Eustace D. Ward Biography


	This biography appears on pages 532-533 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				EUSTACE D. WARD. 

	Eustace D. Ward, filling the office of register of deeds of 
Yankton county and making his home in the city of Yankton, was born in 
Livingston county, Illinois on the 25th of September, 1862. The family 
is of Irish origin, but has long been represented on this side the 
Atlantic. His father, Albert D. Ward, is a native of Muskingum county, 
Ohio, and in 1857 removed to Illinois, where he conducted business as a 
carpenter and contractor. He retained his residence in that state for 
about thirteen years, and in 1869 removed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where 
he followed the same line of business. Eventually he became a resident 
of Kimball, Brule county, South Dakota, where he carried on farming, 
being thus engaged until 1901, when he retired from active business 
life and made his home with his daughter in Minnesota and his son 
Eustace in Yankton. He died in Pequot, Minnesota, in 1909. In early 
manhood he had married Hannah Adams, a native of Ohio, descended from 
New Jersey ancestry. She died in Brule county, South Dakota, in 1901. 
Their family numbered seven children, of whom two passed away in 
infancy, while Eustace D. is the fifth in order of birth. Those besides 
our subject who reached adult age are: Maria, the wife of Marion Jones, 
who is living in Pequot, Minnesota; Warren A., who was an aeronaut and 
was killed while making an ascension; Ulysses G., who resided in 
Joplin, Missouri, until killed in the lead mines at that place; and 
Erastus M., a ranchman living in the Antelope valley at Lancaster, 
California. 

	Eustace D. Ward was a lad of seven summers when he accompanied 
his parents on their removal to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he attended 
the public schools, completing the high school course in that city. He 
came with his parents to South Dakota in 1881, when the family home was 
established in Brule county, and he assisted his father in the work of 
the fields. He also took up the profession of teaching and taught 
school for twenty-six terms in Brule county, devoting his earnings each 
year to the purchase of seed and farm implements going to the 
improvement of the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which he had 
secured. After he abandoned teaching he devoted his energies to taking 
and executing contracts for artesian well drilling, putting down fifty-
three artesian wells in Brule and adjoining counties. These wells 
proved the savior of the district during drouth periods. In January, 
1901, Mr. Ward removed to Yankton and engaged in the abstract business 
in connection with Charles D. Savage under the firm style of Savage & 
Ward, thus continuing for about ten months. At the end of that time he 
purchased his partner's interest and still conducts the business, which 
is today the largest of its kind in the county. He has a splendid set 
of abstracts and is qualified to do most important work of that 
character. On the 1st of August, 1911, he was appointed register of 
deeds for Yankton county, and in 1912 was chosen by popular suffrage 
for that office, the duties of which he had assumed on his appointment 
in August, 1911, and still continues to discharge. He has proved a most 
capable and efficient incumbent of the office. In addition to his other 
interests he is a director of the Yankton Building and Loan 
Association, and is chairman of the committee on securities of that 
organization. 

	Mr. Ward was married to Miss Mary C. Paulson, a native of Iowa, 
who came to South Dakota when seven years of age. Their wedding was 
celebrated May 5, 1902, and they have a daughter, Metta. Mr. Ward 
belongs to the Elks Lodge, No. 994, of which he was formerly secretary, 
filling that position for seven years. He also holds membership in 
Dakota Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F., and his political allegiance is given 
to the republican party. His intense interest in any project always 
contributes to its success. He enters heartily into everything that he 
undertakes and discharges a public duty or a private obligation with 
equal enthusiasm and ability.