About us
Y-DNA and Big Y test results indicate there is one major Balch line with roots in England, seemingly centered around Somerset, England, and dating back to the 1450 time frame. Numerous branches of the family exist, some better-defined than others, based on the number of men tested.
The Massachusetts and Maryland Balch lines both descend from this family, as do several other Balch men from England, Canada, and Australia who have been tested. These Balch men all have ancestors in various parts of England.
The patriarch of the Massachusetts Balch line is a John Balch born 1579 in Somerset. By the mid-1620s, he and his family were in Massachusetts. Numerous descendants of this branch have taken the Y-DNA test.
The patriarch of the Maryland Balch line is presumed to be a John Balch who starts appearing in court records in southern Maryland in the early 1660s. He was a servant to Maryland Governor Josias Fendall. In a provincial court record in 1661, this is how he was referred to: "The Examinacon of John Balth Servant to Capt Fendall aged thirty yeares or thereabouts..." The name is correctly given as "Balch" in related court records. The next Balch who is found in records is a Hezekiah Balch who married Martha Brewerton in 1707 in Anne Arundel Co., MD. He then settled in present-day Harford County, MD where his children were born. All known descendants of the Maryland Balch line descend from Hezekiah's two sons, John and James. Numerous descendants of John and James have taken the Y-DNA test, and there are mutational differences between them that distinguish descendants of James from descendants of John.
Several known NPEs (non paternity events) have been detected in the testing of Balch men. An NPE is an event such as an adoption, an infidelity, a name change, or a child born out of wedlock that has resulted in a surname line not carrying the genetic identity of its surname. NPEs are very common and occur in about 5% to 10% of all men tested. Sometimes it's possible to determine where/when this event took place, but often not.
The patriarch of the Massachusetts Balch line is a John Balch born 1579 in Somerset. By the mid-1620s, he and his family were in Massachusetts. Numerous descendants of this branch have taken the Y-DNA test.
The patriarch of the Maryland Balch line is presumed to be a John Balch who starts appearing in court records in southern Maryland in the early 1660s. He was a servant to Maryland Governor Josias Fendall. In a provincial court record in 1661, this is how he was referred to: "The Examinacon of John Balth Servant to Capt Fendall aged thirty yeares or thereabouts..." The name is correctly given as "Balch" in related court records. The next Balch who is found in records is a Hezekiah Balch who married Martha Brewerton in 1707 in Anne Arundel Co., MD. He then settled in present-day Harford County, MD where his children were born. All known descendants of the Maryland Balch line descend from Hezekiah's two sons, John and James. Numerous descendants of John and James have taken the Y-DNA test, and there are mutational differences between them that distinguish descendants of James from descendants of John.
Several known NPEs (non paternity events) have been detected in the testing of Balch men. An NPE is an event such as an adoption, an infidelity, a name change, or a child born out of wedlock that has resulted in a surname line not carrying the genetic identity of its surname. NPEs are very common and occur in about 5% to 10% of all men tested. Sometimes it's possible to determine where/when this event took place, but often not.
There have also been numerous NPEs discovered with men carrying Balch Y-DNA who do not carry the Balch surname. Again, sometimes we have been able to pinpoint when the NPE took place, but sometimes not. Such is the case with the descendants of Abraham Smith of colonial Virginia who match the Balches. They are most closely aligned with the Maryland Balch family Y-DNA-wise, but are not necessarily descended from the line.
There is also a Sims family as well as Washburn family that matches the Balches Y-DNA-wise, but Big Y has shown these to be a very distant connections pre-dating the 1450 timeframe.
Lineages of the members of the English/Somerset Balch Line
John Balch of Beverly, MA
The following four kits match the Balch baseline and the results show some unique mutations within the larger Balch family baseline that help differentiate descendants of this branch from other branches.
1 John Balch b. 1579 Somerset, England d. MA
.. 2 Benjamin Balch b. 1629 Beverly, MA
..... 3 Samuel Balch b. 1651 in Beverly, MA
........ 4 Samuel Balch b. 1678 in Beverly, MA
........... 5 Josiah Balch b.1711 in Douglas, MA
.............. 6 Samuel Balch b 1739 in Oxford, MA
................. 7 Nathaniel Balch b. 1779 in Athens, VT
.................... 8 Royal Tyler Balch b. 1817 in Athens, VT
...................... 9 Royal Curtis Balch b. 1856 in Oshtemo, MI
......................... 10 John Vincent Balch b. 1884 in Oshtemo, MI
.............................11 Lawrence Eugene Balch b. 1911 in Oshtemo, MI
.................................12 Kit 170932
..... 3 John Balch b. 1654 Beverly, Ma, d. 19 Nov 1738 d. Beverly, MA
........ 4 John Balch b. abt. 1679 Beverly, MA
........... 5 Andrew Balch b. 27 Feb 1706-7 Beverly, MA
.............. 6 Caleb Balch b. 16 Oct 1740 Beverly, MA
................ 7 Cyrus Balch b. 14 Jul 1765 Keene, NH
................... 8 John Balch b. 29 Jan 1794
..................... 9 John Balch b. 12 Nov 1827 Vermont
........................ 10 Benjamin Iliff Balch b. 18 Apr 1861 Beaver, MN
........................... 11 Benjamin Cyrus Balch b. 2 Sep 1896 Sac Co., IA
............................... 12 Kit 340837
........ 4 Israel Balch b. 8 Sept 1682 Beverly, MA ........... 5 Joshua Balch b. 17 May 1719 Beverly, MA d. 5 March 1804 North Beverly, MA
.............. 6 Joshua Balch b. 28 Nov 1750 Beverly, MA d. 31 Dec 1780 Francestown, NH
................ 7 Joshua Balch 9 Jun 1778 Lyme, NH d. 23 Apr 1833 Minneapolis, MN
................... 8 Dan Shaw Balch b. 16 Mar 1807 Lyme, NH d. 24 Feb 1888 Minneapolis, MN
..................... 9 Dan Whittier Balch b. 24 Sep 1844 Bocawen, NH d. 1904 Dakota, MN
........................ 10 Frederick Kittridge Balch 26 Jun 1874 Dakota, MN 20 Apr 1961 Modesto, CA
........................... 11 Robert Frederick Balch 3 Feb 1926 Portland, OR d. 21 Mar 2009 Reno, NV
............................... 12 Kit 260251
.............. 6 Israel Balch Sr b. 1 April 1753 Beverly, MA d. 1827 Francestown, NH
................ 7 John Balch Sr. b.1 Oct 1782 Francestown, NH d. 17 Nov 1837 Chester, VT
................... 8 John Balch Jr. b. 28 Dec 1803 Chester, VT d.3 Jan 1873 Grandville, NY
..................... 9 Lowell Levi Balch b. 22 Jan 1832 Hartland, VT d. 22 Feb 1917 Hartland, VT
........................ 10 Elerie Austin Balch b. 20 Sept 1876 Hartland, VT d. 18 Feb 1917 Hartland, VT
........................... 11 Harvey Edward Balch b. 30 Jan 1910 Hartland, VT d. 1 Oct 1986 Windsor, VT
............................... 12 Ivan Stanley Balch b. 11 Jan 1941 Claremont, NH d. 2 Oct 1991 Boston, MA
.................................. 13 Kit 199331
London -> Surrey, Eng -> Canada
1 William Balch b: Abt. 1775 in England
... 2 James Balch b: 1815 in London, England
...... 3 James Balch b: 1845 in Caterham, Surrey, England
......... 4 James B. Balch b: 1879 in Caterham, Surrey, England
............ 5 Kenneth J. Balch b: 1913 in London, Ontario, Canada
............... 6Kit 151814
............... 6Kit 151814
Devon, England -> Wales -> Canada
1 William Balch b: Abt. 1747 in Devon, England d: 21 Feb 1816 in Devon, England
... 2 George Bolch b: Abt. 1795 in Devon, England
...... 3 George Bolch b: Abt. 1847 in Glamorgan, Wales d: 09 Apr 1909 in Glamorgan, Wales
......... 4 Frederick Arthur Emmanuel Bolch b: 1887 in Glamorgan, Wales d: 1957 in Gorseinon, Wales
............ 5 Colin Jefferson Bolch b: 1916 in Glamorgan, Wales d. Canada
............... 6 Kit 155158
Somerset -> Essex, England
1 John Balch, b. ca 1650 Martock, Somerset, England m. Ann Vellacott 31 Aug 1669
... 2 John Balch b.1677 Martock Somereset, d. 13 Feb 1731 West Ham Essex m. Dorothy Waite 11 Jun 1702
...... 3 Edward Balch b. 12 Jul 1703 London, d. 17 Dec 1769 West Ham Essex m. Sarah Cross 10 Aug 1725
......... 4 William Balch 15 May 1726 London, d.31 Jan 1768 West Ham Essex. m. Jane Styleman 22 Aug 17561
............ 5 William Balch b. 23 Jul 1754 West Ham Essex m. Ann Balch (cousins) 9 Nov 1783
............... 6 Edward Balch bp: 10 Dec 1801 in London d: 18 Mar 1872 G Lincs m. Martha Scofield 1826
.................. 7 William Henry Balch b: 26 Apr 1829 in Essex d. 1876 buried at sea m. Martha Lucy ? Dec 1854
..................... 8 William Henry Balch b: 3 Jan 1865 in Lincolnshire d. 29 Nov 1952 m. Betsy Fletcher 1889
........................ 9 Arthur Balch b: 22 May 1902 in Essex d. 20 Jan 1959 London m. Lilian Knight
........................... 10 Private
................................ 11 Kit N63588
........................... 10 Private
................................ 11 Kit N63588
......... 4 James Balch b. 12 Feb 1736 West Ham Essex, d. 21 March 1805 Leyton Essex m. Rachel Burton 14 Oct 1764
............ 5 Thomas Balch b. 6 Jun 1773 Leyton Essex, d. 6 Sep 1834 Islington London m. Mary Newell 26 Oct 1795
............... 6 Thomas James Balch b. 21 Sep 1798 Hoxton London, d. 6 Oct 1842 Hoxton London m. Sophia Ward 29 Jul 1821
.................. 7 James Balch b. 31 Dec 1823 London, d. 15 Apr 1913 London m. twice
..................... 8 Charles Randolph Balch b. 14 Aug 1873 London, d. 1Q1960 Pinner Middx m. Rosetta Mary Standerwick 1903
........................ 9 James Randolph Balch b. 11 November 1910 East Finchley London, d. 15 Oct 1978 Barnet Herts m. thrice
........................... 10 Kit IN80396
Somerset, England -> Australia
This new project member matches Kit N63588 directly above on 39 of 41 markers and seems to imply a closer relationship to each other than other Balch men. It is not conclusive, however.
1 Charles Baulch m: 1799 Ann Biddlecumb in Muchelney, Somerset, Eng d: bef 1837
1 Charles Baulch m: 1799 Ann Biddlecumb in Muchelney, Somerset, Eng d: bef 1837
... 2 Francis Baulch b: 1804 Muchelney, Somerset, Eng d: 1882 Kirkstall, Victoria, Australia
...... 3 Samuel Baulch b: 1845 Longford, Tasmania, Aus d: 1919 Warrnambool, Victoria, Aus
......... 4 Parke Egbert Baulch b: 1899 Warrnambool, Victoria, Aus d: 1977 Warrnambool Victoria, Aus
............ 5 Private
............... 6 Kit 405801
............... 6 Kit 405801
......... 4 Stanley Samuel Baulch b: 1897 Kirkstall, Victoria, Aus
............ 5 Private
............... 6 Kit 417451
............... 6 Kit 417451
Somerset, England ->Maryland Balch Line
This family represents what is commonly known as "The Maryland Balches." The John Balch immediately below can be found in legal documents in St. Mary's Co. and Charles Co., MD in the 1660s. To date, current researchers have found no further information on him especially with regard to a marriage or children or his supposed son Thomas. We start picking up a well-documented trail from Hezekiah on down.
1 John Balch b. abt. 1630 of St. Mary's and Charles Co., MD (presumed patriarch of the Maryland Balches)
... 2 Unknown (presumed to have existed, name unknown, but Hezekiah's eldest son was "James")
........ 3 Hezekiah Balch m. Martha Brewerton 30 Jul. 1707 St. Anne's Parish, Anne Arundel Co., MD d. 1724 Balt./Harford Co., MD
............. 4 James Balch b. 5 Dec. 1714 Harford Co., MD d. 1779 Mecklenburg Co., NC
.................. 5 Amos Balch b. 1758 Harford Co., MD d. 1838 Shelbyville, Bedford Co., TN
........................ 6 John Bloomer Balch b. 1795 d. 1864 Sardis, Panola Co., MS
............................. 7 Rufus Colwell Balch b. 1819 TN d. 1899 AR
.................................. 8 Leonidas C. Balch b. 1842 MS d. 1904 AR
....................................... 9 Leonidas C. Balch II b. 1876 MS d. 1955 CA
............................................. 10 Leonidas C. Balch III b. 1904 d. 1983 CA
.................................................... 11 Kit 830691
.................................................... 11 Kit 830691
............................. 7 John Colwell Balch b. 1826 Desoto Co., MS d. 1883 Rufus, Jackson Co., AR
.................................. 8 William Russell I Balch b. 1870 Jackson Co., AR d. 1920 Frederick, OK
....................................... 9 William Russell Balch II 1916 Booneville, AR d. 1961 San Diego, CA
............................................. 10 Kit 167537
.................. 5 William Goodwin Balch b. 1751 Harford Co., MD d. 1822 Moulton, AL
........................ 6 Hezekiah James Balch b. 1780 d. 1836 Coles Co., IL
............................. 7 Hezekiah James Emmet Balch b. 1819 Shelbyville, TN d. 1885 Danville, IL
.................................. 8 James Hezekiah Balch b. 1845 Vandalia, IL d. 1897 Terre Haute, IN
....................................... 9 James Frank Balch b. 1878 Buckley, IL d. 1959 Terre Haute, IN
............................................. 10 James Ferguson Balch b. 1903 Clinton, IN d. 19563 Terre Haute, IN
.................................................... 11 Kit 182653
.................................................... 11 Kit 182653
........................ 6 Philonides Balch
............................. 7 T. B. Balch b. abt. 1817 - 1820 TN or AL (believed to be Theron B. Balch)
.................................. 8William Alfred Baulch 1855 TN d. 1940 Callahan Co., TX
....................................... 9David Marion Baulch 1877 Comanche Co., TX d. 1972
............................................. 10 Joe Melton Baulch 1910 TX d. 1986 TX
................................................... 11 Kit 269957
................................................... 11 Kit 269957
............. 4 John Balch b. 23 Jan. 1716 Harford Co., MD d: aft. 27 Nov. 1790 Mecklenburg Co., NC
.................. 5 William Balch b. 1762 Harford Co., MD d: 1827 Sparta, White Co., TN
........................ 6 Robert McClelland Balch b: 1797 SC d: 1857 Lawrence Co., AL
............................. 7 Edward Balch b: 1824 TN d: 1882 Lawrence Co., AL
.................................. 8 John W. Balch b: 1848 Lawrence Co., AL d: 1922 Witchita Co., TX
....................................... 9 James Albert Balch b: 1871 AL d: 1936 TX
............................................. 10 Oliver Balch b: 1901 OK d: 1967 TX
................................................... 11 Venery Lawson Balch b: 1928 Menard Co., TX d:1981 Austin, TX
......................................................... 12 Private
............................................................... 13 Kit 937101
........................ 6 John R. Balch b: 1810 TN (married Sophia Stone)
............................. 7 William Nicholas Baulch b: 1837 Sumner Co., TN
.................................. 8 George Nelson Baulch b: 1870 Sumner Co., TN
....................................... 9 James Homer Baulch b: 1915 Sumner Co., TN d: 1992
............................................. 10 Kit 69546
........................ 6 Hezekiah Balch b: 1811 Sparta, White Co., TN d: 1873 Madison Co., AL
............................. 7 William McKinny Balch b. 1841 Madison Co., AL d: 1914 Madison Co., AL
.................................. 8 Edward Hezekiah Balch b: 1873 Madison Co., AL d: 1955 Decatur, AL
....................................... 9 Lawrence Fielding Balch b: 1904 Decatur, AL d: 1958 Elaine, AR
............................................. 10 Kit 16391
.................. 5 Thomas Balch
........................ 6 *John Balch b: Abt. 1778 d: Abt. 1826 in Giles Co., TN (married Nancy Basham)
............................. 7 James W. Balch b: Abt. 1816 in TN d: 1852
.................................. 8 Joseph B. Balch b: Abt. 1845 in TN
....................................... 9 Robert Dee Balch b: 02 Dec 1883 in Lauderdale Co., AL d: Mar 1979
............................................. 10 Junos Edward Balch b: 19 Jun 1914 d: Jul 1985 in Lauderdale Co., AL
................................................... 11 Kit 149859
The Y-DNA of the kit below does not match the Maryland Balch line as it was expected to. More descendants of this line need to be tested to see if we can figure out what happened.
1 Rev. Dr. Hezekiah Balch b: Harford Co., MD d: Apr 1810, Greene Co., TN (son of John, I think)
... 2 John Tennant Balch b: circa 1784 in NC d: 1885 in Greene Co., TN
...... 3 Andrew Jackson Balch b: abt 1822 TN
......... 4 Samuel Marion Balch b: abt. 1864 IL d. 19 Jun 1924 Port Arthur, TX
............ 5 Floyd R. Balch b: 1896 OK d: 29 Oct 2003 Houston, TX
............... 6 Kit 106088 (DNA does not match other Maryland Balches)
*John Balch d. abt 1826 Giles Co., TN
There is no solid paper proof that the John Balch who died in Giles Co., TN is actually the John who received the mule in the will below, but he is a good fit from a time standpoint, and DNA is supporting it.
Will of John Balch of Mecklenburg Co., NC
In the Name of God Amen, I John Balch of Mecklenburg County and State of North Carolina being weak of body but of perfect mind and memory Calling to mind the mortality and approaching dissolution of my body do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament and first I recomend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it nothing doubting but at General Resurrection I shall receive the same again and as touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with I dispose of ----- the following manner and form and in the first place leave and bequeath to each of my three daughters viz Sarah Alexander, Mary Luis and Margaret Robinson the sum of eight shillings each. I leave and bequeath to my beloved son Thomas Balch all my iron tools including my shoemaker tools and all the bed cloths together with the bed that to me belongs; and all the remaining articles that to me belong or that I have any right to exclusive of one small mare which I leave to John Balch son to my son Thomas Balch; to be equally divided betwict my two sons viz Thomas and William Balch after my funeral expences and just debts are all paid this to be last will and testament in witness I have herewith set my hand and seal this 27th of November 1790.
---Robt Robison, Jurat John Balch (seal)
In the Name of God Amen, I John Balch of Mecklenburg County and State of North Carolina being weak of body but of perfect mind and memory Calling to mind the mortality and approaching dissolution of my body do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament and first I recomend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it nothing doubting but at General Resurrection I shall receive the same again and as touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with I dispose of ----- the following manner and form and in the first place leave and bequeath to each of my three daughters viz Sarah Alexander, Mary Luis and Margaret Robinson the sum of eight shillings each. I leave and bequeath to my beloved son Thomas Balch all my iron tools including my shoemaker tools and all the bed cloths together with the bed that to me belongs; and all the remaining articles that to me belong or that I have any right to exclusive of one small mare which I leave to John Balch son to my son Thomas Balch; to be equally divided betwict my two sons viz Thomas and William Balch after my funeral expences and just debts are all paid this to be last will and testament in witness I have herewith set my hand and seal this 27th of November 1790.
---Robt Robison, Jurat John Balch (seal)
Devon, England -> New Zealand Balch Line
This kit did not match the known English Balch line as we expected/hoped it would. With only 12 markers tested, no further information could be gleaned from the results.
1 Richard Balch b. 1738 Bideford, Devon, Eng d. 1772 Bideford, Devon, Eng m. Priscilla Clark
... 2 Richard Balch b. 1772 Monkleigh, Devon Eng d. 1842 Bideford, Devon, Eng m. Judith Freeman
...... 3 Richard Balch b. 1802 Bideford, Devon, Eng d. 1871 Bideford, Devon, Eng m. Harriet Crocker
......... 4 Enoch Alexander Balch b. 5 1831 Bideford, Devon, Eng d. 1911 Kaiapoi, Canterbury, NZ
............ 5 Richard Crocker Balch b. 1864 Dunedin, Otago, NZ d. 1930 Winton, Southland, NZ
............... 6 Richard Sawyers Balch b. 8 Feb 1892 Macetown, NZ d. 1950 Invercargill, NZ
............... 6 Richard Sawyers Balch b. 8 Feb 1892 Macetown, NZ d. 1950 Invercargill, NZ
.................. 7 Kit 278064 (This kit does not match the Somerset Balch line)