William Ward (1769 - 1836)

Born 29 Nov 1769 in Somerset, Maryland

Husband of Sallie (Johnson) Ward — married about 28 Dec 1795 in Scott, Kentucky, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 6 Jul 1836 at age 66 in Yazoo, Mississippi, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ronald Prentice [send private message]

Biography

William Ward, a native of Maryland and emigrant to Kentucky, was U.S. Agent to the Choctaw.

William Ward was born 29 Nov 1769 in Somerset, Maryland, to Stephen Ward and Mary Riggin.^[1]

He married Sally Johnson 28 Dec 1795 in Scott County, Kentucky. After the death of Sally in 1816; In 1817, William becomes guardian of his children who were minors, (see records in Scott County Court). Their children were:^[2]

1. Betsy Ward (Johnson) unknown–1863
2. Robert Johnson Ward 1798–1862
3. Junius Richard Ward (1802-1883)
4. William H. Ward 1812–1843
5. George W. Ward 1812–1870
6. Sallie Ward
7. Malvina Ward
8. Polly Ward

Choctaw Agent
William Ward was appointed March 1, 1821, as the U.S. Agent to the Choctaw in Mississippi, replacing John McKee.^[4] His appointment likely came by virtue of being the brother-in-law of Richard Mentor Johnson (1780-1850). The recently approved Treaty of Doak's Stand traded Choctaw land in Mississippi for an area west of the Mississippi River. By July 1821 Ward was fully installed and working toward the goal of "all tribesmen on the land ceded in 1820 to leave Mississippi now."^[4] Although, this treaty failed to convince the Choctaw to leave, the succeeding Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 proved more successful, of which Ward was a witness. He continued to serve in his capacity as Agent until 1833, when so few Choctaw remained in Mississippi that his post was eliminated. For many of "the members of the tribe electing to remain in Mississippi, they failed to receive their allotments through the hostility and neglect of Ward."^[5] These acts, and many out right frauds, made Ward's work for the U.S. Government suspect. Beginning in 1842, after his decease, many investigations of his activities as Agent were conducted, right into the early twentieth century.^[4]

Research Notes
It has not been determined how William Ward received his military styled title. In different eras and contexts his name is preceded by "Major" "Colonel" or "General" depending on the biographical sketch. Most frequently his name is styled "Col. William Ward" as found in the July 21, 1836 death notice.^[3] However, no record of military service has been discovered.

The following information, said to reference the subject of this profile, is most likely conflated with William Ward (1752-1822), son of James and Phoebe (Lockhart) Ward.

In the beginning of its Statehood (Kentucky) we find William Ward, known as General William Ward, in the Convention at Danville, 1787-8. And in 1792, he is a member of the first Legislature convened in Frankfort, the Captial, and he was returned from Mason County, where he located in coming to Kentucky, until 1795.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HYG5-PQ2M : 12 February 2020), William Ward, 1769.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} “THE WARD FAMILY.” Register of Kentucky State Historical Society, vol. 6, no. 16, 1908, pp. 37–47. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/23366391. Accessed 28 Feb. 2021.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Vicksburg Whig, (Vicksburg, Mississippi) on Thursday, July 21, 1836, Page 3, Column 3
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} DeRosier, Arthur H. The Removal of the Choctaw Indians. Univ. of Tennessee Pr., 1989. pgs 75, 88, 136-137
5. ↑ Debo, Angie. The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic. Univ. of Oklahoma Pr., 1934. pg 207

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #176032313

• Access Genealogy: Col. William Wards Register

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of LaBach Family TreeApril28_2011.ged on 05 May 2011.