***This is the 1st EVER appearance of a Jules Verne story in English anywhere/any time***

A Voyage in a Balloon first appeared in French under the Title:
La science en famille. Un voyage en ballon. (Réponse à l'énigme de juillet.)
Musée des familles, seconde série, vol. 8, no. 11  (August 1851),pp. 329-336  with 5 illustrations by A. de Bar, two chapters. (source: http://JV.Gilead.org.il/biblio/stories.html)

Its' first appearance in English, was in Sartain's Union Magazine of Literature and Art, 
Philadelphia, May 1852, Vol X, No. 5,pgs 389-395, 0 illustrations. and titled A Voyage in a Balloon. 
This makes it the first appearance in English of any Verne story, anywhere!!!
It was translated from French by Anne T. Wilbur, for whom I have created a special page.

It was also reprinted in The Working Man's Friend and Family Instructor, 
London, July 24, 1852, pgs 282-286, 0 illustrations, under the title Voyage in a Balloon.
This makes it the first appearance in the UK of any Verne story!!!

Read on below for further appearances of this story

Above 1852 leather + gilt vol x + xii (!)
Below is another example of the Sartains Magazine which contains the story, bound into a volume

First Story Page (pg389)
 

Ed: According to advertisements,
the May Sartain's volume was available as of April 20, 1852
2 Days after, April 22, "Chapter I" of the story appears in The Brandon Post (See below)

A Voyage in a Balloon 
Sartain's Union Magazine of Literature and Art, 
Philadelphia, May 1852, Vol X, No. 5,pgs 389-395, 0 illustrations, two chapters.
Translated from the French by Anne T. Wilbur

The Text starts:
" In the month of September, 1850, I arrived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine. My passage through the principal cities of Germany, had been brilliantly marked by aerostatic ascensions; ..."

and Ends:
"May this terrific recital, while it instructs those who read it, not discourage the explorers of the routes of air."

Note, though the story itself lists Jules Verne as the author, the index states: "By Anne T. Wilbur"

2nd example Collection Andrew Nash

Title Page

Story First Page (pg282)
 

Voyage in a Balloon
The Working Man's Friend and Family Instructor, 
London, Saturday July 31, 1852, New Series - Vol II., No. 44, pgs 282-286, 0 illustrations, two chapters.
Translated by Anne T. Wilbur

The Text starts:
" In the month of September, 1850, I arrived at  Frankfort-on-the-Maine. My passage through the principal cities of Germany, had been brilliantly marked by aerostatic ascensions; ..."

and Ends:
"May this terrible recital, while it instructs those who read it, not discourage the explorers of the routes of the air!"

Note, that neither the index nor the story identifies the translator. But since the text is identical, it can be assumed that this is a reprint of the  Anne T. Wilbur translation.

Collection Andrew Nash