Balding, Mueller & Ripley Biographies

BALDING, WILLIAM, was born on November 7, 1822 in Vigo Cty, Indiana, the first son of Isaac BALDING. William's father, Isaac BALDING, and grandfather, Jacob BALDING had come from New York and were among the very first settlers of Otter Creek Township, arriving there sometime in 1816. William was married to Lucy BALDING (daughter of John S. and Achsah (HOLLISTER) BALDING on November 23, 1843. He, like his father and grandfather, was a farmer. Only three of William and Lucy's eight children (all of whom were born in Vigo Cty) survived infancy: Martha Jane BALDING (November 10, 1853); George Albert BALDING (April 14, 1856) and Sarah Alice BADING (November 9, 1858). William lived nearly his entire life in Vigo Cty, having left in 1870 for Belton, Cass Cty, MO and returning after Lucy's death in 1873. On January 30, 1876 he married Martha SPEARS in Vigo Cty. William died October 30, 1888 and is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Terre Haute.

Submitted by Lynette Balding
Used with permission.

MUELLER, JOHN ALBERT, came to the United States of America in 1891 with his Mother Christina "Cecelia" MUELLER WOERNER and his brother and sister and half brothers and sisters. One sister died on the way to America and was buried at sea. Cecelia was the daughter of John and Marie SCHNEIDER who owned and operated J. Schneider & Son, Brass Founders, located 307 N 9th in Terre Haute, Indiana. They were from Unter Langendorf, Austria however their boarding place on the Stutgart was Baden, Germany. John MUELLER learned many trades; he fixed and made bicycles from his shop at 608 North 7th Street and 907 College Avenue in Terre Haute, and fixed and made shoes from leather pieces. He made all of my Mother's shoes, he also worked on the railroad for a time. He also had a carpet cleaning business for a while near 13th and Wabash Avenue. He volunteered for the Spanish American War and served his time in Troop E, 15th Calvary in the Phillipine Islands. He met and married Eleanor Virginia CONNOP on June 26, 1905. One daughter was born to John and Ella, Elsie Marie MUELLER. John applied for Citizenship and when it was discovered that he had fought for the USA in the Spanish American War he was granted citizenship with no questions asked. John MUELLER was a democrat, a City Councilman, a member Commander of Lawton Byrum Post VFW and Claude Herbert camp Spanish American War Veterans, Eagles Lodge and a member of Montrose Methodist Church. He died unexpectedly October 18, 1935.

Written by Elsie Workman Simpson
Used with permission

RIPLEY, SYLVANUS Family � Lost Creek Twp., Vigo County, IN - Sylvanus RIPLEY was born about 1794 in MA, the first child of Joshua & Rhoda (COREY) RIPLEY. The family apparently moved to Ontario County, NY when Sylvanus was quite young. They were living in Sodis Township, Ontario County, NY in the 1810 census. It was from there that his father left to serve in the War of 1812. Joshua RIPLEY was discharged at Fort George, Ontario, Canada. This fort still stands in the town of Niagara-On-The-Lake. For his service, Joshua was awarded a land warrant for property in Ohio.

The family moved to Gallia County, OH around 1816. There, Sylvanus met and married Elizabeth LOVE on 26 NOV 1816. Sylvanus appeared in the 1818 Sutton Township, Gallia County, OH Chattel Tax List where he paid $.30 for a horse and $.10 each for two cattle. That was in the days when a farmer could live on $30 per year so it was a substantial tax.

Sutton Township split from Gallia County in the 1819 formation of Meigs County, OH. The couple first appeared in the Meigs County, OH 1820 census along with their first born son, Joseph. Sylvanus moved his family to Vigo County, IN about 1828. His parents stayed behind and are buried in the Ripley Family Cemetery, Perry Township, Gallia County, Rhoda in 1845 and Joshua in 1860.

Sylvanus and family settled in the eastern part of Vigo County in Lost Creek Township. According to a "History of Parke and Vigo Counties-- 1880" by H.W.Beckwith, "Sylvester" Ripley was one of the earliest settlers in Lost Creek Township. An ancient swamp, formed where Lost Creek spread across the plains and disappeared, was drained, forming some of the richest soil in the county. The Ripley family prospered on that rich alluvial land.

The pioneering Ripley family in Vigo County included Sylvanus and Elizabeth along with sons Joseph and George, and two unknown daughters born in Meigs County. The two older girls and son, Joseph, were probably all married before 1850. It�s possible that one or two of the girls died in Vigo before 1850. It was there the younger children were born: Sylvanus (1828-29), Mary (1830-31), William (1833-34), Sylvester (1836-37) and Samuel (1838-39). Vigo County is where their son, Sylvester, and grandson, Joseph, left to fight in the Civil War. They both returned safely to raise their own families. Vigo County remained home to Sylvanus and Elizabeth for the rest of their days.

Beckwith�s biographical sketch about their son, S.S. (Sylvester) Ripley says that Mary died in 1862 and Sylvanus followed on 22 NOV 1866, both in Vigo County. They are undoubtedly buried in the Ripley family cemetery in Lost Creek Township.

Note: The above was gleaned from census records and published records from Gallia County, OH. Biographies of Joseph RIPLEY and S.S. RIPLEY on the Vigo County, IN Biographies Project site also helped. I have consistently used the spelling "Sylvanus" throughout. As you can imagine, it is spelled several different ways in various sources.

Written by Jim Bailey
Kinston, NC
Used with permission

Data entry by Kim Holly

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