Jack Ballard was a prospective young farmer living near old Independence southeast of Shoals. When Lincoln issued his call for volunteers Ballard was one of the men who enlisted in Company I, Indiana 24th Infantry Regiment on 31 Jul 1861.
Along in the spring of sixty-four when treasonable societies were flourishing in this section of the state it came to the commander of Ballard's regiment that several Martin county men who were home on furloughs were associating with the societies and had also violating their furlough terms. Ballard, with several other men now living in and about Shoals was commissioned to return from the south and take into custody the deserters and turn them over to the federal authorities.
The soldiers arrived in the Shoals during the morning hours and after getting a bearing on conditions set out for Ballard's home for the night. When a fork in the road was reached just a little after sundown, about a mile from Ballard's home, two of the three men in Ballard's party, concluded they would go to their own homes for the night, not having seen their relatives for some time and both being mere boys. Ballard went to the left and had not been out of sight of his comrades more than a couple of minutes until they were startled by several rifle shots, and hurrying back they found him dead. The body was taken to his home and the federal authorities notified.
Excitement and riot in Martin county and soon it was told that the government would come into the community in order to bring the murders to justice. A few days after a train load of soldiers quietly arrived at Ironton a mile east of the county capitol and before the citizens were aware of their presents. a picket line had been thrown about the place. Officers of the detachment made trips to the home of Ballard and that Ballard furnished such information as she had gathered as to the death of her husband. In quick succession came the arrest of Dr. Bowles and Stephen Horsey at Shoals. They were marched to the place where Ballard was slain but no confession could be obtained. Then the men were taken to a little walnut grove just east of the town and there ropes were placed over a convenient limb, nooses were adjusted about their necks and they were swung from the grand time after time, but the much wanted confession was not obtained. They were then taken to Indianapolis, the proceeding of the court martial being familiar to practically all of the older set.
The walnut grove where the accused members of the Knights of the Golden Circle were dangled from the end of a rope, is one of the show places at the edge of Shoals. It is near the farm where was born Dr. C. H. Venne and the physicians' brother S. P. Venne, who lives at Shoals, then but a mere lad, was one of to assist the Army officers in locating Bowles, Milligan and Horsey. The grove is in the shape of a V, and does not cover more than a half-acre of ground. At the extreme north end of the tree line stands a beautiful specimen of the black walnut. It was this tree that did service. On one of the branches, now about the size of a man's body, can be seen a scar and the older folk about Shoals claim this was brought about by the sawing of the rope over the tender branch.
About the time a mob took the law into its own hands in Martin and swung the Archers into eternity, a neighborhood quarrel broke out in southern Columbia Township and among the charges that were made was one opening up the Ballard murder. A grand jury came a little belated on and indictments were found against several of the county's most prominent men, one of whom was at the time serving as county commissioner. "Betty" Ballard assisted the state in the trial, which was hotly contested. While damaging evidence was introduced against the defendants, many of the important witnesses had been summoned beyond and the trial resulted in a verdict for the defendants.
Mustered out on 18 Mar 1864 at Indiana.
Along in the spring of sixty-four when treasonable societies were flourishing in this section of the state it came to the commander of Ballard's regiment that several Martin county men who were home on furloughs were associating with the societies and had also violating their furlough terms. Ballard, with several other men now living in and about Shoals was commissioned to return from the south and take into custody the deserters and turn them over to the federal authorities.
The soldiers arrived in the Shoals during the morning hours and after getting a bearing on conditions set out for Ballard's home for the night. When a fork in the road was reached just a little after sundown, about a mile from Ballard's home, two of the three men in Ballard's party, concluded they would go to their own homes for the night, not having seen their relatives for some time and both being mere boys. Ballard went to the left and had not been out of sight of his comrades more than a couple of minutes until they were startled by several rifle shots, and hurrying back they found him dead. The body was taken to his home and the federal authorities notified.
Excitement and riot in Martin county and soon it was told that the government would come into the community in order to bring the murders to justice. A few days after a train load of soldiers quietly arrived at Ironton a mile east of the county capitol and before the citizens were aware of their presents. a picket line had been thrown about the place. Officers of the detachment made trips to the home of Ballard and that Ballard furnished such information as she had gathered as to the death of her husband. In quick succession came the arrest of Dr. Bowles and Stephen Horsey at Shoals. They were marched to the place where Ballard was slain but no confession could be obtained. Then the men were taken to a little walnut grove just east of the town and there ropes were placed over a convenient limb, nooses were adjusted about their necks and they were swung from the grand time after time, but the much wanted confession was not obtained. They were then taken to Indianapolis, the proceeding of the court martial being familiar to practically all of the older set.
The walnut grove where the accused members of the Knights of the Golden Circle were dangled from the end of a rope, is one of the show places at the edge of Shoals. It is near the farm where was born Dr. C. H. Venne and the physicians' brother S. P. Venne, who lives at Shoals, then but a mere lad, was one of to assist the Army officers in locating Bowles, Milligan and Horsey. The grove is in the shape of a V, and does not cover more than a half-acre of ground. At the extreme north end of the tree line stands a beautiful specimen of the black walnut. It was this tree that did service. On one of the branches, now about the size of a man's body, can be seen a scar and the older folk about Shoals claim this was brought about by the sawing of the rope over the tender branch.
About the time a mob took the law into its own hands in Martin and swung the Archers into eternity, a neighborhood quarrel broke out in southern Columbia Township and among the charges that were made was one opening up the Ballard murder. A grand jury came a little belated on and indictments were found against several of the county's most prominent men, one of whom was at the time serving as county commissioner. "Betty" Ballard assisted the state in the trial, which was hotly contested. While damaging evidence was introduced against the defendants, many of the important witnesses had been summoned beyond and the trial resulted in a verdict for the defendants.
Mustered out on 18 Mar 1864 at Indiana.
Jack Ballard was a prospective young farmer living near old Independence southeast of Shoals. When Lincoln issued his call for volunteers Ballard was one of the men who enlisted in Company I, Indiana 24th Infantry Regiment on 31 Jul 1861.
Along in the spring of sixty-four when treasonable societies were flourishing in this section of the state it came to the commander of Ballard's regiment that several Martin county men who were home on furloughs were associating with the societies and had also violating their furlough terms. Ballard, with several other men now living in and about Shoals was commissioned to return from the south and take into custody the deserters and turn them over to the federal authorities.
The soldiers arrived in the Shoals during the morning hours and after getting a bearing on conditions set out for Ballard's home for the night. When a fork in the road was reached just a little after sundown, about a mile from Ballard's home, two of the three men in Ballard's party, concluded they would go to their own homes for the night, not having seen their relatives for some time and both being mere boys. Ballard went to the left and had not been out of sight of his comrades more than a couple of minutes until they were startled by several rifle shots, and hurrying back they found him dead. The body was taken to his home and the federal authorities notified.
Excitement and riot in Martin county and soon it was told that the government would come into the community in order to bring the murders to justice. A few days after a train load of soldiers quietly arrived at Ironton a mile east of the county capitol and before the citizens were aware of their presents. a picket line had been thrown about the place. Officers of the detachment made trips to the home of Ballard and that Ballard furnished such information as she had gathered as to the death of her husband. In quick succession came the arrest of Dr. Bowles and Stephen Horsey at Shoals. They were marched to the place where Ballard was slain but no confession could be obtained. Then the men were taken to a little walnut grove just east of the town and there ropes were placed over a convenient limb, nooses were adjusted about their necks and they were swung from the grand time after time, but the much wanted confession was not obtained. They were then taken to Indianapolis, the proceeding of the court martial being familiar to practically all of the older set.
The walnut grove where the accused members of the Knights of the Golden Circle were dangled from the end of a rope, is one of the show places at the edge of Shoals. It is near the farm where was born Dr. C. H. Venne and the physicians' brother S. P. Venne, who lives at Shoals, then but a mere lad, was one of to assist the Army officers in locating Bowles, Milligan and Horsey. The grove is in the shape of a V, and does not cover more than a half-acre of ground. At the extreme north end of the tree line stands a beautiful specimen of the black walnut. It was this tree that did service. On one of the branches, now about the size of a man's body, can be seen a scar and the older folk about Shoals claim this was brought about by the sawing of the rope over the tender branch.
About the time a mob took the law into its own hands in Martin and swung the Archers into eternity, a neighborhood quarrel broke out in southern Columbia Township and among the charges that were made was one opening up the Ballard murder. A grand jury came a little belated on and indictments were found against several of the county's most prominent men, one of whom was at the time serving as county commissioner. "Betty" Ballard assisted the state in the trial, which was hotly contested. While damaging evidence was introduced against the defendants, many of the important witnesses had been summoned beyond and the trial resulted in a verdict for the defendants.
Mustered out on 18 Mar 1864 at Indiana.
Along in the spring of sixty-four when treasonable societies were flourishing in this section of the state it came to the commander of Ballard's regiment that several Martin county men who were home on furloughs were associating with the societies and had also violating their furlough terms. Ballard, with several other men now living in and about Shoals was commissioned to return from the south and take into custody the deserters and turn them over to the federal authorities.
The soldiers arrived in the Shoals during the morning hours and after getting a bearing on conditions set out for Ballard's home for the night. When a fork in the road was reached just a little after sundown, about a mile from Ballard's home, two of the three men in Ballard's party, concluded they would go to their own homes for the night, not having seen their relatives for some time and both being mere boys. Ballard went to the left and had not been out of sight of his comrades more than a couple of minutes until they were startled by several rifle shots, and hurrying back they found him dead. The body was taken to his home and the federal authorities notified.
Excitement and riot in Martin county and soon it was told that the government would come into the community in order to bring the murders to justice. A few days after a train load of soldiers quietly arrived at Ironton a mile east of the county capitol and before the citizens were aware of their presents. a picket line had been thrown about the place. Officers of the detachment made trips to the home of Ballard and that Ballard furnished such information as she had gathered as to the death of her husband. In quick succession came the arrest of Dr. Bowles and Stephen Horsey at Shoals. They were marched to the place where Ballard was slain but no confession could be obtained. Then the men were taken to a little walnut grove just east of the town and there ropes were placed over a convenient limb, nooses were adjusted about their necks and they were swung from the grand time after time, but the much wanted confession was not obtained. They were then taken to Indianapolis, the proceeding of the court martial being familiar to practically all of the older set.
The walnut grove where the accused members of the Knights of the Golden Circle were dangled from the end of a rope, is one of the show places at the edge of Shoals. It is near the farm where was born Dr. C. H. Venne and the physicians' brother S. P. Venne, who lives at Shoals, then but a mere lad, was one of to assist the Army officers in locating Bowles, Milligan and Horsey. The grove is in the shape of a V, and does not cover more than a half-acre of ground. At the extreme north end of the tree line stands a beautiful specimen of the black walnut. It was this tree that did service. On one of the branches, now about the size of a man's body, can be seen a scar and the older folk about Shoals claim this was brought about by the sawing of the rope over the tender branch.
About the time a mob took the law into its own hands in Martin and swung the Archers into eternity, a neighborhood quarrel broke out in southern Columbia Township and among the charges that were made was one opening up the Ballard murder. A grand jury came a little belated on and indictments were found against several of the county's most prominent men, one of whom was at the time serving as county commissioner. "Betty" Ballard assisted the state in the trial, which was hotly contested. While damaging evidence was introduced against the defendants, many of the important witnesses had been summoned beyond and the trial resulted in a verdict for the defendants.
Mustered out on 18 Mar 1864 at Indiana.
Inscription
Died in the service to his country
Gravesite Details
Johnson Cemetery is located in a copse of trees surrounded by farm fields on Peggy Hollow Road in Lost River Township, Martin County, Indiana. It is on private property, and is reasonably well maintained.
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