William Ward

     William Ward was born on 15 May 1603 at London, England. He married Elizabeth Phillipus on 4 March 1626 at St James Church, Clarkenwell, England. William Ward married Elizabeth Hall on 4 June 1634. William Ward died on 16 August 1687 at Marlborough, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts, at age 84. He was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery, Marlborough, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts; William is thought to have been buried at Spring Hill Cemetery, but a stone was not found except for that of his wife who died after him. The monument honoring him was erected in 1924 by Artemus Ward. His wife's original stone was embedded in that one.¹
     William Ward is possibly the son of Johannes Warde and Maria Hatton. Many documents and writers state that, but this writer has seen no proof to the connection.

He and his 2nd wife and five of his children arrived about 1638 or 39 and first mention of him is 1639, when he is listed as one to share in the three land divisions in this new plantation named Sudbury. Four acres was the average size of the house lots, and his was on a fork of Glezen Lane which formerly ran northerly. He also had 23 1/4 acres of meadow lands.

On 10 May 1643, William became a freeman, securing the right to vote and hold office. He was appointed to several positions, one being chairmen of the town's selectmen, representing the town on the grand jury at Charlestown and Cambridge.

By 1655 or 1656, the family was looking westward for new land. They decided on land about eight miles to the west of Sudbury.

On 12 June 1660 (31 May O.S.) the General Court approved the grant to that area and named it "Marlborow". The new settlers avoided the scattered lots they had in Sudbury and kept them all together, offering easy targets when the Indian Wars broke out.

The family that moved to Marlborough included William, his wife Elizabeth, Obadiah, Richard Samuel, Inrease, Elizabeth, Hopestill, William Eleazer and Bethiah. Another daughter, then married, Deborah Johnson came along and another married daughter, Hannah How soon followed. Ward's big house lot was centrally located - it's northeast corner faced the first meeting house, when it was erected. His house was built on what is Hayden Steet. The fields behnd it are today's Artemus Ward Playground.

William was prominent in Marlborough affairs. During the Indian Wars, many settlers moved to larger towns, but the Ward family held their ground. No one worked alone in the fields, as there was only safety in numbers. The end of February 1676, the indians passed through on their way to raid Medfield. They did not attack Ward's garrison house, but they burnt the meeting house, thirteen homes and eleven barns, destroying much livestock and crops. Between 21 and 23 April, the Indians returned and destroyed any remaining unfortified dwellings; after giving up on those left in the garrison houses, they moved on to Sudbury. Two of the family were killed: John Howe, husband of Elizabeth, in Sudbury, and Eleazer Ward, as he rode over a hill between Marlborough and Sudbury. This hill is still known as Mount Ward.^1,2