G. L. Ward Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 759-760

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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G. L. WARD, one of our most progressive and successful agriculturists, 
is the owner of a beautiful farm in Afton township, Sanborn county, 
South Dakota. His methods of farm management show deep scientific 
knowledge combined with sound practical judgment and the results show 
that "high class" farming as an occupation can be made profitable as 
well as pleasant. 

Mr. Ward was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, in 1859, and is the 
third in order of birth in a family of four children, whose parents 
were J. W. and Susan Ward, both natives of Vermont, the former born in 
1829, the latter in 1828. The paternal grandfather was born in 
Connecticut, in 1796; his wife was a second cousin of Colonel Warner, 
of Revolutionary fame, and he was a son of a Revolutionary hero, who 
served as quartermaster in the Continental army. The maternal 
grandfather was born in 1798. 

Upon the home farm in the county of his nativity, G. L. Ward grew to 
manhood, his education being acquired in its country schools. At the 
age of twenty-three years he came to Sanborn county, South Dakota, and 
located on the southeast quarter of section 7, Afton township, where he 
built a frame shanty, 8 x 1 2 feet and a sod barn the same size, upon 
land which he took up from the government. His first crop consisted of 
potatoes and garden vegetables. Many times during the summer of 1882 he 
was the only person in the township, and he lived alone for two years 
and a half. In 1883 he was visited by a prairie fire, which destroyed 
sixty dollars worth of hay. This would now seem a small loss, but 
coming as it did when he was just starting in a new country, it meant a 
great deal to him. 

Mr. Ward was married, in 1884, to Miss Linnie Adams, a native of 
Michigan, and a daughter of Clark and Amelia Adams, who were from New 
England. Her father was both a farmer and preacher. To our subject and 
his wife have been born three children, namely: Rollin O., George 
Harold and Edith I. 

As prosperity has come to him, Mr. Ward has added to his farm; until he 
now has six hundred acres, of which one hundred and eighty acres are 
now under a high state of cultivation. The place is all fenced, and he 
irrigates his garden from a good well with a windmill attached. In 1893 
he built a barn, 28 x 42 feet, and in 1897 erected his present 
comfortable residence, the main part being 22 x 22 feet, with a 
kitchen, 14 x14 feet. He is a general farmer, but makes a specialty of 
the raising of cattle, horses, sheep and hogs. In 1889 and 1894 his 
crops were almost total failures, harvesting only from one and a half 
to five bushels of wheat to the acre, but in 1891 and 1892 they 
averaged about twenty bushels, this being the best he has raised. On 
taking up his residence in this state, game of all kinds was plentiful, 
antelope could be found in quite large herds, and as late as 1884 Mr. 
Ward saw those animals. As a Republican he takes a deep and commendable 
interest in political affairs, has often served as a delegate to the 
county conventions of his party, and has he]d a few township offices. 
He is widely and favorably known, and has a host of stanch and admiring 
friends throughout his adopted county.