~ THE WARD FAMILY ~

Some of the Wards were early in Marlborough, William Ward himself moved there for good in the early spring of 1661. The family constituted quite a colony in itself. There were father William "of Sudbury" and mother Elizabeth; their four big sons--Obadiah, twenty-nine years old, Richard, twenty-six, Samuel, nineteen, and Increase, sixteen; Elizabeth, a girl of eighteen, and Hopestill, of fourteen; and three children- William, twelve; Eleazer, eleven; and Bethiah, two. With them came one of the three married daughters, Deborah Johnson. Hannah How joined them soon after. The records are incomplete so we cannot tell how many children the married daughters brought with them, but Hannah had three at all events. Only John and Joanna were missing. Joanna had married Abraham Williams and lived in Cambridge. One other defection came in the fall when Richard married Mary Moores of Sudbury and returned there, his Marlborough grant reverting to Samuel. The loss was balanced later by Joanna and her husband and a child or two joining the plantation.

Richard's marriage was followed in a few months by the marriage of Elizabeth to John Howe, Jr., son of John Howe--the latter, like Ward, being one of the founders of both Sudbury and Marlborough. The total number of residents, including children, was about a hundred. Ward's big house-lot was excellently situated. Its northeast corner faced the settlement's first meeting- house, soon after erected, and the town's main read was laid out to run along its northern boundary. Opposite, across the main road, west of the meeting-house, was the minister's plot. The meeting-house was built just within the southerly end of the Indian planting-field before title to its site had been secured, and the purchase of the site from an Indian by the name of Anamaks provided only a bare ten feet of ground around the building, so Ward deeded to the town about half an acre of that part of his house-lot directly opposite.

The town "gratefully accepted" and ordered "first yt the sd William Ward shall have liberty to cutt & carry away all the wood & timber that is upon ye same: 2ly That hee shall bee satisfyed to his content in any other part of the Towne (not yett granted) in liew thereof: & 3ly it is ordrd that this peice of Land now by him surrendred into the Towns hands as before sd shall lye for A perpetuall common or Highway not to bee taken upp by any, or othrwaise disposed of, without the consent of every Proprietor that hath Towne Rights."

This plot is part of the present High School Common. The house that Ward built was near the end of the present Hayden Street, a few steps from the library, where the home of Mr. John E. Hayes now stands. Its site was selected because of an abundant spring near by. A much more commodious dwelling it was than the first log cabin in Sudbury. Similar rough-hewn logs formed its frame, but it was shingle-roofed, clapboarded outside, and boarded within, contained several rooms, and had a cellar. The fields behind are now Marlborough property and are being converted into the town's fine new recreation center--with running track, football gridiron, baseball diamonds, &c.--named "The Artemas Ward Playground" in joint memory of General Artemas Ward, the great grandson of William Ward, and of his great-grandson and namesake, Mr. Artemas Ward, the publisher of the volume.

As would be expected, Ward was prominent in Marlborough affairs. He was continuously a selectman, and a deacon of the church from the time of its organization, and his house was frequently chosen for the midweek meetings which became a feature of the township's religious life. The deacons constituted a general committee for the management of church affairs and to assist the minister in his duties, one of them taking his place when he was ill or absent. During divine service they sat in a special pew near the pulpit. Ward probably held other township offices, but the records from 1665 to 1739 disappeared many years ago. He was also frequently selected to represent Marlborough on the county grand jury, and in 1666 was again in Boston as a deputy.

Deacon William Ward was born born 1603 in England. He married Elizabeth Phillipus near 1638 in England. He died on 10 August 1687 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. William and Elizabeth immigrated about 1638 to Boston, Massachusetts. He removed to Sudbury, Massachusetts about 1639. He was granted land November 18,1640 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and became a freeman on 10 May 10,1643 while in Sudbury. He was Representative to the Massachusetts General Court in 1644 for the town and served as chairman of the Board of Selectman from Sudbury for several years. He was Commissioner to End Small Causes in 1646. In 1656, he was one of the petitionors to the General Court for the Town of Marlborough and was granted land in 1657 in Marlborough.

Not far from our Soldiers Monument stood, well remembered for many years, an old house which it is believed was one of the very oldest in our town. On this site William Ward, Sr., and his son William [he was grandfather of Artemus Ward, the latter of whom at the opening of the Revolution in 1775 was appointed General and Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised by the Colony and had command of the troop., at Cambridge till superseded by Washington] erected a house which tradition tells us was used as a fort or Garrison during the days of the Indian warfare. It was to this place the people fled when the first church was burnt to the ground by the Indians. Mr. Ward was the first Deacon of the first religious society organized here.

A portion of the old Ward house was destroyed by fire in early years and the loss was the immediate cause of Nahum Ward's removing to the newly granted land of Shrewsbury. The place passed into the hands of Joseph Ward who occupied it until it was again burnt. At time of the fire the house of Rev. Breck stood within 30 rods and came near igniting as some of the cinders lodged upon his roof. That same year the house was rebuilt, and as time went on was known as the "Bonney'" Hayden house.

NOTE: Star indicates WARD/HAYDEN house location on map of 1835.

He and Elizabeth lived in Marlborough as early as 1661. He was one of the founders of the church and was made Deacon in 1666 as well as a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court for the town. William's home was designated a garrison house, with his son Samuel's and his daughter, Hannah's families assigned to that garrison on 1 October 1675. His will was dated April 6, 1686 and made in Sudbury.

Obadiah Ward, son of William Ward and Elizabeth, immigrated with Deacon William Ward about 1638 to Boston, Massachusetts; probably during the Spring. He lived in 1653 in Sudbury, Massachusetts where he had land assigned to him in Sudbury, Mass., on his coming of age in 1653.. He was granted land in 1657 in Marlborough, Massachusetts and was as early as 1661 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Obadiah was one of three men contracted to erect the frame for the minister's house. He was a lawyer, or at least is so appears, as it was he who bought the case against Thomas Rice for non payment of assessments on 6 April 1664 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He served on 9 May 1689 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, as the Delegate to the Council for Safety of the People and Conservation of the Peace and served again on 22 May and 5 June 1689. He served between 1690 and 1691 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, as a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court for Marlborough. He was a delegate to the Council for Safety of the People and Conservation of the Peace, May 9 and 22, and June 5, 1689 and a representative at the General Court 1690-1691 during the critical period intervening between the forcible deposition of Governor Andros and the convening of the General Court under the new charter.This was the period between the removal of Governor Andros and the new Royal Charter.

Richard Ward son of William Ward and Elizabeth, settled in Sudbury. He died on 31 March 1666 by drowning in the Sudbury River. After his death, William Ward and his wife were appointed guardians of the children during their minority. He was buried in April 1666 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Richard immigrated with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth about 1638 to Boston, Massachusetts. He was granted land in 1657 in Marlborough, Massachusetts and also was granted land on 26 November 1660 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, of 18 acres. He lived at Marlborough, Massachusetts, in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. He became a freeman in 1664.

Deborah Ward daughter of William Ward and Elizabeth, married John Johnson and settled in Marlborough where John was one of the early pioneers.

Hannah Ward daughter of William Ward and Elizabeth, married Abraham How, and lived at Marlborough, Massachusetts, in 1661 with Deacon William
Ward and Elizabeth (--?--).20,21,22 She and Abraham How lived after 9 April 1661 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She left a will on 1 June 1717 in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Capt. Samuel Ward son of William Ward and Elizabeth, married Sarah Howe. He later married Elizabeth Beers, daughter of Capt. Richard Beers, on 25 May 1710. Samuel took the Oath of Fidelity in 1662 in Sudbury, Massachusetts and served between 1679 and 1680 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, as a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court.

His house-lot was west of the Indian line, and probably near the old John Gleason place. Under him, succeeding his father, the original "WilliamWard" house (i.e., the remaining structure on the original site) was frequently the place of the midweek church meetings and also the recognized abode of visiting and temporary ministers. During the intermittent French and Indian wars from 1689 to 1713, it was a garrison-house as during King Philip's War. In his will dated May 22, 1727, Samuel Ward says he is "well stricken in years and crazy in body, but of perfect mind, and memory," His will was contested on Probate Court, December 19, 1729, by all his children and heirs (except his son Samuel, the chief beneficiary in virtue of a concurrent agreement to care for him and his wife during their lives) on the ground that he was crazy in mind as well as in body. At length the heirs agreed among themselves touching his will, and desired the judge to approve it.

Elizabeth Ward daughter of Samuel Ward and Sarah Howe, married Ensign Nathaniel Hapgood, son of Shadrack Hapgood and Elizabeth Treadway. She died on 5 November 1748 in Stow, Massachusetts, at age 76. She was living in 1741 as a widow and left a will on 25 February 1741/42. Her will gave Nathaniel, her eldest son, £20; Hezekiah, her second son, £10; Shadrach, her third son, £30; Daniel, her fourth son, £10; Sarah Gates, her second daughter, half of the remainder of the estate; and to her grandchildren, Elizabeth and Lucy Gates, the other half in equal shares. Her estate was valued at £626 7/.

Elizabeth Ward daughter of William Ward and Elizabeth, married John Howe, she later married Capt. Henry Kerley, son of William Kerley and Hannah King, on 18 April 1677 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The marriage was recorded as 18 (2) 1677. She lived at Marlborough, Massachusetts, in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. She was on 21 April 1676 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, when the family was attacked by Indians. During the attack her first husband was killed and the house destroyed. None of the children were killed however.

Increase Ward son of William and Elizabeth, married Record Wheelock, daughter of Rev. Ralph Wheelock and Rebecca Wilkerson, on 3 October 1672 in Medfield, Massachusetts. According to the marriage intentions filed, he was living in Shrewsbury, Mass. at the time of his wedding. He is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Marlborough, Massachusetts, His gravestone is the oldest Ward stone in the cemetery. He lived at Marlborough, Massachusetts, in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. Increase and Record Wheelock lived in 1673 in Marlborough, Massachusetts in that part of Marlborough, which in 1717, became Westborough and later Northborough where he ran a saw mill. He was mentioned in the will of Deacon William Ward on 6 April 1686 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Increase served in 1689 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, as Town Clerk.

Hopestill Ward daughter of William Ward and Elizabeth, married Deacon James Woods, son of John Woods and Mary Parminter, on 22 April 1678 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. They settled in Marlborough. She was also called Bethiah in the Middlesex County records of the births of her children and in the Marlborough record of Bethiah's birth. She lived in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. Hopestill left a will circa 1717 in which ahe gave £5 for the relief of poor members of the church.

William Ward son of William Ward and Elizabeth, married Hannah Brigham, daughter of Thomas Brigham and Mercy Hurd, on 4 August 1679 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, Ward (1851) gives their marriage date as 4 September 1679. He lived in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. William lived after 1680 south of the meetinghouse.

Eleazer Ward son of William Ward and Elizabeth, was killed by Indians while riding on Mount Ward between Sudbury and Marlborough during King Philip's War. The hill, Mount Ward, was named for him. He Is buried in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He lived in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth.

Bethiah Ward daughter of William Ward and Elizabeth, married Daniel Rice, son of Deacon Edward Rice and Agnes 'Ann' Bent, on 10 January 1681 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Hudson (1862), Ward (1851) and Ward (1858) give the marriage date as 10 February 1681 which appears to be in error. She lived in 1661 with Deacon William Ward and Elizabeth. Bethia and Daniel Rice had their house fortified as a garrison house between 1711 and 1713.

Artemus Ward son of General Artemus Ward….. The Artemus Ward house was situated on the Corner of Concord Road and Rout 20 (East Main St). It was built in 1785 by two brothers with the last name of "Easton". It was sold four years later to Artemus Ward. The house was set 100 fett from the road on a hill with beautiful terraced lawns and a gravel driveway. It was a broad gabled house with white clapboards, fine dentil mouldings in the cornice and a shingled roof. gabled portico with dentil moulding set it apart from it's more modern neighbors.

Josiah Ward, son of Phinihas and Mary Ward,commanded a company in 1774, and 1776, and was on the alarm list of Henneker. He died in Henneker, New Hampshire.

Jabez Ward, son of Jabez and Phebe Eager, served as a Private in Captain Wheeler's Company. The Company went to New York on an Alarm. He died in New Marlboro, Mass.

Jedediah Ward, son of Jabez and Phebe Eager, was a Major in Colonel Ashley, Jr.'s 1st Berkshire Regiment of Massachusetts. He was born and died in Marlboro, Mass.