Harry Cicero Ward

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFKW-BQ6

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=118113250

He was head of Camp Baker VFW Post, Mt. Vernon, IL. He and Anna Mae were in Post Dispatch photogravure section.

All my relatives told me he was one of the last survivors of the Spanish American War, as he went in as a teen-ager. He was in Company E 38th U. S. V. Infantry. However, I could not find any information about his unit in Internet records. I finally contacted Patrick McSherry, editor of the Spanish American War Centennial Website, and he told me:

"The reason you cannot find information on his regiment is that based on his military unit, he was not a Spanish American War Veteran. He was a Philippine American War Veteran. From records I see he was at: Talisay; Luta; Cuenca; Santa Cruz; Ibean; Lipa; Taysan; Bulitan; Calamba; and Santa Mesa.

At the time that the Spanish American War ended, only the 1st through the 10th U.S. Volunteer Infantry regiments existed. His regiment, the 38th U.S. Volunteer Infantry, was formed later for service in the Philippines.

The Spanish American War lasted from April to December 10, 1898, when the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the war. On February 4, 1899, war broke out betwen the U.S. and its former defacto ally, the Filipinos. This conflict lasted into 1902, but fighting actually continued until 1913 in some areas.

A pension fund was created for the Spanish American War, but not for the Philippine American War or the Chinese Relief Expedition ("Boxer Rebellion"). As a result, to allow men to receive pensions, the government lumped veterans of all three conflicts together, calling them Spanish American War Veterans....though they may have joined the military 15 years after the war ended or fought in China! This designation will appear on all government documents, including government-issued gravestones. From the unit designation, however, we can tell where and when he fought (Philippines, probably 1899 to 1902). He is not, unless he served in a different regiment earlier, an actual Spanish American War Veteran."

A timeline of his service is under the "timeline" tab above.

Great Grandpa Ward had a shoe and saddle shop in Ina, IL. I don't remember ever getting shoes there, but I do remember he also had a eyeglass fitting place in front of the shop just when you walked in, on the right. I also remember staying with him for a week or so one summer. I was pretty young, around 10 or so. I had put Brylcream on my hair for some reason and washed it out in the wood barrel outside. Boy was he mad at me - how did a kid know that was his rainwater barrel? We had city water where we lived and it would not have occurred to me that he did not.

I remember going to visit him a few times, and stayed with him for a week or so after his last wife passed away.

I have been in contact with some of his last wife's relatives. One of them told me they visited the Wards a few times,and he remembered H.C. Ward having a piece of toast every morning with Vaseline on it.

OBITUARY

Harry Cicero Ward, age 85, of Ina, Illinois, passed away at Veterans Hospital in Marion, Illinois, at 12:45 a.m. Sunday, November 15, 1964.

He was born January 27, 1879, in Emerson City, Ill., the only child of John Logan and Alice Glazebrook Ward. He was orphaned at the age of 4 by the drowning of his parents. He was first married to Ilee Blanche Richards. To this union one son was born, Duard Ward of South Roxana, Ill. Mrs. Ilee Blanche Ward passed away in the year 1906. In 1907 he was married to Ella Farmer. To this union one son was born, who died at the age of two. In 1927 Ella Farmer passed away. Later he was married to Anna Mae King, who passed away March 4, 1961.

He was a member of Ina Baptist Church and served as a deacon. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War and a member of Veteran of Foreign War.

His funeral was 17 Nov 1964 at the Ina Baptist Church at 2:00 P.M., with Rev. Seba E. Marshall officiating.

Mr. Ward leaves to mourn his passing, one son, Duard Ward, South Roxana, Ill., one step son, Paul King, Rome, Georgia, 4 grandchildren -one of whom will be unable to attend as her husband is serving in the Armed Forces in Okinawa. One granddaughter preceded him in death. Also surviving are 4 step grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

• ************************************************************************* NOTE: I just got a box of his papers. Mostly checks, bills, etc. Just glancing through, I saw a check from him to his wife Annie, 1940. I also have the Ward Family Bible. The inside front page tells it was purchased from "Rev Americus Vespucci Don Carlos" (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29151753/americus-vespucci-don_... ) by John B. Ward, Harry's grandfather, in 1866. Pictures are under "media".

I have been looking through the papers. There are cards, notes, etc. A short timeline: He was in Cuba 1898 (job his uncle Dr. Andy Hall got for him); 1899 he enlisted in the Philippine war; 1917 he lived in San Antonio, TX; 1918-1919 he lived in San Marcos, TX; 1929 he lived in Mt. Berry, GA. This info was gathered from addresses on the cards and clippings.