125th Ballard Family Reunion
2013 marked the 125th time the Ballard Family gathered to celebrate a family history in America that reaches back to 1635. Our first Reunion was held at Elliott Grove in Thompson, CT in 1888. Our meeting this year, to be held in Thompson will continue a tradition that has been unbroken for over 50 years, when the passing of Reunion chairman Frank Ramsdell the week of the 1954 Reunion and conditions wrought by the Flood of 1955 forced the only postponements of our reunion during its entire history.
How Did the Ballard Family Reunion Start?
Reprinted from "The Ballard Reunion, 1888 - 1988, 100 Years of 'Keep Your Record Clean'"
A Short History of our Ballard Reunion
The younger people probably don't know what brought about these Reunions. At the 25th wedding anniversary gathering on Jan. 1, 1888 of Stephen and Sarah Ballard, it was suggested that the relatives get together during the summer as they had such a good time on that occasion so our first reunion was held on Aug. 15, 1888 at Elliott's Grove in Thompson. There were over 100 present on this occasion and after passing the hat they met expenses with 4 cents to spare. This one of the characteristics of the Ballard tribe, to "pay as they go" and have a little left. They used wooden plates for the dinner on which was printed "Ballard Reunion, Elliott's Grove, Aug. 15, 1888, "Keep your Record Clean". These plates were kept clean by the use of napkiins and taken home for souvenirs. The last survivor of our first reunion was Mrs. Olive Smith who passed away in Aug. 1971 at the age of 89. Reunions were held at this same place for a number of years andy they were usually held on Wednesday as they were nearly all farmers and could attend at that time.
