materials contained in this collection, most of which relate to her family and Monroe County. The collection includes personal papers, business records, historical and genealogical research material, scrapbooks, bibles, memorabilia, artifacts, photographs, broadsides, paintings, and postage stamps. See the Historical Note for more information about Dr. Ballard.
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
185 photographs of family and West Virginia places have been separated and are located in the photographs Numeric File, under Monroe County, Ballard Collection.
Over 40 books were separated from the collection.
Map of Montgomery County, Virginia, 1789, separated to Maps Collection.
Unidentified broadsides separated to the Broadside Collection.
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository