The Chico Enterprise, Saturday Evening, December 19, 1931: "Mrs. J. H. Ballew Knocked Down, Injured by Auto. Mrs. J. H. Ballew of 1412 Salem street is in the Enloe hospital suffering from a slight concussion of the brain received when she was struck by a car driven by Robert Downing, son of Mr. and Mrs. William G. Downing, shortly after 11 o'clock this morning on Broadway between Seventh and Eighth.

"Downing declared he was driving north following two cars ahead of him in the traffic and had slowed down to 15 miles an hour at the intersection. He said he did not see Mrs. Ballew until she stepped out from between the two cars ahead of him. Downing swerved his car to the opposite side of the street to avoid running over Mrs. Ballew. As he did so the curtain rod on the door struck Mrs. Ballew on the head throwing her to the pavement on which she slid about 20 feet, according to witnesses.

"F. A. Donner and Mrs. E. A. McIntosh, who was at the Donner Christmas tree lot, assisted young Downing to get the injured woman into the latter's light roadster. Mrs. McIntosh assisted Downing in taking Mrs. Ballew to the hospital."

The Chico Enterprise, Monday Evening, December 21, 1931: "Funeral Services For Mrs. Ballew To Be Tomorrow. Mrs. J. H. Ballew, 53, of 1412 Salem street, who was struck down on Broadway near Eighth Saturday morning by a car driven by Robert Downing of 602 Sycamore street as she walked across the street from in front of F. A. Donner's place of business on the east side of Broadway, died at 2:15 a.m. yesterday at the Enloe hospital where young Downing and Mrs. E. A. McIntosh of the Hotel Oaks had taken her.

"Dr. N. T. Enloe declared this morning that Mrs. Ballew died of concussion of the brain and a possible fracture of the skull without regaining consciousness. He declared he was almost certain of the fracture but she was too badly hurt to be moved for an x-ray Saturday to determine his diagnosis.

"Mrs. Ballew had parked her car near the corner of Eighth on Broadway and had walked around the rear of the car of Mrs. Ralph Watkins, 4660 Sowilleno avenue, which was parked next to it, to talk with Mrs. Watkins. The two women were standing between the Watkins car and the Donner truck which was parked directly in front of the Doner Christmas tree headquarters.

"Ending their conversation, Mrs. Ballew started out into the street directly into the line of traffic. Downing, following the traffic north, did not see her until it was too late to do anything but swerve in an effort to avoid striking her. At the same time he applied his brakes, according to Downing. His car headed toward a tree on the opposite side of the street and Mrs. Ballew, evidently unaware of the oncoming car, walked into the side of it and was struck a glancing blow, the running board striking her shins and the curtain rod on the door hitting her head. The impact of the collision threw Mrs. Ballew to the pavement. According to police report, Mrs. Ballew was close to the center of the street when struck.

"Mrs. McIntosh, who had just parked her car north of the Donner truck, assisted Donner and Downing to get the injured woman in the Downing car.

"Mrs. Ballew, widely known in Chico, is survived by her husband, J. H. Ballew; her mother, Mrs. Rose Blasingame; two aunts, Mrs. Kate Waldren of Sacramento and Mrs. Lizzie Will of Spokane, Wash., and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. J. A. Peck, and Mrs. D. A. Honodel of Chico, Mrs. George B. Mathias, Mrs. M. E. Enos, Miss Roberta Blasingame and Harris Blasingame of San Francisco and Ralph Blasingame of Fresno.

"She was a member of Beulah Rebeckah lodge, the Chico Art club and the American College club.

"Born at Dawsonville, Georgia, as Easley L. Blasingame, deceased came to California in 1896 with her family and settled at Gilroy. In 1903 the family moved to Chico and on August 21, 1910, Miss Easley L. Blasingame became the bride of J. H. Ballew.

"Funeral will be tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 at the Bicknell & Moore chapel with the Rev. Walker Gage officiating. Entombment will be in the Chico Memorial Mausoleum."