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A family record found in a Bible published in 1803, originally owned by William Ward, a son of Benjamin Ward and Celia (Stewart) Ward, and copied from an older Bible (transcript on file at the E. G. Fisher Public Library in Athens, Tennessee), states the following:
"John Stewart was married unto Susannah eldest daughter of Joseph Tanner (abt.1705-abt.1777) in the year of our Lord 1753 on May the 12th day in Dale Parish Chesterfield County and was blessed with 3 sons and 2 daughters viz
all born in Nottoway Parish Amelia County"
Celia Stewart was born in Nottoway Parish, Amelia County, Virginia. Nottoway Parish became its own county in 1788. So, although she was born in present-day Nottoway County, at the time of her birth it was Amelia County.
The aforementioned family record states:
"Benjamin Ward and Celia Stewart were married April 16th 1774"
A letter has been preserved by Celia (Stewart) Ward's descendants. It was written by her father, John Stewart, around the time of her marriage to Benjamin Ward. It states:
"Mr. John Stewart Nottoway Parish Amelia County Virginia
6th May 1774
Dear Father John Davis brought your letter today and I write to tell you how pleased I am to hear from you as well as to share a few lines about your family here in Pittsylvania. Susanah as you know from brother John Kelly was very sickly and has been slow to mend. She is a good and dutyful wife and I must confess my fear was that she might never be any better. As for the children our Cely has taken to herself a husband since I wrote you Mr. Benjamin Ward. They stay with his brother Daniel Ward but talk much of going to Carolina. Jack tends to run wild much to the worry of his Mother and this does not help to better her poor state of health. Dan now stands as tall as brother Berry and is a favorite with the ladys. He is a fine son and in his conduct is much like brother Charles. Our Mary is a great comfort. Never was a girl more properly named for Mother being a most sensable girl and since Susanahs illness has taken charge of her Mothers dutys. It has been near five years since our Jesse left us and never is the day we do not think of our dear boy lost at such a tender age. As for myself I am in perfect health. I close with our respects to you and Mother and all the family. May God keep and bless you all.
Your son John Stewart Pittsylvania County Virginia"
(The above transcript was copied from a letter owned by Mr. Joseph Ward, of Watauga County, North Carolina, now deceased.)
Celia and her husband, Benjamin Ward, settled in Ashe County, North Carolina, in present-day Watauga County. Benjamin Ward died in 1820 leaving a will in which he provided generously for Celia from his estate (Ashe County, North Carolina Wills, volume 1, pages 20-21; executed 18 Apr 1820, proven August, 1820). The bequests left to her in the form of a life estate went to their son, Nicodemus Ward, upon her decease, with the condition that he pay the other legatees a stipulated sum.
Nicodemus Ward sold his property in Ashe County, consisting of fifty acres on the bank of Cove Creek, to Noah Mast (Ashe County North Carolina Deeds, Book E, page 300; executed 23 Mar 1824, proved May 1825). He settled soon thereafter in East Tennessee and is enumerated in Rhea County in the 1830 census, residing in the portion of the county that became Meigs County upon its creation in 1836 (he is incorrectly listed as Nicholas Ward in this census, but county records confirm it was Nicodemus). Celia accompanied her son in his move to East Tennessee and is found as the head of her own household in the 1830 census, her name given as Celey Ward, residing in Rhea County, listed adjacent to her son, Nicodemus Ward.
Although Celia is not named in the 1840 census enumeration, she is almost certainly the female aged 80 to 90 years old identified in the household of Nicodemus Ward, residing in Meigs County, Tennessee.
Disambiguation: The wife of this Benjamin Ward was Selah or Celey Stewart. This entry has been corrected to remove Clevears Duke and Amy Cosby Duke as her parents. Clevears and Amy had no known daughter named Elizabeth. A Mary Duke who was a daughter of James Duke and Mary Byrd Duke married an older Benjamin Ward and they moved to Rutherford Co, TN, where their son Dr. William Duke documented their family.
Some sources give Selah Ward's parents as John Stewart and Susannah Tanner, but the current writer has done no research on that family and cannot substantiate that.
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Difference in data to be noted in the biography until a source can be added.