Samantha Jane (Vaughn) Ward (1869 - 1949)

Born 2 Oct 1869 in Saline County, Arkansas

Ancestors

Daughter of James Melton Vaughn and Ruth Caroline (Dodd) Vaughn

Wife of Charles Ward — married 18 Dec 1883 in Arkansas, USA

Descendants

Died 25 Nov 1949 at age 80 in Garland County, Arkansas

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Debby Black [send private message]

Biography

Samantha Jane was born in 1869. Her father, James Melton Vaughn, hired Charles Ward to work on his farm. Soon after, Samantha and Charles got married. They had nine children all together, but two died young. Charles was quite a bit older than Samantha. He died leaving Samantha with a lot of children to raise, but no income with which to do it.

She cleaned house for a doctor and took in ironing trying to make ends meet so she could feed her remaining children still living at home. She was also a midwife who delivered many babies in the area.

She lived in a tiny, two-room house on Mill Creek Road, east of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The house is still standing (as of 2012), but the porch has fallen down. Many of her descendants lived on Mill Creek Road, some still do.

Samantha Jane had a deep voice that earned her the nickname "Radio" because her voice carried so well. She was called Jane by many, but in later years, her descendants knew her primarily as Granny Ward.

The last few years of her life, she took turns living with each of her children. Samantha passed away in 1949 and is buried among a number of her relatives, including her husband, at Owensville Cemetery, Owensville, Saline County, Arkansas:

Jane Ward

October 2, 1869

November 25, 1949

wife of Charlie, midwife;

Gone but not Forgotten.

1880 Saline Co., AR Census, Dyer Twp

51-52

VAUGHN,

James 36; GA

Carolyn 33; MO

William 13; AR

Cynthia 10; AR [Cynthia should be Samantha Jane]

James T 8; AR

John 5; AR

Benjamin T 2; AR

Elmyra 1; AR

Dodd,

Sallie 40[?]; MO Sister-in-law

Lucie 6; AR Niece

Ward,

Charles 30; AR Farm Laborer

~*~

1900 Saline County, Arkansas Census, Dyer Twp.

June 2, 4, and 5th

18 18

Ward,

Charles Feb 1830 50 yrs old Md. 16 yrs AR/GA/GA

Samantha Oct 1861 30 6 children, 5 living AR/GA/AR

Mattie A. Aug 1840 9 AR/AR/AR

Rosa D. Dec 1842 7 AR/AR/AR

Pearly R. Dec 1894 6 AR/AR/AR

Monroe J. Mar 1896 4 AR/AR/AR

Ella E. Oct 1898 1 AR/AR/AR

Dodd,

Drue Jan 1858 42 AR/MO/MO

Sources

• "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NM11-8QM : 24 June 2016), Charles Ward and Jane Vaughan, 1883.
• 1880 census record for Saline County, Arkansas
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3X7-L7B : accessed 28 May 2017), Charles Ward, Dyer & Kentucky Townships, Saline, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 141, sheet 1B, family 18, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,075.
• http://www.argenweb.net/saline/owencem.htm
• Samantha's obituary

Acknowledgements

• "Jane's" daughters, Roxie and Viola