John, Your message was received and I want to thank you for the great story. Vikki John Ward wrote: > > I sent this Sunday and received a notice back with no body to the > message.I have no idea if it was received or not. John Ward. > > I have been reading a lot about the Southern Wards,of which I might well > be a part, but at this moment I'm trying to learn more about my 4g > grandfather William. > According to the history of Pickaway County OH by Aaron R. Van > Cleaf, > written in 1906, (PPs. 431-432) "William Ward was born in Hampshire, > England. His father, desiring that he should learn a trade, apprenticed > William to his uncle Charles who did not, however, treat the lad as he > deserved. He accordingly resented his uncle's mistreatment and ran away. > He secured a place on an English vessel through a distant relative > Commodore Ward of the English Navy. After making several trips across > the ocean, he finally concluded to remain in this country despite the > fact that Commodore Ward offered him every inducement to return to > England. The Commodore's motive in constraining the young man to return > to England was not wholly unselfish, for William owed the Commodore the > price of passage across the ocean. It resolved itself into a case of > 'Ward eat Ward' and terminated in the Commodore's selling the young man > for an amount equal to the price of a passage across the Atlantic to a > Mr. Snyder, a resident of Pendleton County VA. Between young Ward and > freedom lay 10 acres of saplings and underbrush which he had to grub to > secure his release from servitude. While engaged in working out his > freedom, he became acquainted with a young woman named Nancy Courtney, > whose birthplace was somewhere in Scotland and who, like himself, was > working out the price of her passage to this country. After securing his > own freedom, he assisted Nancy in her work and hand in hand they emerged > from the gloom of servitude into the clear light of American freedom. > Soon after this they were married. > “To this union were born eight children -- six sons and two > daughters. The sons were named: Charles, William, Robert, George, James > and Richard. In the spring of 1802 the fact was brought home to Mr. Ward > that greater opportunities presented themselves in Ohio than in the Old > Dominion and accordingly he set out for what was then known as the > Northwest Territory. In the month of May, 1802, he and his family, with > their teams, working tools and household goods disembarked from a > flatboat at Portsmouth, Ohio, from which point he set out in a northerly > direction. He was not tempted to remain in Chillicothe, the early > capital of the Territory, but continued on to the north to section 17, > township 9, range 21 in what is now Pickaway County, through much of > the journey having to cut a road through the dense uninhabited > wilderness. Arriving at his destination, he located on the half section > of land now owned in equal parts by his great-grandsons, Charles and > James Ward. The old log house that was then built is still standing. > Four generations have dwelt within its walls. Rain and snow have fallen > on it. Winds and tempests have swept against it, but for a century it > has withstood all. What mighty changes have been wrought since the old > house was built. When its timbers were hewed in the forest, the greater > part of Ohio was still uncultivated and uninhabited save by wild animals > and the Red Men. They were happy people who lived in the old log cabin. > It was home to them; love was there, peace was on the walls and joy > stood in thew door. Little children were born there and from its > confines the souls of the father went up to God. How dear to my heart > were the scenes of my childhood. Williams Ward died 28 November 1814 > aged 71 years and his wife died December 1834 aged 89 years." The above > sketch is according to the "History of Pickaway County, Ohio, and > Representative Citizens" pp 431-433, found in the Burton Historical > Section, Detroit Public Library as well as the Pickaway County > Historical Society. > > In the application of Mary Alice Stein for membership in the > Daughters > of the American Revolution, which was accepted, she wrote that William > Ward and his brother came from England to get material for ships for > their father who was a wealthy ship builder in England. The sons became > interested in the cause of the colonists and fought with them against > England. Because of this they were disinherited by their father. She > says, however, that material was a family tradition. > > It is known that the two daughters of William and Nancy, > Elizabeth and > her husband, Leonard Propst, stayed in Ohio only a few years andthen > returned to Virginia. Mary Ward died, either en route or shortly after > the family arrived in Ohio. > > I'm seeking information about William's family. He was born Dec. > 25, > 1743 And his wife Nancy on March or April 4, 1744 or 1745.