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David W. Ballard

American politician (1824-1883)

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Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 14, 2026
Entity authorityQ889524 ↗
Source-derived summary

David Ballard (February 21, 1824 – September 18, 1883) was an American politician and medical doctor who served as the third governor of Idaho Territory from 1866 to 1870. Unlike many territorial governors of the Reconstruction Era, Ballard resided in his jurisdiction during his tenure. A physician by trade, Ballard actively practiced medicine in Boise throughout his tenure as territorial governor.

Early life and education

Ballard was born in Bridgeport, Indiana. He studied medicine in his native town and graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Career

Ballard soon grew a large medical practice in Monrovia, Indiana. He later relocated with his family to Linn County, six miles from Lebanon, Oregon Territory. Again his medical practice grew large and his neighbors developed a trust in his integrity. He was elected to the Oregon State Senate soon after Oregon's admission to statehood in 1859.

Territorial governor

On the recommendation of Oregon Senator George Henry Williams, Ballard was appointed territorial governor by President Andrew Johnson in April 1866.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “David W. Ballard” as american politician (1824-1883). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around David, Ballard and American.

Editorial reviewStrongest as a route into the people, institutions and dated events that shaped the subject’s public record. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1824, 1883, 1866, 1870—that can be checked directly. The linked authority record independently contributes the date 1824-02-21. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with David, Ballard and American providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “David W. Ballard”, the useful work is to connect “american politician (1824-1883)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Chronology provides the most reliable spine for this subject; interpretation should follow only after identities and dates are secure. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q889524. VIAF identifies the subject as 56405952. The Library of Congress control number is no2007150486. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1824, 1883, 1866 and 1870.

Critical limits

A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “David W. Ballard” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.