Ballard was an early American automobile manufacturer based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The company was founded in 1901 by H.C. Ballard & Son, with A.W. Ballard, a gunsmith, playing a pivotal role in its inception. A.W. Ballard had previously constructed his first automobile in 1894, which was a two-cylinder buggy featuring a rear-mounted engine that drove the rear axle via a chain. In February 1901, the company was officially established to…