James Hardin Ward Genealogy of Greene County Illinois

(3) JAMES HARDIN WARD,(2) Mary Jane Ward,(1) William Ward

James Hardin Ward was born at Carrollton, Greene County
Illinois to Mary Jane Ward, (Daughter of William and Lucinda
Ward,) and James R Dodson, (see below) near Carrollton ,
Greene County Illinois on August 10, 1849. He was being raised
by his grandparents when he was orphaned in 1860. He lived with
several family members but was mostly reared by his uncle, and
aunt, Jake and Eliza Rhoades, on a farm, near Gillespie, ILL.
James Hardin Ward married (1) Margaret' Emily' Jones of
Gillespie in 1873,(born 11 may1856, TN. Margaret died 19 Nov
1882. He married (2) Margaret Lipsey and They had four children.
Margaret (Lipsey) Ward was a loving mother of James and
Margaret (Jones) surviving two children James Hardin Ward died
1 Dec 1932 and is buried in Ware's Grove Cemetery , at Butler
Illinois.

Children of the marriage;(1)

(i) Florence Etna Ward, born 6 Sept,1876, Macoupin,Illinois
died 1 Sept,1890 in Montgomery Co Illinois..

(ii) Lency Armour Ward born 9 Dec,1877. Macoupin,Illinois
died 18 Dec 1958 Lency Armour Ward married on 27 Sept 1899 in Fieldon, Jersey Co., Illinois to Elene G Frailey, born 04 Mar 1879 In Illinois. She died Jan 1962 in Montgomery Co., Illinois.

(iii)Clarence Orville Ward born 17 Oct,1879, Macoupin,Illinois
He died on 28 Sept 1963 in Tuscon, Arizona.
On 22 Feb 1905 in Illinois Clarence Orville Ward married Ethel Clare Lite. Ethel Clare Lite was born on 15 Feb 1885 in Irving Township, Montgomery Co., Illinois. She died on 18 July 1984 in Tuscon, Arizona.
There were no children by this marriage.

(iv) Matty Ward born 31 Oct 1881, Macoupin, Illinois
died 3 Sept 1882 in Montgomery Co Illinois.

James Hardin Ward married (2) Margaret Lipsey, 26 Dec 1883
She was born 24 May 1864 and died 5 Mar 1945 at Butler Illinois

Children of the marriage;(2)

(i) Dent Ward born 18 April 1885. Dent Earl Ward died on 18 November 1965 in Litchfield, Illinois. Dent Earl Ward married Lota Mae Laughlin date of marriage not known. Lota Mae was born 17 Sep 1886 in Morrisonville, Christian Co.; Illinois and she died June 1964 in Montgomery Co., Illinois.

(ii) Morey Elmer Ward ,born 23 Jan 1887. Morey was born on 23 Jan 1887 in Butler, Montgomery Co., Illinois. He died on 29 Dec 1970 in Milton, Santa Rosa Co., Florida. Morey Elmer Ward married Clara Mae McCollum on 14 Apr 1908 in Montgomery Co., Illinois.
Clara Mae McCollum date of birth is not known. She died on 08 July 1948 in Butler Grove, Illinois.

(iii) Viola Ellinor Ward, born 3 Mar 1889, She died the 10 mar 1973 in Hillsboro, Illinois. Viola E Ward first married Frank Roberson on 09 Oct 1907 in Springfield, Illinois. Frank Roberson was born circa 1886 and died 19 Feb 1948 in Montgomery Co., Illinois. Viola’s second marriage was to Harry Lane. They had no children.

(iv) Lillian Amy Ward ,born 21 Oct 1893, in Butler, Montgomery Co., Illinois. She died on 30 Jun 1989 in Vista, California. Lilian Amy Ward married Sumner Garland Wilson on 01 Aug 1915 in Hillsboro, Montgomery Co., Illinois.
Sumner Garland Wilson was born on 24 Mar 1894 in Charleston Township, Coles Co., Illinois. He died on 29 Dec 1988 at Lake San Marco, San Diego Co., California. He is buried in Wares Grove Cemetery in Illinois.

James Hardin Ward's father was James R.Dodson. According to oral history, handed down in both families, Mary Ward at age 17 worked in the home of the Dodson's and when it was learned that she was pregnant the family sent James, who was also 17, to Alaska. As far as is known both sets of parents were againt the marriage of the two youths and legal age for marriage was still 21 in Illinois, so they (James and Mary)had no voice in the matter.
It is clear that James H Ward knew his father and was known to have visited his fathers grave with his son, Moray Elmer Ward.
James Hardin Ward was famous for buying and selling land and cattle. He went all over, even to Kansas, selling cattle. Maryann Crayton did oral histories with many Illinois farmers in the 70's, one of them was his daughter, Amy Ward Wilson. Her father (Howard Franklin Ward) told her that Great grandfather was very involved with local politics, he was the largest landowner in Butler Grove township, but he would never run for office because he was illegitimate and didn't want it to 'come out'. Our family never talked about it, it was a family secret. But I have a note that says, "Moray (Elmer Ward, my grandfather, told Aunt Viola (his sister) that he took his father to see his fathers grave one more time."