Horatio Ballard

Horatio Ballard (August 1803 – October 8, 1879) was an American lawyer and politician who was New York Secretary of State from January 1, 1862, to December 31, 1863.

Life

He was born in Homer, New York in 1803 and educated in the Pompey and Cortland Academies.^[1] He studied law with Judge Stephens of Cortland and Freeborn G. Jewett of Skaneateles.^[1] After being admitted to practice at the age of twenty-four, he partnered with Stephens in Cortland for many years.^[1] In 1842, he succeeded Shankland as district attorney.^[1] He was a delegate to the 1844 and 1856 Democratic National Conventions.^[1] On June 9, 1847, he married Sarah N. Fairchild.^[2] He was elected Secretary of State of New York in 1861.^[1] He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Cortland Co.) in 1867. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867–68, playing an important role.^[1] He died at his residence in Cortland, N.Y.

References

• Obituary transcribed from The Cortland County Democrat, on October 10, 1879
• Political Graveyard (stating erroneously that he was Consul in Havana, in fact he was nominated, but rejected by the Senate)^[3]

1. Smith, H.P. (1885). History of Cortland Co., New York.
2. Marriage notice, transcribed from The Cortland Democrat, on June 9, 1847
3. "The Havana Consulate". The New York Times. March 12, 1864.