The birthdate of Major John Ward is debated, and is variously reported as 1708, 1716, and 1720. His death is confirmed as 1816.
Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson Chiles, a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown. John and Jeremiah Ward patented over 3200 acres of land on the north side of the Dan River.
John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, "The Mansion," just east of the mouth of the Otto River, near its entrance into Staunton River and only a few miles east of where Altavista now stands. He and Anne raised at least five children, possibly seven, including:
William Ward m. Mildred Adams
.....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch
Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch
.....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark
John Chiles Ward never married
.....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)
Agatha Ward m. John Calloway
.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber
.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
possibly Jeremiah Ward
.....who moved to Kanawha County
possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden
.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard
In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765.
As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's Creeks and raised large yields of hemp on his lands. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg, which still bears his name over 250 years later. He also served as Justice of the Peace in Campbell County, and was designated a major of the Bedford county militia, and office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.
In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river, many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands.
John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd.
John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Altavista.
[Source: Kirk LeCompte 2014]
Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson Chiles, a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown. John and Jeremiah Ward patented over 3200 acres of land on the north side of the Dan River.
John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, "The Mansion," just east of the mouth of the Otto River, near its entrance into Staunton River and only a few miles east of where Altavista now stands. He and Anne raised at least five children, possibly seven, including:
William Ward m. Mildred Adams
.....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch
Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch
.....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark
John Chiles Ward never married
.....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)
Agatha Ward m. John Calloway
.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber
.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
possibly Jeremiah Ward
.....who moved to Kanawha County
possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden
.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard
In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765.
As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's Creeks and raised large yields of hemp on his lands. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg, which still bears his name over 250 years later. He also served as Justice of the Peace in Campbell County, and was designated a major of the Bedford county militia, and office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.
In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river, many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands.
John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd.
John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Altavista.
[Source: Kirk LeCompte 2014]
The birthdate of Major John Ward is debated, and is variously reported as 1708, 1716, and 1720. His death is confirmed as 1816.
Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson Chiles, a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown. John and Jeremiah Ward patented over 3200 acres of land on the north side of the Dan River.
John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, "The Mansion," just east of the mouth of the Otto River, near its entrance into Staunton River and only a few miles east of where Altavista now stands. He and Anne raised at least five children, possibly seven, including:
William Ward m. Mildred Adams
.....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch
Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch
.....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark
John Chiles Ward never married
.....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)
Agatha Ward m. John Calloway
.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber
.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
possibly Jeremiah Ward
.....who moved to Kanawha County
possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden
.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard
In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765.
As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's Creeks and raised large yields of hemp on his lands. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg, which still bears his name over 250 years later. He also served as Justice of the Peace in Campbell County, and was designated a major of the Bedford county militia, and office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.
In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river, many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands.
John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd.
John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Altavista.
[Source: Kirk LeCompte 2014]
Major John Ward, previously of Prince George County (or perhaps Henrico or Goochland), settled in Brunswick County, VA (Pittsylvania County today) about the year 1739. He soon married the beautiful Anne, daughter of Henry and Anne Harrelson Chiles, a descendant of Walter Chiles of Jamestown. John and Jeremiah Ward patented over 3200 acres of land on the north side of the Dan River.
John initially settled on Reed Creek, south of modern Altavista, but built a second home, "The Mansion," just east of the mouth of the Otto River, near its entrance into Staunton River and only a few miles east of where Altavista now stands. He and Anne raised at least five children, possibly seven, including:
William Ward m. Mildred Adams
.....d/o Robert Adams & Penelope Lynch
Ann Ward m. Christopher Lynch
.....s/o Charles Lynch Sr & Sarah Clark
John Chiles Ward never married
.....(aka John Ward of Sulpher Springs)
Agatha Ward m. John Calloway
.....s/o William Calloway & Elizabeth Tilley
Henry Ward m. Martha "Patsey" Barber
.....d/o unknown Barber/Barbour
possibly Jeremiah Ward
.....who moved to Kanawha County
possibly Thomas Ward m. Mildred Walden
.....d/o Richard Walden & Candace Hubbard
In 1766 shortly after the death of his wife Anne, Major Ward married secondly Mrs. Sarah Clark Lynch, daughter of Christopher Clark and widow of Charles Lynch, Sr. Sarah was the mother-in-law of John's daughter Anne Ward who married Christopher Lynch in 1765.
As early as 1769 he built mills at Sinkler's and Chile's Creeks and raised large yields of hemp on his lands. He surveyed the road leading to Lynchburg, which still bears his name over 250 years later. He also served as Justice of the Peace in Campbell County, and was designated a major of the Bedford county militia, and office he resigned in 1781 on account of his great age.
In 1778 Major Ward established a ferry across the Staunton, having previously kept there a boat free to passengers, and in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. Just over the river, many years ealier, he built Ward's Tavern, where Locust Hill now stands.
John Ward's will, written in 1809, was probated November 11, 1816. Included in his estate was a tract called Indian Camps, which received the name from its use by Indians. His home was passed down to his son Col. Henry Ward Adams and wife Annie Pauline Floyd.
John Ward died in 1816 at the age of 106 and was buried in the family graveyard near the Mansion. John's headstone reads 1708 and 1816, but despite being quite old, the stone does not appear to be the original marker. Unmarked graves around him could be his wives, though it is possible that Anne is buried at the Chiles Riverview plantation, and Sarah is buried at the Quaker Meeting House. Some of John Ward's descendants are also buried at Avoca, the home of Col. Charles Lynch in Altavista.
[Source: Kirk LeCompte 2014]
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