Biography of Columbus M. Ward

COLUMBUS M. WARD. In the uniformly progressive ca-
reer of Columbus M. Ward, a leading attorney of Beckley,
several personal traits are quite noticeable, among which
may be mentioned versatility of talents combined with
thoroughness of preparation and depth of legal knowledge.
A man of broad education and experience, of high personal
character, courteous and able, he is one of Raleigh County's
strong citizens.

Mr. Ward was born on his father a farm, three miles from
Beckley, and within sight of his present office, over the
Post Office, February 3, 1879, being a son of Gilbert and
Mary (Fitzpatrick) Ward, natives of Raleigh County.
Gilbert Ward was born in 1850, shortly after the arrival
of his father, Thomas Ward, from near Lynchburg, Vir-
ginia. Thomas Ward was a simple farmer who settled in
the community of Beckley, then a straggling village. He
applied himself conscientiously to his labors in the fields,
sought no public office and was a faithful member of the
Missionary Baptist Church. His son, Gilbert Ward, fol-
lowed in his footsteps and was a farmer all his life, his
death occurring in 1913, when he was sixty-three years
of age. He was too young to fight during the war between
the states, but two of his brothers were soldiers in the
Confederate service. He was also a member of the Mission-
ary Baptist Church. Mr. Ward married Mary Fitzpatrick,
daughter of Timothy Fitzpatrick, who came in young man-
hood from Dublin, Ireland, to Boston, Massachusetts, and
then moved to Raleigh County, West Virginia, where he
engaged in farming. Of the ten children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Ward nine are still living, and Columbus M. is the
eldest. Mrs. Ward still survives her husband at the age
of sixty-five years, and is living on the old home farm.

Columbus M. Ward attended the free schools of his local-
ity, and afterward leaving, like numerous others who have
reached successful positions along professional lines, he
commenced his career as a teacher in the rural schools. He
taught six terms, following which he spent one year at
Grant University, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and completed
his law course at West Virginia University, from which he
was duly graduated with his degree. He was admitted to
the bar in 1907, at which time he commenced practice at
Beckley in partnership with A. P. Farley and S. S. Sutphin,
but in 1909 this partnership was dissolved and since then
Mr. Ward has been engaged in practice alone. He has a
heavy professional business both in real estate and crim-
inal law, and in numerous eases has shown himself a thor- 
oughly capable and learned member of his profession. He
is a member of the Raleigh County Bar Association and
keeps fully abreast of his profession. As a youth he at-
tended all meetings of the debating society of his locality
and took part therein. His first ease as a lawyer was be-
fore a rural justice of the peace and involved a boy's suit
worth $90. Mr. Ward spent a day in looking up the case,
and when he brought it before the rural court it was fully
prepared. This custom he has always followed. His keen
analytical mind affords him unusual facility in working out
the details of a case, and it is said that before going into
the courtroom he must know that he is thoroughly prepared
for every development that may arise during the trial. His
contemporaries are quick to acknowledge his special abili-
ties and his high position among the lawyers of the county.

In 1909 Mr. Ward married Miss Nellie Collins, daughter
of John C. Collins, a well-known family of Fayette County,
West Virginia. Mrs. Ward died one year later, leaving
one son, John C. In 1913 Mr. Ward married Miss Grace
Monroe, daughter of Thomas J. Monroe, of Mercer County,
West Virginia, who came from Lynchburg, Virginia. To
this union there have been born three children: Helen,
Charles and Janice.

Source:  The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III pg. 137-138


Submitted by Valerie F. Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net>

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