History of the Ward Family

This is a sketch of the Ward family that sprung from Joseph Ward and written from meory of and by Elon Bramble Ward while in his 83 year.

Joseph was born in the state of New Jersey in the year 1754, and raised 7 boys: Jeremiah,Amos, Israel, Usual,Stephen, Isaac, and Aaron; all of whom remained in New Jersey until year 1797.

Joseph Ward came out to ohio and entered a section of land where Madisonville now stands, 9 miles from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. He built a log houseon it and moved into it in 1797. His wife was killed by indians. He afterwards married a woman by the name Muchmore and they lived in the same house until his death in 1828, age 94 years. His boys followed him one by one and all settled on the same section of land. They moved from New Jersey to Cincinnati in wagons and camped out of nights. It took four weeks to make the trip. Our grandfather, Israel Ward , I believe was the last to come. He came in October 1811.

Jeremiah was a blacksmith and worked in Madisonvile until some time in 1820, then he moved to Clermont County, about 30 miles from Madisonville. I think his family mostly settled in ohio.

Amos was the odd one of the Ward family. He was a tailor by trade and the only Ward i ever knew that drank to excess, and the only ward that i ever knew that did not take a wife at least by middle age. He was a bachelor. In his day ever farmer raised flex and kept sheep. The span the flax and had it woven into cloth for all their own wear. It was Amos Ward's work to go from house to house and make the men's wear. The women spun their own thread out of flax and tended to their own clothing.. Many a woman was married in a linsey dress and did as well as they do today in silk.

Israel Ward, that is mine and Benjamin C Ward's grandfather was a farmer and lived on a farm all f his life He died in June 1846, aged 84 years. Israel Ward had 6 children, 5 boys and one girl. They all lived near Madisonville all their lives.

Usual ward lived near Madison and was a farmer. He raised a large family. One half of his family settled about Madisonville, the other half went to Indiana and Illinois.

Stephen and Isaac ward moved to Indiana and settled near Liberty, Indiana in the early 1820's. Stephen's children moved farther west and i lost sight of them.

Aaron Ward was a weaver and lived near madisonville until death. He had 3 children, one son and 2 daughters. The son went to indiana. That is about all i know about my grandfathers brothers.

Israel ward had 6 sons and one daughter. I will give you their names in rotation from oldest to youngestm as follows: Eline, Ebenezer, Morris, Jemina, John, George, and Charles. The last 2 were twins.

Eline was an old-fashioned carriage trimmer when all the work was done by hand.

Ebenezer was a hatter of the old handmade-way.

Morris ward was a farmer and lived near madisonville until 1828 when he moved to a farm at the foot of the big hill north of Madisonville. There he spent the remainder of his days.

Jemina was married to Peter Black, a carpenter, but had a farm and they lived on it all their married life.

John Ward was a blacksmith and worked his trade until middle age, then moved to farm and spent the balance of his life.

George Ward was a farmer and lived on a farm all his life.

Charles Ward was an old-fashioned hatter and worked his trade until after middle-age when he began to do factory and then spent part of the balance of his life farming.

Nearly all of them raised large families and their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren are scattered through nearly all the western states.

Israel Ward's wife's maiden name was Sarah Cook. I only knew of one brother and no sisters. She might have had more, but i do not rememberof hearing of any.The brother's name was Benjamin Cook and Benjamin C Ward was named for him. Benjamin Cook got hurt when young while away from home . It was before steel springs came into use and he was taken home on a sled and died a few days after.

Morris Ward was bornin New Jersey, October 19,1790, and came to Ohio withhis father in fall of 1811. Morris Ward was married to Mary Bramble, February 10,1814. Mary Bramble Ward was born July 15, 175 in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg, and with her father and family floated down Ohio river in the fall of 1801. Her father was Elon Bramble. I have forgotten her mothers name before they married. They had 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters. Laben, Major, and Ayers l. were the sons and the daughters were Fannie, Lavina, and Mary. Laben and Major's wives' names were Mary and Margarette. I o not know their maiden names. Major had 3 wives. I do not know the names of the last 2. Ayers L's wife's name was Deborah Stites. Her father was Captain of a company that helped to build the first fort at Columbia, a site 5 miles up the Ohio River from Cincinnatti, in the first Indian War in Ohio. His name was Benjamin Stites. Laben Bramble was a weaver and a farmer and moved to Dearborn County,Indiana in the early 1820's. Major Bramble was a carpenter and moved to Indiana in the early 1830's. Ayers L. was a farmer and a trader and a hog slaughterer. Fannie and Lavina married brothers, jseph and Peter Fleek. Joseph was a carpenter and lived near Cincinnati. Peter was a farmer and a trader and lived near Madisonville, ohio. Lavina married 3 times. Andrew Whetzel and John Day were the names of her alst 2 husbands.

Mary married Morris Ward, a farmer, and lived near Madisonville until she died. There were born to Mary and morris 11 children. I will give their names in rotation according to their ages. Abigail C., Elizabeth, Marrietta, Elon B., Benjamin C, Ayers B, Harriet C, Isaac, Edgar, Frances (or fanny), and Danforth Ball.

Abigail was born May 16, 1816.

Elizabeth was born February 1, 1818.

Marietta was born March 11, 1820.

Elon B. was born September 27, 1822.

Benjamin C. was born Novemember 24, 1824.

Ayers B. was born September 19, 1826.

Harriet C was born February 11, 1829.

Isaac was born September 16, 1831.

Edgar was born February 23, 1834.

Frances was born July 21, 1835.

Danforth B. was born August 13, 1838.

Isaac and Edgar both died in infancy.

Martin Varner and Abigail C. were married on October 24, 1833. Abigail v. Ward Varner died August 9, 1877, without heirs.

William Ereheart and Marietta Ward were married November 23, 1842, and Marietta died July 17, 1844, leaving her one daughterEveline Eter Ereheart Weber, who lives at Firmount, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Solomon Waybright and Elizabeth Ward were married January 26, 1843. Elizabeth Wyabright died January 24, 1864. Two children survived her, Benjamin A and Henrietta W. Waybright Bonnel. Benjamin A waybright lives in Greenburg, Indiana and Henrietta Bonnel lives in Symmas, Ohio.

Elon B Ward and Anne Marie vanmiddlesworth were married Novemebr 2, 1845. Six children were born to them, 4 daughters and 2 sons. Their names were Marietta, Sarah Ellen, Catherine W., Jane V., Alfred B., and Elon B.Anne Marie Ward died January 24, 1864 with the dread disease Smallpox. Elon B. Ward and Sarah M. Vanmidlesworth were married December 29, 1864. Two children were born to them, one boy and one girl, Jeffie and Anne Marie. Jeffie died at the age of 6 months.

Watkins J. Farren and Marietta Ward were married December 1, 1869.

George King and Sarah Ellen Ward were married January 31, 1867.

Elisha T. Gustus and Catherine W. Ward were married December 8, 1872.

James Williams and Jane V. Ward wre married December 19, 1875.

Alfred B. Ward and Ida May Hoskins were married December 21, 1881.

Elon B Ward and Mary Shaffer were married june 3, 1882.

Charles Botts and Anne Marie Ward were married November 7, 1886.

Herbert E. Ward (an adoptive son) was born April 13, 1873 and was married to Emma Cora Carpenter September 8, 1892.

Benjamin cC. Ward was married to Sarah Holt Dec 20, 1848, and the spring of 1952 he moved to Magnolia, Putnam County , Illinois. Sarah Holt and infant child died in 1852 and both were buried in Magnolia, Illinois. One daughter survieved her. Benjamin C and daughter returned to Ohio in 1853. The daughters name was Mary Olive Ward. Benjamin C. then bought a farm in Clinton County, Ohio and moved into it in 1854. He was married to Matilda Chew in the month of February 27th, 1855. Benjamin and Matilda Ward went to madisonville (to his father's Morris Ward's house). Matilda had taken sick and died December 16, 1857. She was buried in Bethel Cemetary, Clinton County Ohio. By this union 2 children were born: Morris and Frank. Frank died in infancy and was buried next to his mother. Mary o. lived with her grandfather unti her death and was buried March 26, 1856 at Madisonville. Benjamin and Rebecca Emily Chew were married March 2, 1858. In spring 1863 he sold his farm in Clinton county Ohio and bought a farm near Franklin, Indiana and moved to it. There they buried 2 children: Harriet and Henry. Harriet burned to death. In the spring 1865 he sold his farm in Indiana and bought a farm near Shelby, Illinois, (near Tower Hill) asnd moved to it the same spring. He lived there till his death , January 28, 1876. Of the union between Benjamin and Rebecca were 6 children born: Harriet, Henry, Mary, Eva, Frances, and Elde. Mary died in Illinois-- only 4 children survived him: Morris, Eva, Frances, and Elda. Benjamin Ward's wife\Rebecca Emily died September 1904.

Ayers B. Ward was married to Elizabeth pPearson March 14, 1848. They lived near Madisonville until about 1882, then moved to Newton, Jasper County, Illinois. Elizabeth Wrad died in the 1880's. Ayers Ward married Margarite Rutledge. He never had any children of his own, but raised 2 \ one boy and one girl. The boy's name was Burton Lee Ward and the girl's was Julietta M. Ward. The boy died at age 21.

David Stites and Harriet C. Ward were married September 22, 1847 and later bought a farm near Charleston, Coles County, Illinois. David Stites died about the year 1885 or 1886.. Four children survived him, 3 girls and 1 boy. Their names now are Mary Gerald, Priscilla Myers, Phoebe Hilton, and George Stites. Harriet lives with Priscilla at Mattoon, Illinois.

John Griffin and Frances Ward were married about 1856 and later after the Civil War in 1866 bought a farm in Marion County , Illinois, near Kinmonday and moved to it. John died about the year 1882. A wife and 2 sons survived him, Charles and William Griffin. All reside on the same farm near Kinmonday, Illinois. Frances (or Fanny) Griffin has cataracts on her eyes and is totally blind. She is the only Ward I ever knew to go blind. She died August 4, 1905.

Joseph and 3 of his oldest sons : Jeremiah, Amos, and Israel all served in the Revolutionary War. Jeremiah, Amos, and Israel all 3 survived long enough to draw pensions for service in that war. It was granted to them about the year 1832. They draw a pension that was according to the time they were in the service.

Israel drew $20.00 a year. He went in the service at the age of 16. He brought his musket he carried in the Army with him at Ohio and it stood in his room with bayonet fixed for hand to hand charge until his death in June 1846.

August 1905 E.B.WARd

Elon Bramble Ward and Anne Marie Vanmiddlesworth were married November 26, 1845. Six children were born to them, 4 daughters and 2 sons. Their children's names were: Marrietta, Sarah, Ellen, Catherine W., Jane V., Alfred B., Elon B. Anne Marie died January 24, 1864 with smallpox.

Elon Bramble and Sarah M. Vanmiddlesworth wre married December 29, 1864. Two children were born to them, one boy and one girl. Their names were Anne Marie and Jeffie. Jeffie died about age of 6 months.

Watkins J. Farren married Marrietta Ward December 1, 1869.

George King married sarah Ellen ward January 31, 1867.

Elisha T. Gustus Married catherine W. Ward December 8, 1872.

James Williams married Jane V. Ward December 19, 1875.

Alfred B. Ward married Ida May Hoskins December 21, 1881.

Elon B. Ward JR, married Mary Shaffer June 3, 1882.

Charles Botts married Anne Marie Ward November 7, 1886.

WATKINS FARREN AND MARRIETTA's Children:

Anna

Elon

Nellie

George

ELISHA GUSTUS AND CATHERINE'S CHILDREN:

Dovie Estella (DALTON)= henry

Elon

Naomi

Ronny

GEORGE KING AND SARAH ELLEN'S CHILDREN:

Audry (Snodgrass)=George

Bernice (Petty)

JAMES WILLIAMS AND JANE V.'S CHILDREN:

Frank (NO HEIRS)

Carrie (MCKIBBEN)

Harry = Edwrd Williams

Emma= Sarah (WERTZ)

Fred Carver

ALFRED B. AND IDA= NO CHILDREN

Edna Hill Anderson (PERHAPS ADOPTED)

Edna's children= Viola, Catherine, Elon Anderson

ELON B. WARD JR AND MARY'S CHILDREN:

Judith (COUNTS)

Edgar = Everett

Donald

Orville=daughter

HERBY WARD (PERHAPS ADOPTED)= Harold

CHARLES BOTTS AND ANNE MARIE'S CHILDREN:

Fay

John = John Jr.= Patty

Betty (PESTER)

Isabel (HERTTEL)

Maggie (YARGER, ASHMORE)= Eleanor (MILLER)

Charles Yarger

Richard Yarger

James Ashmore

Rosetta (CLARK)

Alice (SHARP)

Elon Ward Botts= Elon Ward = James(A)

Mary (McConnell)

Elma (RoselL)

Paul

(A) James Botts's Children: Brett Smith

James Edward

Brandy jo (WHEELER)

Lee Charles

Terrence Lynn

Tamara (johnson)