S. Thruston Ballard

Samuel Thruston Ballard (February 11, 1855 – January 18, 1926) was an American politician, businessman, and philanthropist who served as the 33rd lieutenant governor of Kentucky from 1919 to 1923, under Governor Edwin P. Morrow.

S. Thruston Ballard
33rd Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
In office December 9, 1919 – December 11, 1923
Governor	Edwin P. Morrow
Preceded by	James D. Black
Succeeded by	Henry Denhardt
Personal details
Born	(1855-02-11)February 11, 1855 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	January 18, 1926(1926-01-18) (aged 70) Glenview, Kentucky, U.S.
Resting place	Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky
Political party	Republican
Relations	Zudie Harris Reinecke (sister-in-law) Thruston Ballard Morton (grandson) Rogers Morton (grandson)

Early life and education

Samuel Thruston Ballard was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Andrew Jackson and Fannie (Thruston) Ballard. His father was a whig member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, representing Louisville from 1842 to 1843, as well as city attorney of Louisville and clerk of the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky.

Ballard was educated in public schools of Louisville and worked to expand his education at Huntoon's private academy. He went on to attend Cornell University where he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and graduated in 1878.

For the next four years Ballard would work for Chess, Carley & Company. In 1880, with his brother R. C. Ballard Thruston, Ballard was president of the Ballard & Ballard Flour Company. The first mill was built in the back yard of the Ballard estate on Walnut Street.

On January 25, Ballard was married to Sunshine Harris (1861–1938), the daughter of Theodore Harris of Louisville Kentucky.

Career

In 1884, he faced a debt crisis due to hard times in the land. In 1889, Ballard & Ballard Co. was one of the first employers to introduce the profit sharing plan.

Ballard attended the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. While there, Ballard purchased and arranged the donation of the Egyptian mummy Tchaenhotep to the Louisville Free Public Library Museum.

In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Ballard to be member of the Commission on Industrial Relations.

Samuel and Sunshine had four children together. However, only their daughter, Mary, would survive to adulthood. Among Samuel's grandchildren are Thruston Ballard Morton and Rogers Morton.

Death

In 1925, Ballard became ill at his winter home at Eau Gallie, Florida. On January 18, 1926, after being bedridden for weeks, Samuel died in his home at Glenview at the age of 71. The disease that took his life was cancerous in nature. He is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery.

External links

• S. Thruston Ballard at Find a Grave

Political offices
Preceded by James D. Black	Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky 1919–1923	Succeeded by Henry Denhardt