Giles Ward, one of the pioneers
of Clayton Co., was born on March 4, 1826, in Huron
County, O., and was a son of Noah P. and Elizabeth Ward,
nee Clarey. His father was a native of Massachusetts, his
mother of New York. The family removed to Erie Co., N.
Y., where Giles was reared and educated, and where they
resided until 1844, when they located in McHenry County,
Ill. The subject of this memoir came to Clayton County in
1848, and pre-empted 240 acres of land, this being the
first entered in the township. He has made amny valuable
improvements on his farm, which is one of the finest in
the county. Mr. Ward has been thrice married, first on
Sept. 6, 1856, in Walworth County, Wis., to Mary Milner,
who died Jan. 25, 1858, having been the mother of two
children, one living--Anna, now Mrs. Pierce Gray, of St.
Louis, Mo. His second marriage occurred on Jan. 30, 1859,
to Caroline Godfrey. Their union was blessed with four
children, two living--George and Nellie. Mrs. Caroline
Ward died Nov. 2, 1876, and he was again married Sept. 1,
1878, to Mrs. Rosanna E. Noble, nee Holt. Mrs. Ward had
five children by her first husband--Eddie L., Elsie F.,
Merrill A., Nora A. and Jesse W.; these are all living.
Mr. Ward is the present Township Treasurer, and is one of
the men to whom much credit is due for his enterprise in
braving the hardships of pioneer life in the West. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 704 |
