Seth Ward (abt. 1538 - bef. 1598)

Born about 1538 in Abbington, Cambridgeshire, England

Descendants

Died before 20 Jun 1598 before about age 60 in Abbington, Cambridgeshire, England

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Research Note

The parents that have been listed are incorrect. Seth names brother Robert Ward and sister Wilsonne in his will. He is not named in the will of Roger Warde of Filby, nor is the sister Wilsone named. Secondly, the Katherine Bluett listed as wife of Roger Warde is sourced as marrying Richard Warre in Herstercomb, Somerset. Therefore these are being detached as parents of Seth Ward.

Biography

Seth Ward was a yeoman farmer of Abbingon, Cambridgeshire England. His year of birth is estimated, based on the fact that he had grown children and grandchildren at the time he wrote his will.

As suggestive of a probable clue to the English family of Wards, from whom Seth Ward, of Varina in Henrico County, came, we offer here the abstract of the will of a Seth Ward, of Abbington, Cambridgeshire, England, yeoman, dated February I4, 1598, proved (in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury) June 20, 1598.

"Seth Ward, of Abbington, Cambridgeshire, yeoman; will dated I4 Febru- ary I 598; proved 20 June I 598, by John Warde. Testator wished his body buried in the parish church of Abbington. - Wife Anne; - Sons John Ward, Enos Ward, and Thomas Ward; - Daughters Marie Ward and Anne Jacob; - Grandchildren John Ward and Seth Ward, sons of testator's son John Ward; - Brother Robert Ward; - Sister Wilsonne; - Grandchildren Anne Ward (daughter of John Ward), Martha Ward, Alice Ward and Marie Ward; - The testator owned lands in Litlington and Stephen Morden, Cambridgeshire; - Bequest: "I give unto John Ward the sonne of my said sonne John Ward tenn poundes of lawfull English monie to be paid unto him at the age of one and twentie yeares; Also I give unto Seth Ward, his brother, the somme of tenn pounds of like lawfull English monie to be paide unto him at the age of one and twentie yeares." ^[1]

Seth Ward lived in Little Abbington, but also held lands in Lillington, and Stephen Morden, Cambridgeshire. These are valuable data points in determining his familial origins. There is recorded one John Ward son of Jno Ward who married Winifred Sewster of Steple Morden who were living in 1547. ^[2]

Another possible relation is Thomas Ward.

The Ward family continued to hold lands in Abbington for several more generations. By the mid 18th century only one other large property still belonged to a locally resident family, that of the Wards. John Ward, who succeeded his father in 1760, left c. 90 a. on his death in 1762 to his cousin Mary, wife of William Fairchild; (fn. 225) she and her son Joseph were dead by 1804. Their lands, for which c. 125 a. were allotted at inclosure, were conveyed in 1805 to Benjamin Keene and in 1808 to William Sanxter. (fn. 226) By 1811 they had been annexed to the Mortlock estate. (fn. 227) ^[3]

Research Note

John Ward, the grandson of this Seth Ward, is probably the John Ward that sailed with Sir Thomas Dale to Virginia in 1611. This is the best fit for all the known facts.

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia Gleanings in England. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan., 1948), pp. 70-79
2. ↑ Visitation of Cambridgeshire, page 28
3. ↑ Parishes of Great and Little Abbington, British History Online

See also:

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L51B-SNV, accessed 5 May 2021

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to Charles Walter, Robert Weeks for starting this profile.