David Moore BALCH was the son of Benjamin and Caroline Lawrence (nee MOORE) BALCH, born on January 22, 1837 in Salem (Essex), MA. His father was master of the Glide, noted in New England's rich shipping lore, and afterwards captain of the Royal George of historic fame. His earliest American ancestor was John BALCH, who settled in Massaschusetts in 1623. That ancestor's son, Benjamin, was the first child born in Salem (Essex), MA. David was educated in private schools and graduated summa cum laude in 1859 from the Lawrence Scientific School. He was also a member of the Harvard Class of 1860. David practised his profession, as consulting chemist, in Boston and attained fame as an analystical chemist and in general science. In 1880 he took his family and moved to California, settled in Redlands (San Bernardino County), were he became the pioneer of the orange citrus fruit industry; the first orange tree planted in that section were set out by him on his ranch. In 1887 David moved his family once again to Coronado (San Diego County) where he had a labratory overlooking Glorietta Bay. There he gave his whole time to classical studies, science and chemical research. It was his disinterested purpose to make America independent in respect to the potash that is so necessary an ingredient in fertilizers (and later in explosives). David made an intensive study of kelp, extending over many years, of all the different varieties of kelp, and of the methods whereby its valuable contents might be extracted at a cost that would enable potash derived from this source to compete with German potash under normal conditions. In 1910 David wrote to the Secretary of State regarding the sources of potassium and the value of the Pacific kelp fields as a national asset. As appropriation was secured and his discoveries supplied the scientific basis whereon the industry was organized in America during World War I, to the infinite advantage of the nation. He was intellectually a many-sided man, an expert in genealogical research, one of his articles on "The Old Planters" being given a place in the annals of Massachusetts. He was a linguist of recognized authority, the master of many languages including Greek, Latin, Hungarian and German; the first two being as familiar to him as English. He published many articles on scientific and horticultural matters. He was a member of the New Englad Historic Genealogical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. David married Emma Augusta (nee SWASEY) on December 26, 1876 in Salem. David and Emma had four daughters; Caroline Moore BALCH (born in MA), Alice Gifford BALCH (born in MA), Emma Louise BALCH (born in MA) and May Elizabeth (nee BALCH) JONES (born in CA).