Padre Ballí

Padre Ballí (ca. 1770–1829), also known as José Nicolás Ballí, was a rancher, a priest, and an original grantee of Padre Island, which was named after him. However, when he owned the island, it was known as the Isla de Santiago land grant. Padre Island had been granted to his grandfather, Nicolás Ballí in 1759, by King Charles III of Spain, and Padre Ballí requested a clear title to the property in 1827. His mother Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí had made a joint application with Padre for eleven leagues of the island, but when reapplication was required in 1800, she withdrew her name in favor of him.

Padre Nicolas Balli was born Circa 1768. He was born into a wealthy family in the town of Reynosa,Mexico. His brother was the chief justice and captain of Reynosa. His grandfather had also been a justice and captain. He owned vast amounts of land in the Rio Grande valley. Nicolas choose to become a priest.

He was the first settler who brought families to the island. He also built the first church on the island for the conversion of the Karankawa Indians and for the benefit of the settlers. About 26 miles (42 km) north of the island's southern tip, he founded the town of El Rancho Santa Cruz de Buena Vista (later known as Lost City, rediscovered in 1931), where he also kept cattle, horses, and mules. This town, established in 1804, was the first European settlement on the island.

He did not live on the island, but had two hired hands who managed things for him there. Ballí was the first person to have the island surveyed, which occurred as required in 1828 after Mexico became independent in 1821; the survey report described his land as "characterized by high sand dunes, some of which were covered with grass. In addition, one found a great number of willows, oleanders, short oaks, plenty of herbs known as anise, and many fresh water lakes or pools covered with reeds."

Ballí died on April 16, 1829, and was buried near Matamoros. Title to the island was granted to him posthumously on December 15, 1829, issued jointly in his name and the name of his nephew Juan José Ballí. He had requested that half of the island be given to his nephew, who had been helping him there. Juan José (the nephew) lived on the island from 1829 until his death in 1853. Some of Padre Ballí's descendants still live in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

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