Henry Hezekiah Balch
Educator, Foreign Service Officer, Superintendent of Schools
Notes:
• "In 1914, the President appointed Mr. Balch American Consul after he had qualified through examination. He served in Canada, in Paraguay, in Australia and Mexico, respectively, until the end of 1930. He was then commissioned American Consul General and Diplomatic Secretary and assigned to Ireland. Immediately after World War II began, Mr. Balch was transferred to Genoa , Italy. Europe was full of Americans who could not obtain passages to the United States due to war. They concentrated at Genoa, the chief large European port then still open, to embark. Many became stranded because the Italian Government froze dollar exchange and due to scarcity of sailings. The problem was both delicate and serious. Funds were obtained, telegraphically, through the State Department at Washington and disbursed by the Consulate General for steamer tickets or subsistences. Finally, Mussolini ordered all American Consular Personnel to leave Italy by July 15, 1941. Mr. Balch's very last official duty, after serving the Government abroad forty years, was to close the Consulate General's office at Genoa, which had operated uninterruptedly 100 years, and then leave with his official staff and families for Rome where all American Consular personnel in Italy assembled to entrain together for the long railway trip to Lisbon, Portugal, to embark on the U. S. Naval Transport West Point for New York. Mr. Balch had reached the official age for retirement. The Ambassador just before Mr. Balch left Rome, wrote: 'Dear Mr. Balch: On this the fortieth anniversary of your entry into the Service of the Government, I extend to you my warmest congratulations. There have been few men who have had such a long and faithful record, and it must be with feelings of profound satisfaction that you are now returning to the new joys and happiness of private life. I take this opportunity to express to you my appreciation of the manner in which you have conducted your office in Genoa, and to thank you once again for the constant and ready help which you have always given us in the Embassy. My best wishes for you and Mrs. Balch will follow you always. Sincerely yours, (signed) William Phillips'." - Grove
• "He was one of 508 American teachers appointed by the Government to start the Philippine Public School System and to make English the common Filipino language. They sailed together for Manila, July 23, 1901, on the U. S. Army Transport Thomas to begin that extraordinary mission for the new Philippine Government, inaugurated July 4, 1901, under Governor General William Howard Taft." - Grove
• Philippines: 1901-1912 " - Political Graveyard
• Mr. Balch and Josephine Irene 'Josie' McCaleb were married at Danville, Virginia, May 13, 1915. Philippines: 1901-1912. "From then on, she was her husband's constant support in all foreign assignments and represented the United States most favorably always." - Grove
• Josie died in 1963
• Henry and Josephine had three children: Colonel Jackson McCaleb, born in Canada Dr. Henry Hezekiah, Jr., born in Paraguay Mrs. Sylvia (Balch) Warren Thomas, born in Australia. - Ancestry.com
• Born near Huntsville January 6,1877, the son of Samuel Williamson and Martha (Parsons) Balch
• Mr. Balch was educated in Madison County Public Schools and in the State Normal College at Florence, Alabama, from which he graduated in 1899. - Grove
• U.S. Consul in SAINT Stephen, 1914 Yarmouth, 1915-16 Asuncion, 1916-21 Adelaide, 1921-27 Monterrey, 1928-29 U.S. Consul General in Dublin, 1931-38. - Political Graveyard
• His father, Samuel had 13 children, Twelve with Martha Ann Parson and one with Augusta Saddler. Five of them died before reaching the age of three. Henry was the first child. - Rootsweb /Genealogy
• Age at death: 92 years, 328 days - Political Graveyard
• Episcopalian.
Related Links:
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• 512 Eustis Avenue SE
• Hezekiah Balch
• Josephine McCaleb Balch
| Born: | January 6, 1877, Madison City |
| Died: | November 30, 1969, Huntsville, AL |
| Buried: | Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, AL |
| Residence: | 512 Eustis Avenue SE |
| Grandson of: | Hezekiah Balch |
| Husband of: | Josephine McCaleb Balch |
Notes:
• "In 1914, the President appointed Mr. Balch American Consul after he had qualified through examination. He served in Canada, in Paraguay, in Australia and Mexico, respectively, until the end of 1930. He was then commissioned American Consul General and Diplomatic Secretary and assigned to Ireland. Immediately after World War II began, Mr. Balch was transferred to Genoa , Italy. Europe was full of Americans who could not obtain passages to the United States due to war. They concentrated at Genoa, the chief large European port then still open, to embark. Many became stranded because the Italian Government froze dollar exchange and due to scarcity of sailings. The problem was both delicate and serious. Funds were obtained, telegraphically, through the State Department at Washington and disbursed by the Consulate General for steamer tickets or subsistences. Finally, Mussolini ordered all American Consular Personnel to leave Italy by July 15, 1941. Mr. Balch's very last official duty, after serving the Government abroad forty years, was to close the Consulate General's office at Genoa, which had operated uninterruptedly 100 years, and then leave with his official staff and families for Rome where all American Consular personnel in Italy assembled to entrain together for the long railway trip to Lisbon, Portugal, to embark on the U. S. Naval Transport West Point for New York. Mr. Balch had reached the official age for retirement. The Ambassador just before Mr. Balch left Rome, wrote: 'Dear Mr. Balch: On this the fortieth anniversary of your entry into the Service of the Government, I extend to you my warmest congratulations. There have been few men who have had such a long and faithful record, and it must be with feelings of profound satisfaction that you are now returning to the new joys and happiness of private life. I take this opportunity to express to you my appreciation of the manner in which you have conducted your office in Genoa, and to thank you once again for the constant and ready help which you have always given us in the Embassy. My best wishes for you and Mrs. Balch will follow you always. Sincerely yours, (signed) William Phillips'." - Grove
• "He was one of 508 American teachers appointed by the Government to start the Philippine Public School System and to make English the common Filipino language. They sailed together for Manila, July 23, 1901, on the U. S. Army Transport Thomas to begin that extraordinary mission for the new Philippine Government, inaugurated July 4, 1901, under Governor General William Howard Taft." - Grove
• Philippines: 1901-1912 " - Political Graveyard
• Mr. Balch and Josephine Irene 'Josie' McCaleb were married at Danville, Virginia, May 13, 1915. Philippines: 1901-1912. "From then on, she was her husband's constant support in all foreign assignments and represented the United States most favorably always." - Grove
• Josie died in 1963
• Henry and Josephine had three children: Colonel Jackson McCaleb, born in Canada Dr. Henry Hezekiah, Jr., born in Paraguay Mrs. Sylvia (Balch) Warren Thomas, born in Australia. - Ancestry.com
• Born near Huntsville January 6,1877, the son of Samuel Williamson and Martha (Parsons) Balch
• Mr. Balch was educated in Madison County Public Schools and in the State Normal College at Florence, Alabama, from which he graduated in 1899. - Grove
• U.S. Consul in SAINT Stephen, 1914 Yarmouth, 1915-16 Asuncion, 1916-21 Adelaide, 1921-27 Monterrey, 1928-29 U.S. Consul General in Dublin, 1931-38. - Political Graveyard
• His father, Samuel had 13 children, Twelve with Martha Ann Parson and one with Augusta Saddler. Five of them died before reaching the age of three. Henry was the first child. - Rootsweb /Genealogy
• Age at death: 92 years, 328 days - Political Graveyard
• Episcopalian.
Related Links:
• Ancestry.com - Rootsweb, Genealogy
• Grove - "Library of Alabama Lives" by Frank L. Grove, © 1961, p. 22-3.
• Rootsweb /Genealogy (Originally found at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:586411&id=I3837.)
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• 512 Eustis Avenue SE
• Hezekiah Balch
• Josephine McCaleb Balch