Ward

WARD

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/29/2010 at 12:55:54

N. R. WARD.

N. R. Ward owns and operates an excellent farm of one hundred and thirty
acres on sections 5 and 8, Richland township, and in the conduct of his agricultural
interests is meeting with well merited success. His birth occurred in De Kalb
county, Illinois, on the 6th of iSIarch, 1855, his parents being Marcine and Rachel
(Babcock) Ward, both of whom were natives of Canada. In 1854 they removed
to De Kalb county, Illinois, taking up their abode in the city of De Kalb., where
the father worked a shoemaker. Subsequently he removed to Missouri, later came
to Adair county, Iowa, and some years afterward established his home in Nebraska,
where both he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They became the
parents of eleven children, eight of whom survive.

N. R. Ward received a common-school education in his youth and after attaining
his majority left the parental roof and followed farming as a renter for some years.
In 1882 he removed to Nebraska and in that state lived for about thirteen years.
He homesteaded a farm and his first dwelling was a sod shanty, which remained his
home for six years. On the expiration of that period he sold the place and for two
years was engaged in merchandising but then again turned his attention to agri-
cultural pursuits and continued farming in Nebraska for five years more. In the
fall of 1894 he returned to Adair county and here cultivated a rented farm for
three years before purchasing his present place of one hundred and thirty acres in
Richland township. He has made many substantial improvements on the property,
erecting good buildings for the shelter of grain and stock and otherwise enhancing
its value. His undertakings as an agriculturist have been attended with a gratifying measure of success and he has long been numbered among the prosperous and enter-
prising citizens of the community.

In 1876 Mr. Ward was united in marriage to Miss Emma Ewing, a native of
Adair county, Iowa, and a daugliter of T. M. and Elizabeth (Evans) Ewing, the
former born in Ohio and the latter in Wales. In 1855 they took up their abode
on a farm in Adair count\', Iowa, and here Mr. Ewing continued to reside until
within a few years of his demise, which occurred in Fontanelle, December 31, 1908.
His wife is still living and has now attained the age of seventy-six years. To them
were born ten children, seven of whom survive. To Mr. and Mrs. Ward have been
born eight children, as follows: Elsie M., who is deceased; Grace C, the wife of
W. S. Bennett; Pearl, who gave her hand in marriage to George Thompson, of
Mount Etna, Adams county, Iowa; Ralph M. and Fred E., both of whom have
passed away; Avery E., a resident of Greenfield; and Floyd and Ernestine, both
at home.

Mr. Ward gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has served
in the capacity of school director, the cause of education ever finding in him a stanch
champion. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Lodge No.
138, A. F. & A. M. As a citizen of Adair county he has assisted to the extent of
his ability in advancing its interests and may be depended upon to give his support
to every measure that will promote the public good.