Record #:

22918

Author(s):

Kammerer, Roger

Abstract:

Named after Joseph Lemuel Ballard (1819-1893), this rather small community was known as Walshville in the early 1850s. From February 1854 until November 1860, the post office was known as Pleasant Mount. In 1894 and 1895, the post office was known as "Joseph." Ballard had several stores, owned forty slaves and had bloodhounds to hunt for runaways. Before the Civil War, he buried his money to prevent Yankee thievery, but he was never able to find it after the war. Other people who lived Ballard’s Crossroads included M. A. Rouse, Gahazi Britt (who moved to Brazil with his slaves), John and Aben Slaughter, Henry and Richard Blow, Dr. James M. Hines and Dr. E. J. Blount. In 1872, J. C. Cobb had a store near Ballard’s Crossroads.

Source:

Greenville Times / Pitt's Past (NC Microforms), Vol. Issue , Feb 18-Mar 3 1987, p7

Subject(s):

Pitt County--History--Towns