Frank B. 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, 1898. Pages 478-481

	Scan, OCR and editing by Joy Fisher, jfisher@sdgenweb.com, 1999.

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FRANK B. WARD, founder and president of the oldest bank in Miner county, 
situated at Carthage, and one of the prime movers in the organization of the 
village which is now the city of Carthage, was born in Jefferson county, New 
York, June 17, 1838.  His father, James Ward, was born in New York City in 1801, 
and his father, Thomas Ward, was a native of England. The mother of our subject, 
Lovinia (Barber) Ward, was born in Jefferson county, New York, a daughter of 
Amasa Barber.  Mr. and Mrs. James Ward, the father and mother of our subject, 
were married in Jefferson county and always made that their home.  They were the 
parents of eleven children, vIz.:  Mary, deceased; Thomas; Mrs. Mary L. 
Whitcher; James; Buel F.; Mrs. Pamelia M. Hooker; our subject; Emma; Mrs. Dr. 
Hendee; Fred S., and Libbie.  James S. was a lieutenant in the Tenth New York 
Heavy Artillery.

The subject of this sketch was reared in Jefferson county, New York, and 
attended school at Whitestone seminary, and later, graduated from the State 
Normal school at Albany, New York, February 3, 1859.  He began in the mercantile 
business in Lewis county, New York, before he was twenty-one years of age, and 
continued in the same fourteen years.  He then moved back to Carthage and went 
into the lumber business there and also engaged to considerable extent in the 
real-estate and loan business. In 1882 he went to Dakota for the purpose of 
seeing the country and joined a surveying party at Iroquois.  The same year he 
filed a homestead claim to the quarter section on which the city of Carthage now 
stands and built the first frame house in that vicinity. In 1883 he returned to 
New York and moved his family to their new home.  That year, also, he platted 
the town site, of which the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company became half 
owners, and had a grand opening, at which he served a sumptuous dinner and gave 
a grand entertainment, and at this meeting he sold eight thousand dollars worth 
of lots.  He then organized a bank, and in connection with it he opened a real-
estate and insurance business, which has been his occupation since. The town was 
first called "Franklin," but in 1883. Mr. Ward changed its name to "Carthage" in 
honor of his old home in New York.  The first train on this line of the 
Northwestern railroad arrived at Carthage June 28, 1883, and the bank was opened 
for business September i6, 1883, with the following officers:  F. B. Ward, 
president; W. L. Palmer, cashier.  The real-estate branch of the business has 
now thirteen farms on its list.  The present officers of the bank are: F. B. 
Ward, president; D. D. Baldwin, cashier, and Lura 13. Ward, assistant cashier.

Mr. Ward was first married, in 1863, to Miss Francesca Harris, of Harrisville. 
New York.  Mrs. Ward died in 1889, leaving no children. and in 1892 Mr. Ward was 
united in marriage to Lura B. Langley, a native of Wisconsin, born near Beloit, 
a daughter of Mark Langley, now of Kingsbury county, South Dakota.  Mr. Ward is 
a Mason, holding a membership in the blue lodge of Carthage, and also a member 
of the chapter at Carthage, New York.  He is also a memher of the I. O. O. F., 
and has been through all the chairs of the order.  Although Mr. Ward has never 
held a public office, he has been keenly interested in all matters pertainmg to 
the upbuilding and strengthening of the social and business interests of his 
adopted town and township.  His large farm south of town is one of the very best 
in Miner county, and the fine block where his bank is situated can hardly be 
equalled in that part of the state.  "Our Prairie Home," a newspaper published 
by Thomas McConnell, was established June 14, 1883, and was printed for a time 
in Mr. Ward's barn, and in fact, the town of Carthage owes its existence to him.  
Politically, he is a Republican.  Elsewhere in this volume will be found a full-
page portrait of Mr. Ward.