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.
However, when he owned the island, it was known as the Isla de Santiago land grant. 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. 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.
There is a bronze statue of Ballí at the eastern foot of the Queen Isabella Causeway. He is also remembered by Nueces County Padre Ballí Park.
Gilbert Kerlin a law graduate from harvard university had bought titles to the Island from Ballí heirs in 1938. The titles included 61,000 acres and the segment of water separating Padre Island from the mainland.
The heirs of Ballí filled a lawsuit against Kerlin in 1993.
An all latino Jury in 2000 ruled in favor of the heirs. 500 descendants of Padre Jose Nicolas Ballí were represented in the case. The family accused that they did not receive their fair share of the oil and gas revenue generated in the Island.
Kerlin died in 2004 at the age of 94.
In 2008 the Texas Sumpreme court ruled in Kerlin, the verdict declared that the family of Padre Jose Nicolas had no claims on the land as they had never lived their and never paid any taxes there. “Juan Jose Balli sold his interests in Padre Island to Santiago Morales in 1830,” declared Justice Scott Brister. he also said in the judgement the case should not have gone to trial.
