Sylvester Allen Ballou (1828-1899) came to California in 1849 with his brother Volney in search of gold. His active involvement in Democratic politics led him to serve four terms in the state legislature. During the Civil War, he served in the Union Army's Department of Subsistence, and after war's end held the post of Chief Commissary in the Department of California for one year. He returned to the family home in Naperville, IL, and never again lived in California. He did return to the West several times, notably in 1873 when he visited California and in 1879 when he participated in the Leadville, CO, silver rush.
From the description of Papers of Sylvester A. Ballou, 1836-1968. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122584556
