Later, as a pioneer of California, Ballou continued her Spiritualist writing and lecturing, suffrage work, and campaigning for political change for women.

Addie Ballou was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, on April 29, 1838, to Alexander Hamilton and Mary "Polly" (Eldredge) Hart, early settlers of that town.

The early death of her mother and the removal of her family to the frontier in Wisconsin in 1849 deprived her of the opportunity of more than a year or two of a common school education.

By the late 1840s, the Hart family had moved to the "Fox Cities" area in the Eastern part of Wisconsin, settling along the northeastern tip of Lake Winnebago.

A frequent speaker at both Spiritualist and Women Suffrage conventions, she spoke alongside Susan B. Anthony at Farwell Hall in Chicago, June 1870.

Present (among others) were Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Laura de Force Gordon, Mrs. Cuppy Smith, Victoria Woodhull, and the "highly inspirational and eloquent Addie Ballou."

This gathering was to present the signed petition, containing 45,000 names of women, to the Judiciary committees of Congress, demanding their rights at the ballot box, as given by the 14th and 15th amendments.

A journalist and lecturer on temperance, women's suffrage, prison reform, Ballou also wrote poems that were published in newspapers across the country.

She stayed for three years, conducting psychic phenomena investigations and painting numerous pieces for Mr. Stanford's extensive art collection.

The painting Morning was refused at the 1890 California State Fair in Sacramento because of its subject matter (nude) and realism; however, Thomas Stanford purchased the piece the following year.

In 1891, working alongside Clara Foltz for progressive legislation, Ballou appeared before the California State Legislature promoting a bill which would allow appointment of women as notaries.

Ballou maintained an office and studio in the Donohoe Building, 1170 Market Street, San Francisco when the 1906 earthquake and fires occurred.