Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-02-06
DEATH OF IRA WARD.
Another Break in the Rapidly Shortening Line
of Territorial Pioneers.

Another Break in the Rapidly Shortening Line
of Territorial Pioneers.
Ira Ward, of Tumwater, one of the
most noted pioneers of the Northwest,
died Tuesday afternoon at 3 80 o'clock,
at the advanced age of 81 years. Mr..
Ward had been failing rapidly during
the winter and his death, due to a
general breakdown of the system, was
not unexpected.
Ira Ward was born April II, 1916,
at Springfield, Vermont. He came of
sturdy revolutionary stock. His grand.
father was a Quaker and although
sympathizing with the cause of the
colonies, his religious belief could not
permit him 10 60 to war. The result
was that his farm was confscated by
the colonial troops. However, his four
sons, including the father OF Ira Ward,
had his patriotism without his relig-
ious belief and volunteered in the war
with Mexico, serving with distinction.
Ira Ward himself was not a veteran.
When he was year old his parents
moved to Ohio where they resided I'M
til 1888, moving from there to Illinois.
He had there grown to mans estate,
and began life for himself as carpenter
and contractor.
When stories OF the alluring pros
poets which the then unknown Cali
fornia held out to everyone began to
be circulated about the East, circum.
stances had transpired which led Mr..
Ward to join the caravan across the
desert of the plains. His young wife
had just died leaving him with two
little children. Placing them in the
care of his parents he started for Cali
fornia across the plains in 1S4S, never,
as he expressed it, expecting to see
any OF them in life again. After
perilous trip he reached the gold fields
in the height of the excitement. He
worked in the mines on American
river and afterwards located valuable
properties in the Feather river country,
where fortune smiled upon him. This
he shared with his parents before his
return to the State a few years later.
In 1850 he went to San Francisco
where he embarked in sailing vessel
for Astoria, Oregon, and thence by
canoe went to Portland. Here. asso.
ciated with Smith Hays, he built the
first three.story building in Portland,
opposite the south end of the then
levee, on Front street. In 1851 he
he came to Puget Sound and settled at
Tumwater. In partnership with Smith
Hays and Nelson Barnes, ST., he built
a then large sswmill, at the upper
falls, it being the second mill-and the
first Of any size-on the Sound. The
mill was completed in 1852. After the
erection of the mill, Mr.. Ward left for
the States in October OF the same year
to purchase additional machinery and
for visit with his parents and child.
rem. While at his old home in the
East he was married to Miss Jane
Simpson, on February %, 1853. For
their wedding journey they started on
the long trip by train to New York,
thence by steamer to the isthmus and
across to the Pacific. They finally
reached their destination on Puget
Sound and not a great while after
erected the house in Tumwater where
they resided almost continuously for
the past half century.
Mr.. Ward was honored by an cleo.
ton to the first Territorial Legislature
and his death, it is believed, removes
tho last of tho v,iopa>ra rybo G,.t -.
sembled to frame the laws OF the Ter
ritory OF Washington. He engaged
actively in the political campaigns
which we're none the less strenuous on
account OF the primitive conditions,
and was one OF the political leaders OF
the early days. He was also reelected
and served second term in the Legis-
lature. A number of years later he
filled the Office of Commissioner of this
county tor several terms.
Mr.. Ward was q charter member OF
Olympia Lodge No. I, F. & A. M. At
the time of his death he WAS not an
active member Of the lodge, although
Mason in good standing.
While not actively engaged in the
Indian wars he built the block house
at Tumwater into which the citizens
flocked during the excitement OF the
Indian outrsges. 1t was located a
short defiance from the old Ward mill
and it has long since disappeared.
The block house was moved to an.
other location and afterwards torn
down. The old mill was burned in
the early COS.
Mr.. Ward is survived by his wife
and seven children. They are: s. G.
Ward, of this city. residing on the
Westside; Mrs. Mary Smith, of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa; Charles, Frank, Arte-
mus and Bert Ward, we'll known
young millmen. and Mrs. Katherine
Ward Knapp, of Everett.
The funeral was held this afternoon,
at 2 o'clock, under the auspices of the
Masonic fraternity, at the family home,
Tuna " far The fnnAral addraas MAJ