by: Jenn4653
I've been interested in family history all of my life, grew up listening to the family stories. In 1993 I got into genealogy in a big way when I bought a computer. I've never been to shy about talking to people. My daughter Teresa and I would crash all the family reunions bearing our surnames in a 3 county area. I'd take my fried chicken, potato salad and lemon meringue pie and we were always welcomed.In June 1994, I found out about a Glasscock reunion in Jemison, Chilton County Alabama. My great grandmother was Mary Emma Glasscock. I wondered if these Glasscocks were connected withmine. I went to the reunion and spoke with Harley E. Marler, who organized the get-together. He told me that we were related and I was able to make a connection with his Glasscocks. He also toldme an very interesting story that was common knowledge in their family. His mother’s uncle, William A. Glasscock changed his name, "he married a woman named Ballard and took and went by his wife’s maiden name" and that she found the name Glasscock to be vulgar. I jotted down that bit of information for this branch of Glasscocks cousins. I had recently joined the Autauga Genealogy at the time and was going through the back issues of our publication and to my wonder I found in the Autauga Ancestry Vol 3 #4 February 1994 under thePotpourri category: Legal Name Change: Glasscock to Ballard.Abstract from Autauga County Probate Reports Book 18 page 364 The state of Alabama ) To the Honorable G.W. Benson Autauga County ) Judge of Probate of said County " The undersigned, a citizen of the County and State aforesaid would respectfully represent unto your Honor that he is over the age of twenty-one years and is now a resident of said County; That he is now known by the name of William A. Glasscock by which name he has ever heretofore been known; That said name is objectionable to him; That he is not satisfied therewith, and is desirous of altering and changing the same; that he wishes anddesires his name altered and changed to William A. Ballard by which name he desires to be called and known hereafter. Your Petitioner would therefore respectfully make this application to your Honor to change and alter his name from William A. Glasscock to William A. Ballard as aforementioned and as in duty bound your Petitioner will ever pray. This application made on the 29th day of May A.D. 1867 ‘‘Witness: W.G. Easterling [signed] W. A. Glasscock**********At the urging of one of our cousins, I did a little more research on this family. This is what found:William A. Glasscock/Ballard’’s parents were James Burton Glasscock born about 1819 and Elizabeth M. Vest born about 1826.James Burton Glasscock’’s parents were Thomas Glasscock born about 1792 in North Carolina and Nancy Bramon.Autauga County Marriages Records showed the marriage of:BALLARD, WILLIAM A. to BAZZELL, CATHERINE (MRS) 11 NOV 1867 Book 5 pg. 219I didn’t find a marriage of a Catherine Ballard to a Bazzell in Autauga County.At the Alabama Department of Archives and History I checked out the census records.1850 Coosa County Alabama Hatchet Creek District 4 Nov 1850 page 100 HH 182-182 Glasscock, Burton R. age 30 B:AL Farmer" ,Elizabeth age 24 AL keeping house" ,Hezekiah age 10 AL" , Sarah age 8 AL" , William age 5 ALVest, James age 21 AL*******************1860 census I could not find James Burton Glasscock checked several counties for possibles.William would have been 15 at this time.********************************1870 census Perry County Alabama Marion district Roll3 page 331HH 246-246 Ballard, William age 25 AL Butcher,Amanda age 26 AL Keeping house, Minnie age 1/12 AL********************B463 Soundex code1880 Soundex Perry County Alabama Marion Beat Vol. 19 Ed. 78 Sheet 8 Line 13Ballard, William White Male age 35 b:AL, Mary Wife age 36 AL, Minnie Dau age 9 AL, Lola Dau age 7 AL, Katie Dau age 5 AL, Charlie Son age 3 AL********************1890 Perry County Alabama survives but no William Ballard listed.*********************Soundex code B463 1900 Soundex Autauga County Alabama Precinct 10, Liberty Vol. 1 Ed. 8 Sheet 13 Line 38 Ballard, William A. b: Jan/Jun 1846 age 54 AL, Catherine Feb 1843 wife age 57 AL, James L. Mar 1881 son age 19 AL, Junious[sp?] Jan 1881 dau-in-law age 19 AL*************************************Looks like William A. Glasscock/Ballard's children could include:Minnie born ca. 1870Lola born ca. 1873Katie born ca. 1875Charlie born ca. 1877possible child could be here??James L. born ca. 1881********************I also found a W. A. Ballard in the Pine Level Cemetery in Autauga CountyBorn 10 Jan 1845 died 28 Mar 1918.****************************I can only wonder about the Ballards out there trying to trace their heritage and are coming to a dead end. I've posted parts of this information on a few message boards in hopes we can bring our long lost Glasscock cousins back into the fold.Jenn Martin