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Isabelle Adelaide Ballou (1873-1953)
Head librarian in Bay City for 27 years.

Isabelle was head librarian in Bay City for 27 years. During that time she served a number of years as Secretary of the Michigan Library Association. Prior to her position with the library, she was a teacher at several of the local schools.

Isabelle was born on August 8, 1871, in Kawkawlin, Michigan, to Dexter A. and Molly (Fitzhugh) Ballou. Three years later she moved with her parents to Bay City. Her father had moved from Connecticut to Kawkawlin 1857, where he managed a sawmill owned by his father Oren A., who had purchased it from James Fraser. Isabelle's mother was the daughter of H. M. Fitzhugh, a prominent businessman in Bay City, and one of the original owners of the Northwestern Gas & Water Pipe Co.

Isabelle's parents were married on June 28, 1864, by the Rev. Ammi M. Lewis, of the Trinity Church in Bay City. Witnesses to the marriage were Henry M. Fitzhugh and Anne Ballou, Dexter's mother. Dexter was 25 years old at the time, and Molly was 17 years old.

Isabelle was the third child in the family. Preceding her was a sister, Anna, born in 1867 and a brother, Walling A., born in 1869. Following her birth, she had another brother and sister; Dexter Jr. born in 1873 and Lucy T. born in 1875. In October, 1882 their father died, and Molly appears to have remained a widow the rest of her life.

Isabelle received her common school education in Bay City, and afterward enrolled in the University of Michigan, from which she graduated in 1899, with teaching a degree. She returned to Bay City and began teaching her teaching career. For a number of years she taught at Garfield School. She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church and it's Emeritus Club.

Isabelle died on December 12, 1953 in her home at 2222 Groveland Road and is buried at Elm Lawn Cemetery.

Family genealogy. - Added Dec., 2011.

An Elaborate History and Genealogy of the Ballous in America. (1888)

DEXTER ANGELL BALLOU, Oren A., Dexter, Oliver, Noah, Nathaniel, James, Maturin; b. in Woonsocket, R. I., Sept. 12, 1838; m. Molly Grafton Fitzhugh, dr. of Henry M and Annie (George) Fitzhugh, b. May 30, 1847; cer. In Bay City, Mich., June 28, 1864, by Rev. A. M. Lewis. Issue, b. in Kawkawlin, Mich. –

1. Annie George, b. Sept. 26, 1867.
2. Walling Angel, b. Nov. 14, 1869.
3. Isabel Adelaide, b. Aug. 8, 1871.
4. Dexter Fitzhugh, b. Jan. 26, 1873.
5. Lucy Tyson, b. Jan. 13, 1875.

Note. Dexter's father was Oren Aldrich Ballou, born Aug. 22, 1813, at Cumberland, R.I., and his mother was Charlotte Walling Angell, born June 10, 1815, at Providence, R. I. They were married on Oct. 19, 1835. Dexter's siblings were Adelaide Victoria, b. 1837; Isabel Esther, b. 1840; and Edward Randall, b. 1843.

1924 - Michigan Library Bulletin. - Added Dec, 2011.

Vol. 15, No. 5, November-December, 1924.

NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS OF MICHIGAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

Secretary – Isabel Ballou, Bay City Public Library.

Vol. 16, No. 3, May-June, 1925.
Bay City.
Miss Ballou, Librarian of the Public Library of Bay City, was the last speaker on the program. She gave a brief review of some of the outstanding non-fiction books, especially those which have been most popular with Bay City readers.

Vol. 17, Bi-Monthly Supplement, July-August, 1926.
Second, a catalogue was compiled by Dexter A. Ballou, which was not a mere list of titles, but a descriptive catalogue of the 6,000 volumes. It contained annotations and cross reference and several thousand references to magazine articles and chapters in books. This was just 50 years ago. The circulation was recorded in a large book, with a special page for each person, on which were name the books drawn, so that even today a Bay Cityan may find what his ancestors were reading in the sixties and seventies of the last century.

References:

1857 - Michigan Historical Collections, Vol. 3, 1881.

• In 1857 James Fraser sold his Kawkawlin mill property to O. A. Ballou & Co., of the State of Connecticut, for $80,000 and Dexter A. Ballou, a son of O. A. Ballou, became the manager of the property and lumbering business; and the village of Kawkawlin was laid out and platted, and the business and place prospered finely. Mr. D. A. Ballou married a daughter of the Hon. H. M. Fitzhugh of Baltimore, Maryland, and has been a resident of Bay City ever since.

  1864 – MichiganFamilyHistory.org.: Bay Co., Mich. Marriages.

• Dexter A. Ballou married Molly Fitzhugh on Jun. 28, 1864, at Bay City, Bay, Mich. Service was preformed by Ammi M. Lewis, Rector, Trinity Chuch.

  1882 – Bay City Times Year End Review.

• Oct. - Dexter Ballou died.

  1887 – Directory: Bay City, Mich.

• Ballou, Mollie F. (wid. Dexter), res. 814 Farragut.

  1891 – Directory: Bay City, Mich.

• Ballou, Annie G., bds 814 N. Farragut.
• Ballou, Isabella A., teacher Woodside ave. School, bds 814 N. Farragut.
• Ballou, Mary F. (widow Dexter A), res 814 N. Farragut.
• Ballou, Walling A., clk. Second Nat. Bank, bds. 814 N. Farragut.

  1893 – Directory: Bay City, Mich.
  Schools:

• Garfield School – s. s. Twenty-first, bet., Fraser and Fitzhugh. Miss Mary McGregor, principal; Misses Isabelle Ballou, Clara Ward, Margaret Adams, Minnie Cahill, Minnie W. Brown, Nellie A. Atkinson, Nettie Rogers, Eugenia Tough, teachers.
• Ballou, Miss Isabelle A., teacher Garfield School, bds. 814 N. Farragut.
• Ballou, Lucy F., bds. 814 N. Farragut.
• Ballou, Mary F. (widow Dexter A.), res 814 N. Farragut.

  1900 – Census: Bay City, Bay, Michigan.

• Ballou, Mary F. - b. 1848 Maryland, widowed parent.
• Walling A., son – b. Nov.1869 Mich.
• Isabelle A., daughter – b. Aug. 1871 Mich.

  1901 - Michigan Alumnus, Vol. 8.

• Isabel A. Ballou, '99, is teaching in the high school at Bay City, Mich. Address, 1001 9th St.

  1917 – Michigan Deaths: Kawkawlin, Bay Co.

• Walling Angell Ballou, bank accountant, born Nov. 14, 1869, died Sep. 24, 1917.

  1918 – American Art Directory, Vol. 10.
  Bay City Art Club:

• Isabel A. Ballou, president, 508 Stanton Street, Bay City, Mich.
• Mrs. Lewis G. Weadock, Treasurer.
• Organized 1899. Annual Meeting in Febraury. Study club meeting Tuesday afternoons. About 150 members. Chapter, American Federation of Arts.

  1919 – Michigan Library Bulletin.

• Isabel A. Ballou elected Secretary of Michigan Library Association.

  1931 – Directory: Bay City, Michigan.

• Ballou, Anna (wid Walling A.) - h619 N. Madison Av.
• Ballou, Betty – student, r619 N. Madison Av.
• Ballou, Isabel – librarian Bay City Public Library, rGroveland Rd.
• Ballou, Isabel A. - teacher, r619 N. Madison Av.
• Ballou, Mary G – librarian Bay City Public Library, r619 N. Madison Av.

  1936 – Isabel Ballou authored, “History of the Bay City Library.”

  1946 – Directory: Bay City, Mich.

• Isabel A. Ballou, member of the Board of Trustees of the Bay City Public Library.

  1952 – History of Bay City Library Association.

• Isabel A. Ballou died Dec. 12, 1953 in her home at 2222 Groveland Road, and is buried at Elm Lawn Cemetery.