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It is often said there is nothing in a name.  But there is all in every name that the bearer by word, by act and thought puts in it.  The name doesn't make the man, but the man makes the name.

For a hundred years the name Rothchild has been significant of thrift, shrewdness and wealth.  And such is its power today that all Europe worships at its shrine.

The significance of names changes as the characters of persons bearing them change.  Solomon once signified wisdom;  not it may mean the beggar at your door or the illiterate inmate of the almshouse.  Washington once meant the brave soldier, the wise statesman, the model president;  not it may be born by the cringing crowd or the despised traitor.

It is a very common thing in our country that great wealth, great talents and noble characteristics perish with a single generation.  Washington, Jefferson, Webster, Clay, Jackson and many others of divers occupations are well known examples.  If a father, or mother, or both spend their time, talents and means to left themselves into prominence, to the neglect of the children given to bless he home and perpetuate the family honor, the fame of the family generally dies with the parents.

Many years ago a Frenchman bearing the name of Balliette left his native country on account of religious persecution and found a home in the land of religious as well as political freedom, locating in the state of Pennsylvania, among the Germans, and his descended intermarrying with them the French was lost and German became, with a little American English added, the adopted home language.

One of the sons became the happy father of nine sons and four daughters.  More than fifty years ago nearly all of this family emigrated to Ohio.  Stephen, the eldest, purchased a farm and mill property in Mifflin Township, on the Rockyfork of the Mohican, four miles east of Mansfield.  Henry located on a smaller stream farther east.  Jonas and Jacob purchased farm property near the Blackfork, above the Hershey mills, and two or three others settled in Crawford, or what is now the northern part of Morrow County.

The families of the four brothers in the eastern part of Richland County are the best known in this community.  It would be difficult to find four other brothers, emigrants to this county, who possessed in so full a degree the nobler characteristics of good citizenship;  such as industry, honesty, frugality, integrity and thrift.  And these were largely implanted in their descendants.  So that the Balliett name carries with it the significance of these sterling qualities.

Stephen Balliet, who resides two miles east of the city, and Harry Balliet, who resides one mile farther southeast, are men whose integrity and honesty are of the highest type.  When Stephen, as administrator of his father's estate, was ready to file his final papers of settlement with the court, he asked his brothers to look over them.  They said, "No, if you think they are correct we are satisfied without examination."  He is now more than 80 years old, has given up work and business and is waiting the summons to cross over from the land of the dying to the home of the living.

Most of the older members of this large connection were German Lutheran in religious faith and practice.  But Jonas, after reaching Ohio, joined the Baptists, for which the other brothers disowned him.  Harry, son of Stephen, Sr., is an English Lutheran.  When his father had finished his work and divided his property among his sons and daughters he gave up his old home and lived with his sons and sons-in-law.  When he came to live with Harry it was in midsummer.  But Harry kept up his custom of family worship in the morning, which his father did not approve, and said to him one morning, "Harry, there is no use of you wasting time these busy mornings praying.  The preacher does our praying."  Harry replied, "Father, there is one thing you have not got.  If you had it you would pray too."  "What is it, Harry?"  asked his father.  "It is the Holy Spirit" said Harry.  "Well how can I get it?" said the father.  "When you are alone, sometime, no one near you, kneel down and pray with all your might and you will find it" said the son.  

Not that many mornings after the old man disappeared which was so unusual in him.  His son thought he would remain near the house awhile till his father made his appearance.  Soon the old octogenarian emerged from the woods, 40 rods or more from the house and as he approached Harry saw he was crying.  Soon he spoke, saying "O, Harry why did you not tell me of this long ago?"  Harry replied, "You ought to teach me instead of me teaching you."

Not long after, Stephen and Jonas, who had not spoken together for years, met between the Methodist Episcopal church and the court house.  Stephen approached Jonas with hand out-stretched, which the latter grasped warmly, saying, "How do you doe my brother?"  "O, Jonas" said Stephen, "forgive me, I have done wrong in disowning you."

And the two old brothers sat down on a dressed stone of the new court house and talked and cried for an hour or more.

Three ways of spelling the name are in use owing to the change from French to German and from German to English.

-- S.N.

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Later in the same paper appeared the following notice:  Leonard Balliet, formerly of this county, now of Wyandot County, was in the city today with his son Josiah.  Mr. Balliet has been a reader of the Richland SHIELD AND BANNER for 60 years.

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