"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  p. 497.  Grant Co.

BALLARD P. TARTER

     A man who has the courage of his convictions is entitled to respect, and it
is well to say that no man ever walked in pioneer shoes who was lacking the that
quality.  It took men of courage to face the hardships of the west and operate
here.  Among this number we are constrained to mention the gentleman, whose name
is at the head of this article, for he has been a potent factor in the material
advancement of Grant county and in its substantial development for a goodly
number of years.
     His birth occurred in Hawkins county, Tennessee, on June 29, 1842.  Scarce
out of his swaddling clothes, he was left fatherless, and the widowed mother
removed with her little ones to Wythe county, Virginia, where Ballard P. was
reared and educated.  When the dogs of war became active he enlisted in the
cause that lay nearest his heart and took up arms in Company E, Fiftieth
Virginia, in Floyd's Brigade in June, 1861.  His service was valiant and
faithful until laid low by disease and when sufficiently recovered he was
transferred to the quartermaster's department where he continued until the close
of the conflict.  He participated in many skirmishes and witnessed some of the
large battles of the war.  It was his lot, to use his own words, to see "Dixie
bloom and fall."  Subsequent to the war he went to Garrard county, Kentucky, and
worked at the carpenter trade and from there he migrated to Springfield,
Missouri, and in September, 1873, he came to Polk county in this state.  He came
via San Francisco, and from that city to Portland he went on the steamer, George
M. Elder.  Through Oregon, California, and Arizona, he followed his trade until
1887, when he came to Grant county and took a homestead nine and one-half miles
north from Longcreek.  Here he resides at the present time and is giving his
attention to the art of agriculture and fruit raising.  He has been exceedingly
successful as an orchardist and possesses one of the finest orchards in the
county.
     Mr. Tarter is one of the celibatarians of the county and is enjoying the
quiets of that life rather than the cares and responsibilities of the connubial
relation.  He is highly respected by all and is secure in the esteem and
confidence of his fellows.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.