929.273 B21 Vol 4
p. 88
William Ballance, who came over from England in 1656, is believed to be the first Ballance on record in North Carolina. He was one of 24 passengers, whose passage was paid by William Justice and the captain of the ship that brought them over, Capt. John Frame, was granted 1,198 acres of land in what is now Charles City County, Virginia, Apr 26, 1656 for the transport of the 24 persons.
In later years, William Ballance at times made it possible for others to come over by paying their passage and he was granted land.
After his arrival in Virginia in 1656, William Ballance found his way down to what is now Currituck County, North Carolina. According to the history of the county, that area was not settled until around 1670, although it is known that by 1663 John Harvey had received 600 acres as a land grant and a few settlers had begun to come down from Virginia during the late 1660’s. Inhabitants at that time were mostly Indians, who gave the area the name Currituck, “Land of the wild goose”.
The Ballances, who were among the first to come to Currituck County, settled around the area where later there was much controversy over the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina. Some didn’t know which state they were living in and paid taxes in one state and the other claimed the taxes belonged to them.
In 1728 Gov. Everard of North Carolina, appointed four commissioners – Christopher Gale, Edward Mosely, William Little and John Lovick – to work with representatives of the Virginia Government, the leading member being William Byrd II, who not only helped to “run the line” but wrote the classic “History of the Dividing Line Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina”.
The commissioners met at Currituck Inlet on Mar. 5, 1728 and after some argument as to the “starting point of the line”, joined the surveyors and ran the boundary westward.
According to Colonial Records, the line took them through large marshes, very wet and mirey, through swamp and beaver dams and otter holes, into which some of the men plunged up to their middle.
The survey party at one place followed the North west River, crossed from the mouth of Northern’s Creek, and ran the line to high land, cutting several plantations. They encamped on Rob Ballance’s plantation a little way southward of North West River Bridge. Later the line ran by the land of Richard Ballance and Moses Linton. The survey party had spent many miserable days and nights in the open in the rain before the boundary line was finally finished. Virginia was surprised to learn that they had lot much land that they had believed to be their own.
Most of the land that belonged to the Ballances was found in North Carolina although at least one Ballance Plantation was in Virginia. The dispute that had gone on so long was finally at an end.
p. 100 (p.380)
From Cavaliers and Pioneers
William Heslett and William B. Ballance (wife Mary Any) 750 acres, Norfolk County, south side of the North West RIver; on south side of the Ash branch; crossing the cypress swamp, etc. 29 April 1693 for the importation of fifteen persons: Daniel Jones, Robert Thorne, John Wright, Peter Story and others.”
Witnessed by: James Kemp, Thomas Willoughby and James Wilson
p. 13
William Ballance
950 acres Norflok County; 28 Oct. 1697 (p. 94)
On SW side of the North West River, nigh the runn branch; on Little Br., dividing this and the White Oake Ridge; nigh —”
p. 101
William Ballance and Mary
son- Samuel Ballance (Currituck jury May 1717) 800 acres (“my dwelling plantation:) Currituck deed 1713
sons: Samuel Junr and William
dau – Mary Ballance – 150 acres (joining the 800 and that near the fresh ponds)
son – William Ballance m. Mary ___ “my plantation at the swamp and one-half of the land belonging to it”
son – Richard Ballance (Currituck jury May 1717) the other half of tract of land to be divided by the Steerup Branch
d. Jan 1736
dau – Lucretha Ballance (Luce) – one-half of land which Joseph Chew surveyed
dau – Catheron Ballance – other half
