John William Ballinger was the son of William Granville Ballinger and Samantha "Dutch" Clayborn.
John William Ballinger was born March 8, 1883, and was named for his maternal grandfather, John William Clayborn of Newton County, AR. John's father was William Granville Ballinger, born March 27, 1861 in TN to Edward Ballinger (b. 1819 SC) and Isabella McKinley Ballinger (b. 1834 TN). William G. Ballinger, who was living in Boone Co, AR, married Samantha Clayborn January 16, 1882 in Newton Co, AR. They were married by George Clayborn, Minister of the Gospel and Samantha's grandfather, and continued to live near her family in Limestone Valley until they divorced. Only one child was born of this union, John W. Ballinger.
After his parents divorce, William Granville left Newton Co, John age 5 stayed with his mother, his mother, whom he called "Dutch", married J. Baucom, he drank and was mean to her. We we were told that he beat her and was mean to John. "Jonny" Ballinger left home (Deer, AR). He arrived in Dora, Ar, at the home of his uncle when he was about ten years old. He lived with his aunt and uncle, B. Forrest Ballinger and Louise Bethel Ballinger, until he was on his own. (This Aunt Louisa was a cousin to his mother.) We don't know what happened to Samantha, except that her brother told, that after the divorce, the beatings, and the death of a child, that she became ill.
John W. Ballinger married Maud Askins, born October 19, 1889, in Lone Pine, Johnson Co, AR, on September 25, 1906. Maud was the daughter of early Arkansas pioneers, William Sanford Askins and Millie Mandy Melvina Nunley. John and Maud had eleven children, and most were raised in eastern Oklahoma and western Arksnsas, living on farms during the depression and dust bowl days in Oklahoma. "Papa" farmed, worked on the railroad, delivered post by horseback, and owned a general mercantile store at Long, OK. He was an active member of his community, being on the school board at Scratchout School. Places of residence included Deer, Alma, and Dior, AR; Akins, Long, Liberty, and Sallisaw, Ok. His church affiliation was Baptist. (Information supplied by Beverly Ballinger Riggs.)