Bland Ballard (judge)
Encyclopedia
Bland Ballard was a United States federal judge
.
Ballard was the son of James and Susannah (Cox) Ballard and grandson of the Kentucky pioneer of the same name
. Ballard was born in Shelby County, Kentucky
. He read law in the office of Judge James Turner Morehead
in 1840 to enter the Kentucky Bar, and later was graduated from the law department of Transylvania University
in 1846. He opened a private practice in Shelbyville, Kentucky
, and then moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he practiced law in partnership with the Henry Pirtle, later the distinguished Chancellor of the Louisville Chancery Court, until 1861. Ballard was connected with the business interests of Louisville and took an active interest in the city and its institutions. At one time he served as city councilor for the City of Louisville.
On October 16, 1861, Ballard received a recess appointment
from President Abraham Lincoln
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky vacated by Thomas Bell Monroe
, who had become a member of the Congress of the Confederate States
. Ballard was formally nominated on December 9, 1861 and on January 22, 1862, he was confirmed by the United States Senate
and received his commission. He quickly reorganized the court and insured that the federal court system in Kentucky would continue without disruption. "His district was responsible for more indictments for treason and conspiracy than perhaps any other" and he was "regarded as fair-minded and guided by the law, not prejudice. He was opposed to slavery and strongly supported the Union".
The years immediately following the Civil War saw a great increase in cases filed in the district court from questions growing out of the war, especially the internal revenue law and bankruptcy law. In addition to his duties as district judge, Ballard served as president of the Kentucky National Bank and the Cave Hill Cemetery Company and was active in various civic organizations. He continued to serve on the court until his death in Louisville, Kentucky
.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Ballard was the son of James and Susannah (Cox) Ballard and grandson of the Kentucky pioneer of the same name
Bland Ballard
Bland Ballard was a soldier and statesman from Kentucky.-Biography:Ballard was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In 1779, at age 18, he moved to Kentucky, which was the western frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as a scout in George Rogers Clark's 1780 expedition into the...
. Ballard was born in Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 42,074. Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Its county seat is Shelbyville...
. He read law in the office of Judge James Turner Morehead
James Turner Morehead (Kentucky)
James Turner Morehead was a United States Senator and the 12th Governor of Kentucky. He was the first native-born Kentuckian to hold the governorship of the state...
in 1840 to enter the Kentucky Bar, and later was graduated from the law department of Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
in 1846. He opened a private practice in Shelbyville, Kentucky
Shelbyville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,085 people, 3,822 households, and 2,549 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,333.5 people per square mile . There were 4,117 housing units at an average density of 544.4 per square mile...
, and then moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he practiced law in partnership with the Henry Pirtle, later the distinguished Chancellor of the Louisville Chancery Court, until 1861. Ballard was connected with the business interests of Louisville and took an active interest in the city and its institutions. At one time he served as city councilor for the City of Louisville.
On October 16, 1861, Ballard received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
from President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky vacated by Thomas Bell Monroe
Thomas Bell Monroe
Thomas Bell Monroe was a United States federal judge.Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, Monroe attended Transylvania University and was a Kentucky state representative in 1816 before reading law to enter the bar in 1821. He entered private practice in Frankfort, Kentucky in 1821...
, who had become a member of the Congress of the Confederate States
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
. Ballard was formally nominated on December 9, 1861 and on January 22, 1862, he was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and received his commission. He quickly reorganized the court and insured that the federal court system in Kentucky would continue without disruption. "His district was responsible for more indictments for treason and conspiracy than perhaps any other" and he was "regarded as fair-minded and guided by the law, not prejudice. He was opposed to slavery and strongly supported the Union".
The years immediately following the Civil War saw a great increase in cases filed in the district court from questions growing out of the war, especially the internal revenue law and bankruptcy law. In addition to his duties as district judge, Ballard served as president of the Kentucky National Bank and the Cave Hill Cemetery Company and was active in various civic organizations. He continued to serve on the court until his death in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
Personal life
On December 16, 1846, Judge Ballard married Miss Sarah McDowell. They had five children: Mary H., Austin, Fanny, Bland, Jr., and Susie. Ballard died in office on June 29, 1879, and was buried in the Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky.External links
- Bland Ballard, (1819-1879), History of the Sixth Circuit, a public domain work of the United States federal court system.