The Ballenger Family

"Woodfin Richardson
Ballenger (1912-2001), nicknamed ‘Monk', son of Grady Woodfin (1880-1964) and
Eleanor Richardson Ballenger (1882-1958), was a Seneca native and lifelong
resident of Seneca, husband to Elizabeth Marett Ballenger (1913-2003), and
brother to Marion Ballenger (1920-1979). A graduate of Seneca High School, he
attended The Citadel, graduating in 1933 with a degree in English and a
commission as an officer of the U.S. army.

 In 1935
'Monk' completed legal studies at Cumberland School of Law, now Samford
University, and returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth
Marett. He was 23 and ‘Lib' was 21. In 1941 he was called to active duty in
WWII as a Second Lieutenant, with responsibilities for domestic coastal
artillery and barrage balloon defense. When the War ended, he was a Lt.
Colonel. In 1972 he retired from the Army as a Colonel.

 'Monk' returned to
Seneca after the war to run the family business, Ballenger Hardware, founded in
1903. He was a champion of downtown Seneca and the virtues of neighborly
small-town living. He twice was elected to Seneca's City Council and served as
the Chair of the Hospital Board during the development of plans for the
building of the new hospital and the renovation of Lila Doyle. Following Lib's leadership
he helped establish a new library in Seneca. Upon the death of his sister
Marion, he and Lib gave the Ballenger family home on 212 East South 3rd Street
to the Seneca Woman's Club for use by all citizens.

 The home continues
with that mission today, honoring four generations of family members in the
Woman's Club and Once-A-Week Club. In 1989, for their service to the community,
Monk and Lib were honored as Citizens of the Year by the Sertoma Club. He
believed in loyalty and duty and love of family, community, nation and
God." The Greenville News, Nov 29, 2001 Page 33

The Seneca Woman's Club

The Seneca Woman's
Club consists of up to 120 members who volunteer in the community and help to
maintain the Historic Ballenger House.  This house is a designated site on
the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor.  Three women of the
Ballenger family were devoted members of the Once-A-Week Club, the mother of
the General Federation of Women's Clubs of South Carolina.  Six clubs meet
at the Ballenger House:  Home and Garden Club; Once-A-Week Club; Pilot
International Club of Seneca; Seneca Woman's Study Club; Wizard of Tamassee
Chapter, NSDAR; and the Seneca Woman's Club.

?The house was built
circa 1925. The Club was formed as a 501(c)(3) in 1979 to receive this donated
home from the Ballenger family.