The Four Wards of Ernestown

Date: After 1793 to before 1825
Location: Ernestown Township, Upper Canada
Surnames/tags: Ward EARLY_UPPER_CANADA

The Four Wards of Ernestown, circa 1800

Samuel, James, Moses, and William Jr all filed Land Petitions in Ernestown in 1797. It has been assumed, from this fact alone, that they were related - likely brothers. This is a profile on the relationship between the four Wards of Ernestown.

The theory is that they came to Ernestown ca.1793 with William Ward Sr and each of them acquired their own land gradually. William was from Burlington, Vermont - he claimed insolvency in Vermont, 1793^[1] - and is shown petitioning for land in Ernestown that year. On the council minutes its noted that he was "late of Burmington, Vermont" ^[2]. He died in Feb 1797 in Ernestown, so we have no further records of him. ^[3]. It is also worth mentioning that on the 1797 land petitions of each of the four Wards, it states that they have been living in Ernestown for nearly 4 years - which lines up with when William left Vermont.

Evidence supporting a close relation

• Dates of Land Petitions are all the same - May 24, 1797 ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}
• An affidavit, attached to the Land Petition of Moses Ward, mentions all the Wards together ^[8]
  • "... have known Samuel James Moses and William Ward Junior upwards of two years ..."
• Surveying Receipts for James and Moses use the same agent and their sequence are one off from one another indicating that they were received together. ^{[9] [10]}
• They all purchased land in Ernestown, either next to, or close to one another.
  • Moses - Lot 9 Con 7 - Purchased on 7 Mar 1818. ^[11]
  • Samuel - Lot 26 Con 7 - Purchased Jun 3, 1811.^[12]
  • William - Lot 27 Con 7 - Purchased Jan 9, 1807.^[13]
  • James - Lots 33+34 Con 6 - Purchased Jun 3, 1811.^[14]
• Gideon Shurtleff owned Land in Lot 8 Con 7 (next to Moses) and Lot 20 Con 7 (next to John Ward, and 5 lots from Samuel Ward). Gideon Shurtleff married Mary Ward in Feb 1, 1798 and William Ward was a witness.
• They all received land patents adjacent to one another in Murray Township. Con 9 Lots: 9 to Samuel ^[15], 10 to James ^[16], 12 to William ^[17], 13 to Moses ^[18]. (Lot 11 was reserved for Clergy)

Sources

1. ↑ "Ward, William - Petition for Act of Insolvency"
   Manuscript Vermont State Papers, 1777-1946, bulk 1777-1861.
   Vermont. Office of Secretary of State.
   1793-10-01; Record Series: SE-118, Vol. 19, p.25; ID: 21875
   Record Online at FamilySearch.org
2. ↑ "Land Petition of William Ward". Upper Canada Land Board Minutes and Records (1765-1804), Mecklenburg; Microfilm C-14027 RG-1 L4 Vol 7; (Online at heritage.canadiana.ca Image 651
3. ↑ "Burial of William Ward"'
   Langhorn's Anglican Registers; Rev. John Langhorn. Burials in 1797. Pg. 24
4. ↑ "Land Petition of Samuel Ward".
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microfilm C-2951 Vol 523 Bundle "W" 3; Ref RG-1 L3 Microfilm C-2951; Petition 88
   Online at Library and Archives Canada Images: #1 #2.
5. ↑ "Land Petition of Moses Ward".
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865). Microfilm C-2951 Vol 523 Bundle "W" 3; Ref RG-1 L3 Microfilm C-2951; Petition 89
   Online at Library and Archives Canada Images: #1 #2.
6. ↑ "Land Petition of James Ward".
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microfilm C-2951 Vol 523 Bundle "W" 3; Ref RG-1 L3 Microfilm C-2951; Petition 83
   Online at Library and Archives Canada Images: #1 #2.
7. ↑ "Land Petition of William Ward Jr".
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microfilm C-2951 Vol 523 Bundle "W" 3; Ref RG-1 L3 Microfilm C-2951; Petition 74
   Online at Library and Archives Canada Images: #1 #2.
8. ↑ "Affidavit for Moses Ward's Land Petition"
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microform Vol 523, W3, C-2951 Part of petition 89
   Online image: #3
9. ↑ "Surveying Receipt #796 for Moses Ward"
   Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microform Vol 523, W3, C-2951 Part of petition 89
   Online image: #4.)
10. ↑ "Surveying Receipt #797 for James Ward"
    Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), Microform Vol 523, W3, C-2951 Part of petition 83
    Online image: #3
11. ↑ "Lot 9 Con 7 Ernestown Township".
    Abstract Index 'A', Ernestown (ca.1800-1959). Lennox and Addington County (Ontario). Registrar of Deeds. Image 152.
    Online at FamilySearch.org. Image #1.
12. ↑ "Lot 26 Con 7 Ernestown Township"
    Land Record Abstract index books, ca. 1800-1959. Lennox and Addington County (Ontario). Registrar of Deeds. Image 160.
    Online at FamilySearch.org. Image #1.
13. ↑ "Lot 27 Con 7 Ernestown Township"
    Land Record Abstract index books, ca. 1800-1959. Lennox and Addington County (Ontario). Registrar of Deeds. Image 160.
    Online at FamilySearch.org. Image #1.
14. ↑ "Lot 33+34 Con 7 Ernestown Township"
    Abstract Index 'A', Ernestown (ca.1800-1959). Lennox and Addington County (Ontario). Registrar of Deeds. Image 142.
    Online at FamilySearch.org. Image #1.
15. ↑ "Land Abstract Index Books for Murray Township of Northumberland County" Image 133. (Online at FamilySearch.org 1.)
16. ↑ "Land Abstract Index Books for Murray Township of Northumberland County" Image 133. (Online at FamilySearch.org 1.)
17. ↑ "Land Abstract Index Books for Murray Township of Northumberland County" Image 134. (Online at FamilySearch.org 1.)
18. ↑ "Land Abstract Index Books for Murray Township of Northumberland County" Image 135. (Online at FamilySearch.org 1.)