Henry County AlArchives Biographies.....Ward, John B. August 31 1849 - living in 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 27, 2004, 4:12 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   JOHN B. WARD, farmer of Abbeville, is one of the progressive men of Henry
county. He was born August 31, 1856, in Henry county, and was the first child by
the second marriage of J. J. Ward to Martha Ward, the former a native of Henry
county, and a planter by profession. His first marriage was to a Mrs. Kelley, of
Pike county. By this marriage he had four children, two of whom survive. He was
a man of wide acquaintance, and attained considerable distinction. His death
occurred in 1879, being then fifty years of age. While he was a man of limited
education, he was of unlimited energy and pluck. His father represented Henry
county for twelve consecutive years. The mother of John B. Ward was also a
native of Alabama. She was born in 1832, and grew to womanhood in Henry county,
having the advantages of the common school. She was married in her twenty-fifth
year to Mr. Ward, this being her second marriage. She died in her fifty-second
year. John B. Ward began life on the farm, performing various duties incident to
farm life, and attending school until he was fourteen years old. His education
was then brought to an abrupt termination by the death of his father. He being
the eldest of the family, the management of the farm devolved upon him. He
proved equal to the emergency, though, and through his management, the farm was
operated with success. In 1868, he was nominated for the legislature, and was
elected by a majority of 1,400. He served during the years 1888-89, and during
this time secured the passage of a bill providing for the erection of a new and
modern court house, and also securing the establishment of an agricultural
school and experiment farm at Abbeville, which is now meeting with success and
the approbation of the people. This school he secured by his own efforts,
engaging the house in a three-day struggle, before he accomplished his purpose.
This school is termed the Southeast Alabama agricultural school and experiment
station. The securing of this establishment was the means of his defeat for the
following term, the people then not recognizing the great value of such an
institution. They therefore voted against him. He, however, attended the
legislature as a lobbyist, and secured the passage of a measure appropriating
$2,000 for the support of this school. This bill was vetoed by the governor. Mr.
Ward is now a candidate for re-election. He owns a fine farm of 1,500 acres, and
he and his brother own 3,000 of timber and improved land. In 1872, Mr. Ward
removed with his family to Abbeville, and has resided there ever since. In 1875,
he was married to Miss Norah E. Newman, daughter of George Newman, a farmer and
merchant of Henry county. This lady was born near Abbeville, and had the
advantages of the best of schooling, attending the high school of Clayton,
Barbour county. She was married at the age of seventeen, and has had nine
children, four of whom survive: Miss Norah B., who is in attendance at the
Judson institute, at Marion, Ala.; George A., who is at school at Abbeville;
James, also going to school at Abbeville, and Robert W. Mr. J. B. Ward has been
a member of the municipal board for years; is superintendent of the Missionary
Baptist Sunday school, and is a moderator of the Judson association of the
Baptist church. Both he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church.
He is a democrat both by inheritance and conviction, and is public spirited,
fearless in his views, takes an interest in everything that promises to advance
the material interests of the county.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 1128-1129
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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