WILLIAM W. WARD, a highly esteemed and prosperous retired farmer of township 17 north, range 9 west, near Philadelphia, Illinois, was born in Scott county, Kentucky, June 26, 1822. He was the younger of two children born to William A. and Nancy (Wirt) Ward, the other being his sister Catharine, now Mrs. Hancock, who resides in her native county, in Kentucky. The families on both maternal and paternal sides were Southerners for many generations back. Mr. Ward's father was a native of Kentucky, while his mother was a Virginian by birth, and they were married in Scott county, Kentucky, about 1819. The mother died in Kentucky a number of years ago, while the father expired in Arcadia, Illinois.
The subject of this sketch came to Cass county, Illinois, in 1844, but afterward returned to his home in Kentucky, whence he returned to Illinois permanently in 1848, locating on a farm, where he lived until twenty-five years ago, when he removed to his present location. The last farm comprises 177� acres, most of which is under a high state of cultivation, and all of it tillable land. He has. Besides this, considerable valuable property, and owns an attractive residence in Virginia, this State. He has gained all this by honest and toilsome efforts, and is highly deserving of his good fortune.
In 1851, he was married to Miss Sarah M. turner, an estimable lady, who was born in Cass county, Illinois, in 1834. She is a daughter of Edward W. Turner, a native of Kentucky, and an honored pioneer of Cass County.
To this union eight children have been born, four of whom are now living. America E., the eldest, now Mrs. Long, resides in Virginia, and has had four children, two of whom are deceased; Edward Williams is married; Alice Catharine, born September 22, 1858, married James Whalan, and resides with her father on the old homestead. Mr. Whalan was born in Keokuk, Iowa, November 15, 1855, and was married in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Whalan have two children: Mary Margaret, born in Cass county, June 5, 1875, an intelligent and amiable young lady, who holds a diploma of graduation, which she received from the public school in this district; James Edward, born April 22, 1877, is at home, as is also Miss Margaret. Mr. Ward has another daughter, Emma Josephine, who married Joseph Treadway, who was born in Harford county, Maryland, December 29, 1851, and is a prosperous farmer and lives in Sugar Grove, Cass county, Illinois. They have eight children, the eldest of whom is fourteen years old at this writing. Those of Mr. Ward's children now departed this life, are Louisa Jane, who married Henry DeGroot, and who died at Mr. Ward's house February 7, 1891, leaving one child; three of his children died in infancy, unnamed. February 13, 1876, the family was called upon to mourn the loss of the devoted wife and mother, who was beloved by everyone on account of her fervent Christian character. She and the children deceased were at first interred in the private cemetery on the farm, but the remains have since been removed to the cemetery in Ashland, Illinois. Since her mother's death, Mrs. Whalan has kept house for Mr. Ward, both before and since her marriage, thus greatly alleviating the force of this crushing affliction.
Politically, Mr. Ward affiliates with the Democratic party, to which he has belonged for many years. Socially, he is an ardent advocate of the temperance cause, and has been for many years an active member of the I.O.G.T. Mr. Ward is an earnest and useful member of the Baptist church, as was also his wife. Mrs. Whalan and her daughter, Margaret, belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
It is seldom that we have to chronicle a more blameless life than that just written. Intelligent and well informed, yet modest and retiring; energetic and progressive, yet mindful of the rights of others; industrious, persevering and highly moral, we have a combination which insures true success in life, which many others would do well to copy, and verify in their daily life work.