My Genealogy Hound

William W. Ward, an extensive stock raiser and farmer, was born in Tennessee in 1836. He was the fourth in a family of five children, and is the son of William L. Ward, of Kentucky, who first settled in Tennessee, and in 1831 moved to Mississippi County, Ark., where he started a large wood-yard and cultivated a farm. The father, meeting with good success and making a great many improvements on his farm, after a few years’ residence sent for his family, and proceeded to make their future home in this county. His farm in Canadian Township was, at that time, one of the finest on the river, and he resided on this place until his death, in 1851, his estimable wife following him in the year 1881, at the age of eighty-two years. William W. Ward attended Parker’s Academy at Richmond, Ohio, in his youthful days, which was then one of the best institutions of learning in Ohio, accessible to both sexes, and where Mr. Ward’s two sisters were also educated. After the father’s death he took charge of the farm, which he has operated ever since, and may be called a general farmer, as he aims to produce a variety of crops, and has been very successful in that desire. In addition to his farm, which consists of sixty acres under a fine state of cultivation, he also deals in stock, and owns a herd of fine cattle and hogs. At one time the river threatened to absorb a good portion of his farm, but at present it has changed, and is filling and adding a number of acres to the place instead. The elder Ward during his life was an active man in politics and a brilliant speaker. He was several times elected and held various offices in this county, being at different periods justice of the peace, county judge and, representative, but his son William does not seem to follow his father’s footsteps in that direction, and takes little interest in politics, although at one time he served as magistrate in his county. He is alive to the interests of Mississippi County, and is active in promoting its welfare by enterprise and good citizenship.