James Gerrond left Balmaclellan in 1850, and his parents followed him in 1852. His parents are listed in the 1851 census at Blairplane (Blawplain?) Balmaclellan. He was a small farmer and dyker.
James Gerrond, Balmaclellan and Neponset, Illinois
James Gerrond, Neponset, was born December 14, 1826, in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. His parents, John and Mary (Wilson) Gerrond, were also natives of the above place, where their ancestors had flourished for three centuries. In 1852 the parents of James Gerrond immigrated to the United States, settling in Lackawanna County, Penn. , where both died. They reared nine children, viz.: John, Agnes, Jennett, Mary, Esther (deceased), James and Elizabeth; the two other children died in Scotland. The grandparents of our subject were Robert and Jennett (Maxwell) Gerrond; they died in Scotland. Our subject was educated in his native country, where he also learned the blacksmith trade, which occupation he followed there and also several years after he came to the United States, which was in 1850. He first settled in Carbondale, Penn. In April, 1855, he came to Sheffield, Ill., and two years afterward he bought a farm in Macon Township, Bureau Co., where he farmed till the fall of 1801, when he removed to Neponset, where he lived four years and then moved one mile south of it, where he at present resides. Mr. Gerrond was married twice; his first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Ferguson, was a native of Scotland. She was an old schoolmate of our subject in his boyhood days. She was a model wife, and the mother of five children now living, viz.: Mrs. Agnes Wing, Mary W., James C., Maggie F. and Jesse D. Gerrond, Subject's present wife is Mrs. Sarah Battdorf (nee Sarah Norton), a native of Yorkshire, England. She was a daughter of Robert Norton, who was an old settler in Neponset Township. She is the mother of three children, viz.: Nellie, George N. and John Gerrond. Mrs. Gerrond is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gerrond is a member of the A. F. & A. M. fraternity. He has held many township offices as, Assessor, Collector, Justice of the Peace and Supervisor, which latter office he at present occupies. Politically he is a Republican. When Mr. Gerrond landed in the United States he was poor in purse, three sovereigns being all his wealth, but he was rich in will-power, industry and that good old Scotch trait "perseverance," and to-day he is counted among our most successful and wealthy men in Neponset Township.
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