Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Physical characteristics and conditions affect use of this material. Photocopying is not permitted

Preferred Citation

Reverend Thomas Bloomer Balch Lectures 1859 (SC 0002), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA., Accession #SC 0002, Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Unknown

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2003.0031X

Processing Information

Processed by Mary Lee Catlett, 20 May 2005; revised by Stephanie Adams, 9 Nov 2005.

Historical Information

Thomas Bloomer Balch was born in Georgetown in the District of Columbia, on 28 Feb 1793. He graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1813, and went on to study theology at Princeton Seminary for two and a half years. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Baltimore 11 Dec 1817. Balch assisted his father in Georgetown for several years after his ordination, and went on to serve as pastor at various churches in Maryland and Virginia. On 21 Aug 1820, he married Susan Carter (born 1801) who was from Fairfax County, VA.

The Balches settled on property situated between Auburn and Greenwich in Prince William County, which they called Ringwood. Around 1852, Jane Alexander Milligan (1827-1883) established a boarding school for girls in the house called Ringwood Female Academy. Balch assisted her with running the school. After settling in Virginia, he preached at a number of churches although he never accepted a permanent appointment. A pious man, he devoted much of his time to reading and writing. Susan Carter Balch died 21 Aug 1877. Thomas Bloomer Balch died at Ringwood 14 Feb 1878. They are buried in Greenwich Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Nokesville, VA.

Thomas Bloomer Balch was brother to Judge Lewis Penn Witherspoon Balch, the father of Thomas Balch, for whom Thomas Balch Library is named.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of two pamphlets titled Reminiscences of Georgetown

Related Material

Portrait of Thomas Willing Balch.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Balch, David R. The Balch Family of Maryland, Volume One, 2nd Edition. New York City: David Balch, 2001.
Balch, Thomas Willing, Balch Genealogica . Philadelphia:Allen, Lane & Scott, 1907.
Writers Program, Works Progress Administration. Prince William: The Story of Its People and Its Places. Richmond:Whittet & Shepperson:Richmond, 1941.

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Other Finding Aid

None

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