Captain William Rankin Ballard (August 12, 1847 – February 4, 1929) was a Seattle pioneer, banker,An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, Hines, Rev. H.K., pp.453–454, accessed November 1, 2008 and land developer.Ballard Avenue , Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle, Washington. Accessed May 23, 2008. He was one of the founders of the city of Ballard, Washington (incorporated in 1890) which was later annexed to the growing city of Seattle, Washington in 1907.History of Ballard , Ballard Chamber of Commerce.Accessed online May 23, 2008. As acting manager of the Seattle National Bank in the early 1890s, he facilitated the construction of what is now known as the Interurban Building in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.
William Rankin Ballard was born to Levi Ward Ballard (founder of Auburn, WashingtonAuburn beginnings: Slaughter Post Office opens on January 21, 1867, HistoryLink.org, Accessed November 1, 2008) and Phoebe Anne McConnellBALLARD-L Archives, Rootsweb. Accessed online May 23, 2008. August 12, 1847. He married Estella Thorndike on November 12, 1882 in Seattle, and died in Seattle February 4, 1929.
The title Captain derives from his command of the boat ZephyrWalt Crowley, Seattle Neighborhoods: Ballard – Thumbnail History, HistoryLink, March 31, 1999. Accessed online May 23, 2008. that operated between Seattle and Olympia to the south.
Ballard High School was named for Capt. Ballard.
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