Joanna WARD

Family/Spouse: Abraham WILLIAMS. Abraham died on 29 Dec 1712 in Marlboro, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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The first mention of William Ward, and his being in America, that I have been able to find, was in 1639. In that year, according to the records of Sudbury, the proprietors of that plantation made three divisions of their lands; the first in 639, the second and third, in 1640 - it appears of record, that WilliamWard shared in each of these divisions; then having a second wife and several children. Tradition, transmitted from his early descendants, says he came from Yorkshire or Derbyshire in England. Investigations have recently been made inEngland to ascertain his paternity, but without any satisfactory result. They are still being made for that purpose, and to learn the names of his wives and births of his children, who came here with him. Yet, as considerable time may elapse before the final result can be obtained, and when obtained, may not be conclusive, it is deemed not advisable to delay this publication for information from abroad to the disappointment at hime, of many of his descendants, who are impatient by reason of their advanced age, to be informed of their ancestry, at least in America, before they go hence.

Information already received, renders it improbable that he came from Yorkshire, although it is quite certain, that his early ancestors were of that place. Seven hundred and ten distinguished persons, each bearing but one name, accompanied William, the Conqueror, from Normandy to the conquest of England in 1066; a record of all of whose names is yet preserved. Among the number, was "Ward, one of the noble Captains." This is the earliest period in which the name is found in English history, and the first which appears there with an additional name was William de la Ward, residing in Chester, in 1175.......

The Wards of Yorkshire spread into the adjoining counties of England; those of Durham, whence it may be, came William Ward, afterwards of Sudbury, were descendants of Yorkshire Wards - the ams anciently belonging to the family here, were Azure, a cross baton, or Crest, wolfs head erased - and such were those of the Durham Wards.

William Ward was made freeman in 1643; represented Sudbury in the General Court in 1644, and was several years Chairman of the selectman, as he was in 1660, when he removed from that town.....

William Ward, in common with others, endured great hardships and sustained great losses by Indian hostilities more especially in the time of King Phillip's war in 1675-6, when his buildings were fired, his cattle destroyed, and one of his sons slain by the enemy.

He died at Marlborough, Aug. 10, 1687; the record there does not state his age - a knowledge of which would greatly facilitate the discovery of his parentage by identifying him from others of the name of William, who, as appears by records from England, were born within a few years of each other - his age is supposed to have been eighty five or ninety; probably it was the later. His Will bears date "the sixth of April in the year of our Lord Christ, on thousand six hundred and eighty-six;" wherein he says, "enjoying through God's mercy the entireness of my understanding; but by reason of my great age and the infirmaties thereof, being sensible of approaching death, do make this my last will," &c. - appoints his "loving wife, Elizabeth, sole executrix;" gives liberally to her, and requests his "sons, John Ward, Increase Ward, and son-in-law, Abraham Williams, to be helpful to his wife, as occasion may require; - gives "to all my own children, viz. all my sons and daughters, which I have by my former wife, and all that I have surviving by my present wife." He also gave legacies to his grand children and to their mothers, children and widows of his "sons, Richard and Eleazer, deceased." He had fourteen children; and as he gave to all the children by his former wife, and to the surviving by his then wife, it is presumed all of them by the first wife were living at the date of his Will; and that Richard, his fourth child, who died in 1666, at the age of thirty-one years, was by his last wife - hence he must have married a second time, some years before he left England.

His widow, when past her seventy-fourth year, made several journies to Boston, as appears by the Probate records there, before she effected a settlement of his estate with the exorbitant and tyrannical Andros, Governor, Judge of Probate, &c. Considering the distance she resided from Boston, exceeding thirty miles, much of the way a wilderness frequented by lurking savages, a bridle way her road, and on which one of her sons had been a few years before shot down by the enemy at noon day, she must have been a person of great fortitude, and possessed of physical power in an eminent degree.

She died at Marlborough, where, some years since, her gave stone was standing, on which was an inscription as follows:

"Here lyes the body of Elizabeth Ward, the servant of the Lord - deceased in 87 year of her age, Dec. ye 9, in the year of our Lord 1700."

William married ? UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]