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Serge Louis Ballif

Serge Louis Ballif

Male 1821 - 1901  (80 years)  Submit Photo / DocumentSubmit Photo / Document    Has more than 100 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name Serge Louis Ballif 
    Birth 17 Apr 1821  Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Christening 28 Jun 1821  Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Initiatory (LDS) 10 Feb 1858  EHOUS Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Census 1860  Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    FamilySearch ID KWNB-FT5 
    Death 25 Apr 1901  Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial 30 Apr 1901  Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Headstones Submit Headstone Photo Submit Headstone Photo 
    Person ID i1263  mytree
    Last Modified 25 Feb 2024 

    Father Jean Francois Frederic Ballif,   b. 24 Apr 1774, Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Nov 1848, Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years) 
    Mother Henriette Louise Clermonde Begue,   b. 5 Sep 1786, Genova, Ligûria, Italia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 May 1835, Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 48 years) 
    Marriage 9 Oct 1815  Allaman, Morges, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F476  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Serge Louis Ballif,   b. 17 Apr 1821, Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Apr 1901, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years) 
    Marriage 27 Apr 1849  Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Louisa Alexandrine Ballif,   b. 25 Feb 1850, Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Feb 1922, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 71 years)
    +2. Marie Jeanne Ballif,   b. 6 Jan 1852, Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 May 1926, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)
     3. Helen Ballif,   b. 8 Apr 1853, Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. May 1854, At Sea Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 1 year)
    +4. Kathinka Caroline Ballif,   b. 23 Sep 1855, Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Nov 1937, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years)
    +5. Rachel Elizabeth Ballif,   b. 2 Jan 1857, Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Jan 1941, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)
     6. Sergine Cecile Ballif,   b. 19 Apr 1858, Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Nov 1859 (Age 1 year)
    +7. Serge Frederick Ballif,   b. 21 Sep 1859, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Nov 1942, Oakland, Alameda, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
    +8. John Lyman Ballif,   b. 23 Dec 1863, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Dec 1941, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
    +9. Jennie Charlotte Ballif,   b. 24 Jan 1868, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Aug 1946, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
    Family ID F301  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Apr 2024 

    Family 2 Serge Louis Ballif,   b. 17 Apr 1821, Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Apr 1901, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years) 
    Marriage 8 Feb 1857  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Julia Susanne Ballif,   b. 15 Jun 1858, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Jun 1949, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)
    +2. Franklin Frederick Ballif,   b. 15 Jun 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jul 1940, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)
     3. Olga Ballif,   b. Sep 1863, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Feb 1865 (Age 1 year)
    +4. Louis Henry Ballif,   b. 16 Jun 1865, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Jun 1939, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)
     5. Eva Amelia Ballif,   b. 1 May 1868, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Sep 1869 (Age 1 year)
    +6. Henriette "Retta" Ballif,   b. 3 Jul 1870, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Jan 1952, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years)
    +7. Adeline Marie Ballif,   b. 3 Dec 1872, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Jul 1957, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)
     8. Alexandrine Ballif,   b. 7 Feb 1875, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Sep 1875, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
    +9. Joseph Fenelon Ballif,   b. 11 Feb 1877, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Aug 1960, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
     10. Henry Ballif,   b. 25 Jul 1878, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Jul 1878, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
    Family ID F1043  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Apr 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 17 Apr 1821 - Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChristening - 28 Jun 1821 - Perroy, Nyon, Vaud, Suisse Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 27 Apr 1849 - Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 8 Feb 1857 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsInitiatory (LDS) - 10 Feb 1858 - EHOUS Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1860 - Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 25 Apr 1901 - Logan, Cache, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 30 Apr 1901 - Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Pioneer
      Robert L. Campbell Company (1854)
      Age at departure: 33
      397 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from t h e o u tfitting post at Westport, Missouri.


      History of Serge Louis Ballif

      Serge Louis Ballif was born on April 17, 1821 in Perroy, Vaud, Switzerla n d the son of Jean Francois Frederic Ballif and Henriette Louise Clermon d e Susanne Alexandrine Begue. The Ballif family was an upperclass wealt h y and influential Vaudois family, especially with their legacy as Prote st ant preachers in the Lausanne Cathedral. Jean Francois Frederic wa s a ca ptain in the Swiss Army and served in Russia under the duc de Rich elieu . Serge’s mother died when he was only fourteen years old, and hi s fathe r shortly after Serge’s first marriage. As a youth Serge was ref ined an d well educated in both Switzerland and Russia. He became fluen t in Fren ch, German, Italian, and Russian and could read Latin, Greek an d Hebrew . Serge became a well respected Protestant minister at the Laus anne Cath ederal.

      While working in Russia in 1849, Serge met and married a Swiss travele r , Elise Marie LeCoultre. When Elise was about to give birth to their f ir st child, they hired a governess to help. Her name was Henriette Jean net te Vuffray. She was a hard working, devoted, and loving woman who wo ul d later become Serge’s second wife. Henriette was born on May 7, 183 4 i n Morges, Switzerland the daughter of Marc Jean Francois Vuffray an d Susa nne Marie Porchet.

      In the fall of 1851 the missionary Thomas B. H. Stenhouse came to Lausan n e from Geneva where he had received a cold welcome. That same year th e L ausanne city council passed a law forbidding Mormons to hold public m eeti ngs. In 1852 after secret meetings held in the basement of the Laus ann e Cathedral, Serge was converted by Brother Stenhouse to the truthful nes s of Christ’s restored church. Serge left his family legacy of the P rote stant faith behind and was baptized a member of the LDS church in La ke Ge neva in 1852. His conversion shook the entire city of Lausanne bec ause o f his high position, and the newspaper dedicated a full page to th e proce edings of his excommunication.

      The large home which Serge had aquired by his grandfather, the Protesta n t Reverend Jean Francois Louis Ballif had earlier been a meeting plac e fo r their religious get togethers and now was used as a meeting plac e for t he small group of Mormons in Lausanne. The home is still standin g and i s located around the corner from the Cathedral and across the str eet fro m the Academy, the forerunner of the present-day University of La usanne . Serge took in Brother Stenhouses wife and children as he preache d a s a missionary, housed the local missionaries on the third floor, fin ance d the printing of Mormon literature in French, and paid for the publ icati on ‘Le Reflecteur’ which spread the message of Mormonism in French -Switz erland. Soon after his conversion, Serge left Lausanne in 1853 t o serv e a mission in Basel and Neuchatel, Switzerland and baptized thre e famili es. The missionaries in Switzerland came across much oppostitio n, and ma ny were beaten and stoned by the locals .

      Serge was so absolutely devoted to the truthfulness of the church tha t h e was willing to give up all his resources and his status for the ne w fai th. In 1854 Serge took his wife, three children and their governes s Henr iette along with other converts, to America to join the Saints i n Utah . It was a sad journey as his daughter died and was buried at sea . Notw ithstanding the hardships, they arrived in New Orleans in May o f 1854. T hey reached Salt Lake after a difficult journey on October 28 , 1854.

      Upon arriving in the Valley, Serge settled on some land near Big Cottonw o od Canyon where he could look up at the mountains and remember Switzerl an d. On February 8, 1857 Serge married Henriette as his second wife. T oge ther they had ten children between 1858 and 1878, four of whom died y oung . Serge joined the bretheren to defend Utah when Johnston’s Army t hreat ened to invade. After the incident was over, he took his familie s and se ttled in Logan, Utah which was green, lush and rugged and remind ed the fa mily of Switzerland. In Logan Serge took up the trade of farmi ng. In 18 60 he was called on a mission to his home land of Switzerland . When he l eft he only had thirty- eight cents in his pocket and signe d as a crewma n on a Europe bound vessel from New York. Upon his retur n he was in char ge of a company of emigrating Saints to Utah. In 1862 S erge served as le ader of the German speaking Saints in Logan .

      In 1872 Serge’s wife Elise died leaving Henriette to raise her survivi n g seven children along with her own totaling thirteen children, with ma n y of the children overlapping in age. Henriette was a woman of stron g co nstitution and provided the physical strength and loving devotion t o rais e and nurture a large family. In 1879 Serge was called to return t o Switz erland as President of the Swiss-German mission. During this mis sion o n a trip to Berlin, he was jailed as a result of his missionary ac tivites . He returned to Logan leading another company of Saints in 188 1 and liv ed the remainder of his years there, but always continued to ha ve a kee n interest in the events taking place in Switzerland. Serge co ntinued t o preside over the German group in Logan and also was a preside nt of hi s quorum of seventy. He passed away on April 25, 1901 and was b uried i n the Logan Cemetery.

      Serge was remembered by his grandchildren as a refined gentleman who w a s kind and understanding of children. One of his grandchildren throug h h is wife Elise was the LDS Prophet Ezra Taft Benson. Serge always spo ke F rench with his children, and even sat one grandson up on a kitchen t able , putting pebbles in his mouth and patiently teaching him how to mak e th e proper sounds in order to speak French. At some point Henriette e ithe r moved to or was visiting in Preston, Idaho where she died on Octob er 16 , 1924, surviving Serge twenty-three years. Henriette was buried b y Serg e in the Logan Cemetery.




      "The Ballif home in Lausanne, Switzerland. Missionaries moved into th e t hird floor of this home, being spared much hardship by the kindness o f th e Ballifs." Copied from the August Ensign 1982 page 42 & 43.
      In the same Ensign article it says "Serge Louis Ballif and his wife, Eli s e.[refering to photos which are already in the photos memories]. A wea lt hy man, Brother Ballif gave of his money freely to support the mission ari es and publish tracts and newsletters. He served as a local missiona ry , baptized several families, and then emigrated to America. He late r ret urned to Switzerland as a missionary in 1860, and as a mission pres iden t from 1879 to 1881. His son, Serge Frederick, served as presiden t of th e Swiss and German Mission from 1905 to 1909, and from 1921 to 19 23."