DAR A120573

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In 1753 the two brothers, John and Jeremiah Ward, of Albemarle, patented 3200 acres of land on the north side of Dan river in Pittsylvania county, which were located (as designated) "in the mountains." John then settled at Reed creek; and some years later Jerry moved ty on the Guyandotte river. John Ward married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson-Chiles of Pittsylvania. He built a second home, The Mansion, east of the mouth of Otter river near its entrance into the Staunton and only a few miles from where Alta Vista now stands; here he lived, and, dying (over 100 years old), in 1816, was buried in the family grave-yard nearby. Major Ward married, secondly, 1766, Mrs. Sarah Clark - Lynch, daughter of Christ. Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr., for which she was disowned by the Quakers, Ward not being of the sect. He received his title in 1778 as Major of Bedford county militia, an office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age. DAR A 120573, Major, Patriotic Service, Civil Service; Sheriff, VA

In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's creeks; raised large yield of hemp upon his land. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg which still bears his name and which, though recently improved by shortening of curves, filling of depressions and sand-clay resurfacing, is not materially changed from its early lines; in providing cross-country passage for his neighbors, Ward built better than he reckoned, for his road now forms part of a highway which runs through the state, and connects with routes leading north and south.

Sources

• Campbell chronicles and family sketches : embracing the history of Campbell County, Virginia, 1782-1926.
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900; Name: John Ward; Gender: Male; Spouse Name: Sarah Clark; Spouse Birth Year: 1716; Number Pages: 1.
• Will and Testament of John Ward, 23 Jan 1807.
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900; Name: John Ward; Gender: Male; Spouse Name: Ann Chiles; Number Pages: 1.
• Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly; John Ward, 300a, Albemarle Co, on S. side James R. on both sides of Hollyday R., bounded by Henry Chiles's c. (p.6) 1 Dec 1748.
• Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800; Name: John Ward.

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Name Charles Word

• Gender Male
• Christening Date 14 May 1710
• Christening Place ST PETER'S PARISH,NEW KENT,VIRGINIA
• Father's Name Jno. Word
• Citation
• "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRRZ-XJ3 : 5 December 2014), Charles Word, ; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 6,048,679.

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• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Nov 19 2016, 3:09:16 UTC

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GEDCOM Note

Biography

Major John Ward, Sr.

Origin

The birthdate of Major John Ward is debated, and is variously reportedas 1708, 1716, and 1720. His death is confirmed as 1816.
Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry Chiles (a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown) and Anne Harrelson, of Pittsylvania.three (possibly five) sons and two daughters. The daughters, Anne andAgatha were twins :

• William Ward m. Mildred Adams .....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch* Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch .....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark* John Chiles Ward never married .....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)* Agatha Ward m. John Calloway.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
• Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
• possibly Jeremiah Ward .....who moved to Kanawha County* possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard For a while they lived near Anne’s brother probably Paul Chiles. Hishome was called Riverview in Halifax county. He was a vestryman. In the Halifax County Court Minute book 2 page 504, there is recorded the following words:

Oath of a vestryman of the Church of England. I, John Ward, do subscribe to be conformable to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Englands as by Law Directed.

"Major John Ward lived in Albemarle, Halifax, Bedford, and Campbell Counties in Virginia. He and his brother, JEREMIAH WARD, purchased and sold tracts of land in large volume in many counties in Virginia and North Carolina. In 1753 the two brothers, then living in Albemarle County, patented 3200 acres on the north side of the Dan River in Pittsylvania County, which were located (as designated) "in the mountains." John then settled at Reed creek; and some years later Jerry moved to Cabell county on the Guyandotte river. John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, which he called "the Mansion" for its elegance in those pioneer days. It is standing today, a quaint old homestead, withits corner fireplaces and cabinets either side the mantel. There are 3 stories and the third story was the ballroom, covering the entire house, and here the daughters of the house were married. The house was built for his wife Ann Chiles Ward, but she died before she could move in. In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. for which she was disowned by the Quakers, Ward not being of the sect. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765. As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's creeks; raised large yield of hemp upon his land. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg which still bears his nameand which, though recently improved by shortening of curves, filling of depressions and sand-clay resurfacing, is not materially changed from its early lines; in providing cross-country passage for his neighbors, Ward built better than he reckoned, for his road now forms part ofa highway which runs through the state, and connects with routes leading north and south. In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river,many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands. JOHN WARD, SR. was appointed Major of the Bedford Militia during the Revolutionary War. He carried the title 'Major John Ward' following that war.<ref>Frontiers Along the Upper Roanoke River by Clement</ref>

Military service: 1758, French & Indian War/ Augusta Virginia Militia. In 1778, he was a member of the Committee of Safety for Bedford Countyand was recommended for the office of major in the county militia andwas shortly approved for that office. He was the Captain of the County Militia and took oaths.<ref>Halifax County Book 2 page 467</ref>. Hereceived his title in 1778 as Major of Bedford County militia, an office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.

Marriages

Marriage 1 Anne CHILES b: ABT 1732 in Amelia County, VA

:Married: ABT 1743 in Henry Chiles' Home, Pittsylvania Co., VA

Children

: William W. WARD b: 1745 in Albermarle County, VA : John WARD Jr. b: ABT 1747 in Lee County, VA : Agatha WARD b: 09 FEB 1750/51 in (Albermarle or Pittsylvania, VA) : Henry WARD, Major b: 05 APR 1753 in Lunenburg Co., VA : Jeremiah WARD b: ABT 1755 in (Albermarle or Pittsylvania, VA) : Thomas WARD, Colonel b: ABT 1757 in (Albermarle or Pittsylvania, VA)

Marriage 2 Sarah CLARK b: ABT 1715 in (of Albermarle Co., VA)

:Married: 27 DEC 1766 in Bedford County, VA

Children

: Robert A. WARD b: in Lee County, VA : Mill WARD b: in Lee County, VA

Death

John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd. "Will of JOHN WARD, SR. (Major John Ward) dated 23 January 1809 and probated 11 November 1816.Son WILLIAM WARD all my lands above the mouth of Old Womans Creek adjoining Stanton River and to his three children, ROBERT A. WARD, JOHN WARD, and MILL WARD. Son JOHN WARD the two tracts I purchased of Col. THOMAS DILLARD being 800 acres, my tracts of land in Amherst County nearLynch's Ferry, being 1000 acres, my stone house, and lot in Lynchburg, the tract he purchased of his brother WILLIAM WARD, the tract of 529acres known as Talbots Place, the tract known as Johnsons Place whichI purchased of EDWARD TERRELL, the 645 acres I purchased of FRANK SMITH on Sycamore Creek in Pittsylvania County and the 76 acres adjoiningit, and the tract purchased of DAVIS in Campbell County known as Indian Camp. Son HENRY WARD all the lands adjoining the fery on the south side of Stanton River on the Otter River and Cheese Creek and the landpurchased of HENRY CHILES known as Jacks Place. Daughter AGATHA CALLAWAY and her 3 children viz DAVID CALLAWAY, HENRY G. CALLAWAY, and MARGARET CALLAWAY. Daughter ANNE DILLARD and her children, my grandchildren, LYNCH DILLARD, LUCINDA DILLARD, and JOHN DILLARD my tract of land on Sycamore Creek above Earlys Mill containing 840 acres. JOHN CALLAWAYand HENRY WARD my back land on the waters of Smithy River in Patrick County and Montgomery County except the lands on Burkes Fork. Executors: JOHN WARD and HENRY WARD. Witnesses; HARTWELL ALLEN, WILLIAM HARRIS, JAMES WILLIAMS, and JAMES LESTER. "The Inventory of the Estate of JOHN WARD, deceased, was presented 14 September 1818; the Account of Estate of MAJOR JOHN WARD, deceased, was made 13 September 1819. Halifax Co., VA. Will Book O 1752-1773, "--- 1767 Page 7. Deceased PAUL CHILES, CAPTAIN JOHN WARD, Executor. By Wm. Madlock (Whitlock??) hispart of crop, Paul Chiles his attendance on the back surveys 68 das, John Thompson exr. (John Farler Thompson?), John Woodson, Mr. Munfordsfees; Thomas Duncan, Mr. Howard, Robt. Dolton (Dalton??) for boardingand schooling two children, MRS. ANN CHILS, her bond, expenses going to Williamsburg, Joseph Whitehead, "sail" of negro Tom, Kendrick for services, Alexr. Gilbert, Henry Chiles, James Lyles for Bumpass, John Bryand. Dated 21 May 1767; signed Thomas Dillard Jr., Benjamin...

Halifax Co. Orphans/bound children 1760-62 (part 2)March Ct. 1761: TOM a Negro boy belonging to John WARD, Gent. is adjudged May Ct. 1761

John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Atavist. Some published data states that JOHN WARD, SR. was 100 years old at the time of his death. However, the studies of Wayne Jackson indicate hewas 96 years, 2 months, 30 days old at his death. The discrepancy maybe due to the fact that there were two children named John in this family. The first son JOHN was born and died in 1716. Mistakenly using the birthdate of the first son John and the death date of the second son JOHN would provide the basis for this published data.

Kirk LeCompte 2014

Burial: Adams Ward Family Cemetery Altavista Campbell County Virginia, USA

Research notes

Alt birth: 1708 Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay. Alt Place of death - The Mansion, Campbell, Virginia, USAKirk mentions the seven children of Major and Anne, Including the parents of spouses. It would be nice to find the source and include them.

Sources

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=123776881
• http://astoundingpast.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bhreed&id... cites a number of primary sources
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ggracie/library/ward/D1.HT... Descendants of Maj John Ward
• Maj. John Ward
• http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/campbell/history/chronicles-famili...
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=555902&pid=-...
• http://swedishclements.weebly.com/uploads/2/7/9/3/2793585/1767_-_lu... TITHABLES OF PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, 1767. Lists all property andchildren.
• http://books.google.com/books?id=57aFNInLFroC&pg=PA139&lpg=PA139&dq...|%22Ward,+John%22+%22Jeremiah+Ward%22|%22Ward,+Jeremiah%22+Chiles+1650..1790&source=bl&ots=9nGXyftSJ5&sig=qnkS1ltxx9sJE8MNWM0ZEwm8aCM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4HwYUfOGH5Sc9QSm9oGIAw&ved=0CF4Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22John%20Ward%22|%22Ward%2C%20John%22%20%22Jeremiah%20Ward%22|%22Ward%2C%20Jeremiah%22%20Chiles%201650..1790&f=false History Of Pittsylvania County Virginia By Maud Carter Clement* Source: S329982271 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.Ancestry Family Tree 155011854
• Source: S329982322 Millennium File Heritage Consulting Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc 0
• Source: S329982432 U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations,Inc. 0
• Source: S329982490 Campbell chronicles and family sketches : embracing the history of Campbell County, Virginia, 1782-1926 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc 0
• Source: S329982556 North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 0
• Source: S329982569 U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Yates Publishing Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc 0
• Source: S329982585 Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc 0
• Source: S329982639 1810 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 0
• Source: S329982688 Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 0
• Source: S336557889 Essex, England, Select Church of England Parish Registers, 1518-1960 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 0

The birthdate of Major John Ward is debated, and is variously reported as 1708, 1716, and 1720. His death is confirmed as 1816.

Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson Chiles, a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown. John and Jeremiah Ward patented over 3200 acres of land on the north side of the Dan River.

John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, "The Mansion," just east of the mouth of the Otto River, near its entrance into Staunton River and only a few miles east of where Altavista now stands. He and Anne raised at least five children, possibly seven, including:

William Ward m. Mildred Adams
.....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch
Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch
.....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark
John Chiles Ward never married
.....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)
Agatha Ward m. John Calloway
.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber
.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
possibly Jeremiah Ward
.....who moved to Kanawha County
possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden
.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard

In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765.

As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's Creeks and raised large yields of hemp on his lands. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg, which still bears his name over 250 years later. He also served as Justice of the Peace in Campbell County, and was designated a major of the Bedford county militia, and office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.

In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river, many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands.

John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd.

John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Altavista.

[Source: Kirk LeCompte 2014]* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 15 2022, 7:28:18 UTC