James Franklin Ward 1826-1902

WARD, KLINEDOB, PINNEY, WILLEY

Posted By: Carolyn Logan (email)
Date: 2/6/2006 at 15:34:32

Obituary James Franklin Ward

Died
WARD, --At his home in Humboldt on Monday, September 11, 1902, at five o’clock a.m. of general breaking down and age, Mr. James F. Ward, aged seventy-eight years.

Mr. Ward was born in Indiana at or near Crawfordsville and came to Iowa when about ten years old and lived with relatives at Keosauqua, Van Buren county. He afterwards returned to Indiana and learned the tinner’s trade returning again to Keosauqua where he worked at the business. He later determined on going further into the new country and moved to Ottumwa with his kit of tinners tools and a few articles of tinware. Trade in his line was very light here and hearing the whistle of the first steamboat that at that time had been so far up the Des Moines river he had his whole stock of good and tools at the river bank when the boat reached the landing. He arranged with the captain of this boat to pilot him to Fort Des Moines. It is needless to say that the boat and all on board reached the post safe and sound. Mr. Ward made one or two more trips on the river and then set up the first tinshop and hardware store that the new city of Des Moines ever had. He afterwards was located at Winterset and later at Jefferson, Iowa, and came to Fort Dodge in about 1860 where his father-in-law Mr. Klinedob, and himself started the first hardware store and tinshop that Fort Dodge ever had.

In 1867 Mr. Ward came to Humboldt, then Springvale, and opened a hardware store and tin shop, the first located here. This has been his home ever since that date with the exception of a few months at different times that he spent in southern California.

He was a man that was greatly esteemed by whomsoever known. During his last stay in Crawfordsville he was room mate with W. L. Holman and General Lew Wallace and others who have since become prominent in politics and history. His wife died in California while on a visit there some four or five years ago, and he has since made his home here with his daughters Hattie and Carrie. He leaves two sons Chas. E. And Ora A. Three daughters, Mrs. Geo. J. Pinney and Hattie and Carrie of Humboldt. A son Lee, died in California and a daughter, the first wife of Mr. L. E. Willey dying here.

The funeral occurred from the home on South Garret Smith Avenue, Rev. M. D. Reed of the Congregational church assisted by Rev. P. C. Money officiating at 2 o’clock p. m. Wednesday of this week. The burial took place in Union Cemetery. The pall bearers were John Johnston, J. H. Rine, Henry Weist, Hiram Lane, T. T. Rogers, and A. A. Pinney.

Mr. J. F. Ward died at his home in Humboldt Monday morning. The funeral was Wednesday afternoon at which was one of the largest attendance ever know here. He was buried in Union cemetery. Mr. Ward settled in Humboldt in 1867 and started the first hardware store in the town. He had lived in Des Moines and Fort Dodge before coming here. He was the father of our leading hardware man, C. E. Ward. Before coming here he was well acquainted with Lott, who was the first settler in Humboldt County and from whom Lott’s Creek was named. Mr. Ward was a member of the Congregational church. His deportment was ever above reproach in all his walks in life.

Van Buren Obituaries maintained by Rich Lowe.
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