The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-04-11
SPLENDID CITIZEN
CALLED TO REWARD
John w. Ward Former Mayor,
and Telephone Exchange
Owner Died Monday
WAS ILL FOR SOME TIME
Funeral with Full Masonic
Rites from Congregational
Church Thursday

ed reSlQenC OIL Sduk SellIIS SihSS
1894, calmly passed into his etern-
al sleep at the University hospital,
Minneapolis, at $40 Monday
morning, April 8, 1929.
The decline of MIR. Wards
health began when he fell from a
truck and fractured his right hip
about ten years ago. As he was
well advanced in years at the
time his recovery was slow and
never complete. Some months ago
his voice began to fail. He ap-
parently never suffered any pain
but continually grew weaker. Sun
day he was taken to Minneapolis
and placed in the University hos
pital where an emergency opera
ton upon his throat was perform
ed late Sunday.
The deceased was born at Port
ersville, Ala, April 20, 1853. He
grew to manhood in his native
country. Early in life he became
a railroad telegrapher, and was for
years employed on the railroads in
Alabama and other Southern
states. Getting the western fever
he went to Colorado where ne
eventually became dispatcher OF
the Northrup to Loadville division
of the Denver & Rio Grande di-
vision of the Union Pacific. His
headquarters were at Denver. He
retired from this service in 1888
at which time he was presented
with handsome gold watch by his
associates bearing the following in
scription:
Presented to J. w. Ward,
Chief Dispatcher, by his
friends at Denver, COL,
1883.
After leaving Colorado Mr..
Ward entered the employ of the
Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany. For about IL years prior
to his coming to Sank Centre in
1894 he was station agent at Lit
tie Falls. He was station agent
for the N. P. in this city until De-
cember, 1904 when he resigned
and was succeeded by the present
agent, Frank Parker.
Sometime before he retired
from the railroad service Mr.. Ward
became interested in the develop
ment of Little Birch Lake as a
summer resort, picking out a tract
of land possessing numerous
springs with splendid water. Ward
Springs, on the Little Falls branch
of the N. p. northeast of Sank
Centre was named after Mr.. Ward.
He owned the Sank telephone
system for a time, disposing of the
property to the Northwestern Bell
Telephone Co., in 1904. He serv-
ed as local manager of the Sank
Centre district until March, 1924,
when he was retired on a pension
and was succeeded by the present
manager, Robert Schwallen. At
ter his retirement from the tele-
phone business MIR. Ward led a
quiet life, devoting some of his
time caring for his interests at
Little Birch Lake.
J. WI. Ward was elected mayor
of Sank Centre in 1907. He was
defeated in 1908 and 1909 by the
late Frank Minette. The license
question was the big issue at that
time and the voters of the COM
munity were wet while Mr.. Ward
espoused the dry cause. For the
past eight years he has been the
special municipal judge of Sank
Centre.
Mr.. Ward was married as a
young man. Two daughters were
the result of this union, one
daughter is living, Mrs. Ruby
Hauser, Denver, COL; there is a
granddaughter, Miss Mildred, also
of Denver. Both ladies are quite
well known in Sank Centre.
Oct. 1, 1881, Mr.. Ward was
united in marriage to Miss Matte
Wolford, at the home now occupied
by E. A. Richards. The lady was
a sister of Mrs. Richards. She
passed away June 25, 1913. Oct.
26, 1916, Mr.. Ward was united in
marriage at Kennsburg, Co., to
Mrs. Harriet M. Meyer who with
a step-son, Frederic Meyer, also
survive.
Soon after he reached his ma
jority Mr.. Ward was raised to
the Sublime Degree of a Master
Mason. He became member of
Star in the West Lodge and for
several years was Worshipful
Master of the Lodge. He was al
so member of Sank Centre, Roy
al Arch Masons, Pilgrim Com
mandery, Knights Templar, and
was past Patron of Naomi Chapter,
Order of the Eastern Star.
The remains arrived in Sank
Centre Tuesday evening and were
taken to the family home on Birch
street. The funeral was held this
Thursday afternoon at 500
o'clock from the Congregational
church, the pastor, Rev. C. s..
Sparkes, officiating. The body
will be given Knights Templar
escort from the home to the church
and from the church to the ceme-
terry. The services at the grave
Continued on Page Seven)