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Portrait and Biographical Album of
Huron County, Michigan
Pub. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1884

           [187]

           JOHN BALLENTINE, merchant at Bad Axe, was born Aug. 8, 1841, in
        New Brunswick.  His parents, WILLIAM and RUTH (McALLEN) BALLENTINE,
        were members of the agricultural class in that province until the
        son was 15 years old, when they removed to Dereham Township, Oxford
        Co., Ont., after which he discontinued his operations as a farm
        assistant, to which occupation he had been reared.  He spent four
        years in the saw-mill business in Oxford County, and in 1860 came
        to Port Huron.  He was similarly occupied there until 1863, and
        went to Forester, Sanilac County.  He passed two years in a saw-
        mill there, going thence to Rock Falls in Huron County, where he
        engaged as a sawyer.  He remained there 18 months, and at the end
        of that time he opened a general store at Verona Mills, which he
        conducted with success until the fire of 1871, in which he lost his
        store, - building and contents, - suffering a loss of $6,000, about
        one-half of which was covered by insurance.
           His next business venture was in lumbering, and he built a saw-
        mill at Verona, which he continued to manage about seven years,
        when he added a flouring mill.  His affairs continued prosperous
        until the fire of 1881, when the insatiate demon of flame swept
        away all his accumulations and entailed a loss of about $50,000
        above all insurance.  The fire of 1871 destroyed his property and
        involved his affairs to such a degree that, on making his settle-
        ments and placing himself square with the world, he had just 50
        cents in money and what he wore upon his person when the disaster
        overtook him!  House and furniture were gone, and his wife had only
        the clothing she wore.
           He managed to keep afloat, and in January, 1883, he came to Bad
        Axe and established his present mercantile business, in which he
        has met with satisfactory success.  He has built the finest house
        at Bad Axe, on one of the most disirable locations, having adjacent
        grounds containing two acres.  He owns a lot near his present place
        of business, where he proposes to build a business block of brick
        during the coming year, for which project his preparations are
        considerably advanced.  He owns also two business lots on a prom-
        inent street and 248 acres of fine farming land in the vicinity of
        Bad Axe.  He belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
           His marriage to MARY M. GRICE took place at Rock Falls, Huron
        County, April 6, 1865.  She is the daughter of JAMES G. and JANE
        (MASON) GRICE, and was born June 19, 1843, in Manchester, England.
        (See sketch of J. G. GRICE.)  JAMES R. and BENJAMIN I., the only
        children born to Mr. and Mrs. BALLENTINE, are deceased.
           We take pleasure in presenting the portrait of Mr. BALLENTINE
        in this work as a type of the representative and progressive
        citizens of the county, and of a man who has exhibited singular
        courage and business talent in rising to competency after suffering
        so great misfortune by fire.

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