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Edgar Melville Ward (1839 - 1915)

Edgar Melville Ward
Born in Champaign County, Ohiomap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 13 Dec 1882 in Champaign County, Ohiomap
Died at age 76 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New Yorkmap
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Profile last modified | Created 29 Jun 2015
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Biography

Brooklyn Daily Eagle May 17, 1915 Edgar Melville Ward, 77 years old, one of the foremost American genre painters and brother of the late JQA Ward, the sculpter, died on Saturday after a long illness at his residence, 51 East Tenth Street, Manhatten. Mr Ward was born on February 24, 1838, in Urbana, Ohio. After his graduation from Miami University, he spent eight years in Paris, studying in the Ecole des Beaux Arts under the famous French painter Cabanel. One of his early works, "The Sabot Maker", received a medal in the Paris Salon, and was later bought by the French government. In 1883, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Design, and for 35 years was a professor of painting and drawing in the Academy's school. Mr Ward's "The Coppersmith" hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while his "Block Maker" is in the National Gallery in Washington DC. His "Taxidermist" won a medal at the Pan American Exposition. Mr Ward was a member of the Century Club and of the Alpha Delta Phi faternity. He is survived by his widow and son, Edgar M Ward, also an artist.

Urbana Daily May 17, 1915 News of the death of Edgar Melville Ward in New York Saturday night was received Monday morning in Urbana and caused widespread regret in the community in which he was born and spent his early boyhood. It is said that he was an inmate of a special home for aged men north of New York City and it is presumed that the death occurred there. The deceased was about 77 years of age and had spent the greater part of hi slife in the east, where he was famed as an artist and instructor in art. He had been ill for several years probably dating back to a time, three or four years ago, when he was stricken with paralysis. He partially recovered but had been in poor health since that time. He is said to have been afflicted with almost total blindness of late, also. He was wont to come to Urbana, the scene of his childhood, to spend his summers and much of the best work in oil painting was done here. He had not returned however, since the paralytic attack. He was married to Miss Isabella Eichelberger, a member of another famous Urbana family, and to this union a son, Edgar M Ward Jr, was born. The latter together with the widow are left. both are in New York and were at the bedside of Mr Ward when the end came. Mr and Mrs Ward became estranged some years ago and while they have lived apart since that time, Mrs Ward had looked after her husbands condition and comfort. The property had all been transferred to her possession and includes the farm at the southeast edge of Urbana and some other lots in Urbana aside from whatever property Mr Ward may have had in the east. Mr Ward was one of a family of seven children, of which Miss Eleanor Ward, living in the old homestead, is the sole remaining representative. The other sisters and brothers were Eliza, Mary, Jane, William, and John Quincy Adams, the sculpter. Edgar M was the youngest member of the illisutrious family. Mr Ward was a graduate of the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, and a member of the National Academy of Design, an institution for artists. He had been a professor of painting and drawing in the academy school for over 35 years and was one of New Yorks famous artists. Many of his works have received honorable mention and greater honors, and he ranks well up in the lore of American art. A history of Champaign County published in 1881 has the following reference to Mr Wards career and abilty. "Edgar Ward son of John A Ward, has talent for figures and landscape painting. He excels in depicting the country life of the old world. Several of his pictures were on exhibition at the Exposition in Chicago. He has spent some time in Europe and is now in Paris" Much of his work was done in and around Urbana and some contain paintings of local characters and people. The one probably best remembered of the locally executed list is "The Last Sheaf" painted from life, south of Urbana and having as a central figure the late Mr Panthea, who resided on West Broadway for many years. The scene was laid in a wheat field and showed Mr Panthea in the act of picking up and placing the last sheaf of the harvest in its place. A number of other local views are to be found in his collection. He was a man of quiet habits easy of approach and retained many of his old boyhood friends among the older residents of Urbana and his passing will be regretted particularly by these. The funeral services will be held Tuesday and burial will be made in Woodlawn Cemetery.

(From Find-A-Grave)

Sources

"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX3V-5VH : 12 April 2016), John A Ward, Urbana, Champaign, Ohio, United States; citing family 326, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCGD-V1Q : 12 December 2017), Elenora Ward, 1860.

"United States Census, 1900," Database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSJ5-6DG : accessed 29 June 2015), Isabella Ward in household of Edgar M Ward, Borough of Manhattan, Election District 17 New York City Ward 5, New York County, New York, United States; citing sheet 5B, family 92, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,085.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148544741/edgar-melville-ward





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