David Ward Sr (abt. 1740 - 1827)

Born about 1740 in Greenville, Augusta County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Jane (Cravens) Ward — married about 1772 in Colony of Virginia

Husband of Eleanor Cecil (Clancy) Ward — married 1791 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 6 Jun 1827 at about age 87 in Tazewell, Virginia, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Ward Name Study.

David Ward was born in 1740 in Greenville, Augusta County, Virginia, son of William Ward and Jane Swain . David died 06 Jan 1827 in Tazewell County, Virginia.^[1] He married twice. David married (1) Jane Cravens in 1760 in Augusta County, Virginia. She was the daughter of John and Neomi (unknown) Cravens and the sister of Robert Cravens. (However, the History of Johnson County Arkansas says she was the sister of Capt. Rees Bowen and Henry Bowen.) She was born in 1745 in Augusta County, Virginia, and died in 1791 in Washington County, Virginia. David married (2) Eleanor Cecil Clancy in 1791 in Tazewell County, Virginia. She was born in 1771 in Washington County, Virginia, and died 21 Nov 1856 in Tazewell County.

After the death of their father, David and William Ward, followed John Cravens and moved from Augusta County in 1769 to that part of Russell County that became the southwest corner Tazewell County in 1790. In 1772, he settled in an area near the Clinch River known as the Cove, and later Ward's Cove. Descendents of the Family live in the area even today. David apparently farmed in three different counties – Augusta, Tazewell and Washington − although he only lived at the Cove. He is prominent in the records of Russell County as a military man, government official and landowner.

David became a leader in the area and a well known Indian and Revolutionary War fighter. He became a part of the militia group that defended against Indian attacks known as Scouts on the Clinch River. In the fall of 1774 the royal governor of Virginia sent two military columns to the frontier along the Ohio River. One column made up of 1122 men from three area counties marched overland, and on October 6 arrived at Point Pleasant (which is 40 miles north of Huntington, West Virginia.) Lieutenant David Ward was a part of Captain Daniel Smith’s Company of Fincastle Militia. On October 10, 1774, over 1,000 Shawnee and Mingo Indians, lead by Chief Cornstalk, launched a surprise attack on the colonial militia, but were repulsed. Had the defeat of the Indians not happened, the outcome of the American Revolutionary War might have been different since Virginia would have been too busy protecting the frontier to participate in the Revolution. In 1908 the U.S. Congress recognized that this was the first battle of the American Revolution.

During the Revolutionary War, the call came from North Carolina for help against the British. It was decided to mobilize half of the local militia. David Ward, with his brother William, became a part of a company of mounted riflemen, armed mostly with Deckard rifles, with which they were experts against the Indians. On September 22, 1780, the 200 men rushed into North Carolina with nothing but their rifles, a blanket, a cup and a pouch of provisions, mostly ground corn. They joined forces of Generals Shelby and Sevier on the 26th at a place three miles below the present town of Elizabethton, Tennessee, where all reinforcements were gathering. They found the British; lead by the heated Col. Ferguson and his Tory forces atop Kings Mountain. The one-hour battle defeated the British, killing Ferguson and capturing his whole army. As the result Cornwallis and the British abandoned the Carolinas, ending up at Yorktown, Virginia, and their meeting with George Washington.

David became Justice of the Peace of Russell County in the 1770s, and when Tazewell 1790 was created out of Russell County, be became the first Justice of the County Court. His son John became the first County Clerk of Tazewell County. In May 1774, David Ward was Sheriff of Russell County.

From the Washington County, “Virginia Survey Record Abstracts 1781-1797,” we find that David, on January 24, 1785, owned 300 acres, “On the Cove between Short Mountain and Clinch Mountain on the waters of the Maiden Spring fork...Beginning at the foot of Clinch Mountain, corner to Martha Kings land...corner to King & John Craven...spur of the Short Mountain...to the mouth of a cave.” For May 7, 1783 is an entry, “David War assignee of Robert Cravens, assignee of Joseph Cravens, assignee of Thomas Baker...400 acres...on the waters of Clinch River, near the Maiden Spring Fork, includes improvement, actual settlement made in 1771.” For March 3, 1783 is an entry, “100 acres to John Cravens by purchase on March 3, 1783. Signed: David Ward. Witness: Robert Preston.” From Russell County records, he secured on July 26, 1790, 175 acres, “On the waters of the Maiden Spring fork of Clinch River adjoining his Settlement Tract; and on February 17, 1797, 100 acres, “On the waters of Cove Creek a branch of the Maiden Spring fork of Clinch River adjoining his own and Robert Burns Survey.

In 1785 a Colonel Arthur Campbell tried to secure the secession Washington County from Virginia and to join it to the new State of Frankland. In the early 1784, and effort was made to create a State of Frankland out of parts of Tennessee and North Carolina. A Constitution was written, General John Sever of Tennessee was appointed Governor and Congress was partitioned to establish the new State. Virginia and North Carolina strongly objected and Congress eventually did not accept the new state. Virginia considered the efforts of Campbell to be treason and appointed a committee to take testimony. Our Major David Ward was one of those selected in March 1785. From the “Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts from January 1, 1785 to July 2, 1789, Volume IV, published in 1884, we find much information relating to our David Ward.

Colonel Campbell made several efforts to stall the work of the committee investigating him. In April 5 1786, Campbell tried to keep the committee from taking his testimony, but David Ward objected to the stalling efforts because he had to travel too far to attend the hearings in Washington County. The committee took depositions relating to charges of malpractice in the office of Justice of the Peace by Campbell, who had encouraged county citizens to not pay taxes to the State of Virginia.

On January 23, 1800 He was appointed to the Corresponding Committee of Tazewell County. In July 1800, he served as one of the Commissioners for Supervising the Presidential Election. Between 1801 and 1825, the old Indian fighter would serve seven terms in the Virginia House of Delegates.

In November 1788, Major David Ward sat on a court martial of an officer for disobedience of Orders.

On February 5, 1792, David Ward prepared the bond and mortgage for the security for the public loan made by the State to the French Emigrants for 15,000 acres in Russell County. He sends a letter to the Governor of Virginia, Henry Lee (father of Robert E. Lee of Civil War fame), about the transaction, and that a road would be constructed from the courthouse to the Frenchmen. In August David Ward writes the Governor again to report the road under construction.

In December 1793, he filed for funds from the State to pay claims for military service of his men rendered on the frontiers. At the same time Colonel Daniel Boone filed for $25 for caring for wounded men. In 1797 David was a county Commissioner of the Peace. By 1794, David Ward was a Colonel of the 17th Brigade of Volunteer Militia.

On January 23, 1800 He was appointed to the Corresponding Committee of Tazewell County. In July 1800, he served as one of the Commissioners for Supervising the Presidential Election. Between 1801 and 1825, the old Indian fighter would serve seven terms in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Captain Daniel Smith's Company of Fincastle Militia

Daniel Smith, Captain William Bowen, Lieutenant David Ward, Ensign John Kinkeid, Ensign Robert Brown, Christian Bergman, John Courtney, Saml. Dollarhide, Robert Donelson, Robert Griffin, Joseph Horne, Benj. Jones, James Kendrick, David Kingkeid Jr., Burton Litton, Wm. McFarland, Thomas Mullin, William Neale, Joseph Olverson, James Price, Thomas Price, Richard Price, Drury Pricket (Pucket), Arcchelaus Scott, James Scott, James Smith, Samuel Vanhook, Alden Williams, Charles

Scouts on the Clinch River

William Bowan, James Fowler, Thomas Maxwell, Rees Bowan, David Ward, John Kingkeid, William Priest, John Sharp, William Crabtree, Samuel Hays, Robert Davis, Robert Moffett

Notes for Jane Cravens:

Initially it was thought that Jane was the wife of David Ward, Jr. as the family records indicated he had married a Miss Cravens. Family letters from descendants in Virginia in the late 1880's say that David Ward, Sr. was married twice, and that Jane Cravens was his first Wife. This is verified through the Endowment House Records, FHL 1149520, Page 56, when work was done for both wives by Louisa Ward Higginbotham, a granddaughter.

Endowment House Records, Louisa Ward Higginbotham, FHL 1149520, Page 56, No actual marriage date is found for David Ward and Jane Cravens, but it is known that he was married twice and family records shows the names of the wives.

David Sr was one of my 3rd great grandfathers Larry Flesher

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 June 2018), memorial page for David Ward (1740–Jun 1827), Find A Grave Memorial no. 90177802, citing Ward Family Cemetery, Maiden Spring, Tazewell County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by Marie Ward Mills (contributor 47707594) .

• Flesher-Fleischer FTM database by Larry Gene Flesher as of February 2021