New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

GEN. ARTEMAs WARDS DESCENDANTS.
A q LDEN WEDDING ~ REVOLUTIONARY FAM
LY's HOMESTEAD.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: While centennial honors are crOwdng
about old Massachusetts, ard 60 the Corncila of the
States" laying fresh aures on the graves OF her deah
Gracchi the story OF golden wedding in the family OF
one of the heroes Of 1875, will not he undressing TO
your hos, OF readers On Shrewsbury Ill., near W0r-
cestcr, in the old homestead where Gen. ARENAS
Ward born in 1927 and where the bridais' bfths'
and burals his have taken place Tor nearly TWO
centuries his grandson celebrated his hticth "edhg
anniversary not long ago The house stands just of the
old post-road that runs Boston To Worcester where
the mail sagc-coach went steadily up hill Tor 40 miles
every other day before railroads were made 10 the
highest township in Massachusetts,. where the burning
OF Charestown" distinctly seen huhdreu years "s"
Opposite the Ward Homestead stood, unth witbih u IL"
the ancient home OF Badwins who interinared
with the Wards. The original windows OF the mousse "efe
brought from England; lozenge panes, set IN lead some
of which arc sti fine and clear although with the rust
OF two centuries upon their surface. There my
at-creat grandmother lived VINO went Sleigh
riding on her one hundrcdth birthday and died IN her
onc-lundred-and-sixth year To Bahiwih-iace went
Jonas stone-one OF the few Revolutionary soldiers who
were left to hear Daniel Webster a the dedication OF
Bunker Hill Misunderstanding the first chaise seen III
Worcester County 10 take his BRIDE beautiful Lncictia
Baldwin to the home which they shared for 20 years
Unlike the dreary pictures occasionally presenter Oh
"the oldest houses in the country, tie "ard Masoh'
which is In perfect preservation, shows long 'front.' Oh
soft cream COLOR with facings of white the two front
doors having their original brass knockers hlgh up
where the tall generations Of the past easily reached
them The great slopes to the first story under the
ancestral clms which have stretched their arms project
ingy over the OF manly, distinguished men, ana
fair cultured women who have grown up under Their
shadows and have gone forth TO make some OF the best
I in thpl land. %
har1-thc pride Of its faincrOwneTs tycs-dnu, al
around lie the line farm lands which have pcrtaned TO
ahc hncstrad for five generations Amid those bracing
New-Engand airs and under such ROOF trees J, II nUt
wonderful that heroes Of the Revolution should have
been born Here Col Nahum Ward built his home early
in the last c,ntHry, and here his sons suns nav one
after another, reared the race, hold ng te ghesi offices
of the town in unimpcachablc homer and integrity.
Gen Ward himself was graduate OF Harvard ana Was
1855 he was commissioned colonel by the Royal Govern
or but on account Of his inheXble opposition 20 ain
trry power his commission revoked III l1|O where
upon the loyal-hcaIted soldier declared mat ne ..
crei in te tmtnen:al Army and appointed
mand az Cambridge, where at Holmes blouse, MS near
c fortidcttion Of Bunker Iiill. Previously he held
offices trust for long periods, being town ciik lor
Shrewsbury for I6 years, during which time he was
Speaker of the House aud III 1873 benz 10 'ne
Continental Congress all % when Information II Naiu
able to us as proving the private characters and qualities
of the men who had command henhy were struggling
for our liberties. , II. +, A.,
Gen Wa!d's son. Thomas Walter succeeded him in the
Homestead where tnc grand son, Thomas Waiter mas just
been crowned with the bridal iycs, while the old VAIN
scoted walls and riftcrcd ceilings rang with joyous con-
gratulaons host of family relations gathered
from far and for the happy lOur, generously as
sisted hy the Farmers Club, which the squire was
the inst President Two hundled friends Drought
their gifts and laid them beneath the coats or
arms The Wards and lhc GlusvCnolS thai night of
Golden Bride, WHO at nearly Ionscorc wliles letters
a. charming AS girls traces hcr descent with the En-
clisli Gro, cnors Of whom the Duke of Westminstcr
the richest peer in England" Is the present chi
Full of light and song and happy faces the old Ward
HON, stead the mg.t of the golden wedding SWEEP
and hitting prelude burst OF tr1lmll music t!ii
has rolled It's echoes the hills and the ola t-
trfclds Of NY glorious old Massachusetts! God bless
her! flDLLA'
Troy, y. T.. July 4, 1875.