History of Ballwin

Ballwin is a unique name for a City. In fact, it is the only City in the United States with its spelling (BALLWIN, NOT BALDWIN). The City was founded by John Ball, son of James Ball and Mary Bray Ball of Virginia and Kentucky. His father, James, who came to America from Dublin, Ireland, served in the 4th and 8th Virginia Regiments during the Revolutionary War. Because of his military service, he was given a military land warrant and moved to this new land in Kentucky after the war. Reportedly, James was a friend of Daniel Boone.

Around 1797 or 1798, our founder, John Ball, moved to the West St. Louis County area, possibly at the same time as the Daniel Boone party moved to and settled in the St. Charles, Warren County areas. Records now preserved in Jefferson City show the transfer of title of about 400 acres of land along Grande Glaize Creek to John Ball in February, 1800. This is the first official record of John Ball in the West County area.

Since John Ball's property claim was derived originally from a Spanish land grant, and was land that was at the time under Spanish rule, the Louisiana Purchase raised doubts about property ownership. It took several hearings and appeals and ten years for John Ball to clear his claim to the land that would eventually become the town of Ballwin.