Meanwhile...I'm still trying to find "Lucy"!

She was the very first ancestor I found without my mother's assistance.  We knew she should be there, in Crown Point, Indiana.  We had a census roll (on microfilm) sent to our local public library.  I sat by myself, in a dark room going page by page, searching for Lucy.  When I found her, I was so excited!!! I think I squealed out loud, because the librarian came running into the room!  

Since then (more than 35 years later) I've learned a lot more about my great, great grandmother.  Lucy McAuley/McColley was born in November of 1857 in Illinois (probably in DeKalb County).  Her parents were James "Nelson" McColley/McAuley and Mary Ann Jones.  They had 5 children, and Lucy was the youngest.  Poor little Lucy was only 4 years old when her mother died in 1861.  Later that year, "Nelson" was married to a woman who was 34 years younger than himself.  Within a few years the family relocated to Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana.  But not before they married off little Lucy.  

Lucy was married in 1866.  If the earliest census records are correct, she would have only been 9 years old.  Later census info gives her birth year as 1851 making her 15 at the time of the marriage.  I find either to be appalling!  Her husband, Jeremiah McColley, was 13-16 years older...And he was her first cousin.  Her father gave consent to the marriage.  By age 20 (or 26) she had given birth to 5 children.  


By April of 1883, Lucy's husband divorced her.  The papers claim that she had "committed adultery with Henry Smith in the fall of 1881, with Harrison Post in the Fall of 1882, and with an 'unknown man' as well as with 'persons unknown'."  (By the way, Jeremiah went on to marry and divorce at least one more wife by using the same grounds.  And Henry Smith was the father of Lucy's daughter's future husband.)  Two of Lucy's sons ended up having trouble as teens and ended up in a juvenile home within a few months of the divorce. One of them died there a year later from tetanus. And Lucy appears to have fled back to  Northern Illinois, where she married again in July of 1883.  Perhaps she went to her sister Sarah who remained there?  

My heart still resides with Lucy.  I wish I knew the real story.  I believe that she was only a child at the time of her first marriage.  I don't know how she could have left her children behind, but perhaps she had little choice.  Perhaps she was a very troubled young lady...and who could blame her?  She died in the "County Asylum" in Lake County, Indiana at the age of  59.  So she did come back.  Nothing was said of her to my aunts and uncle, to my knowledge.  Jeremiah "Jerry", was talked about, but not Lucy.  I "side" with Lucy, who I believe was a victim of child abuse, and perhaps even spousal abuse. 

I'm not done...I want to know more.  I will always be searching for Lucy.  

Eliza

My great, great grandmother and I share at least one trait in common.  Writing.  She was a journaler.  Her name was Eliza (Edworthy) Ward. Her journal notes begin in 1887 and go through 1890 with occasional notes outside those dates.  According to her journal, she traveled to the United States to join her future husband Thomas Ward "just as was promised" (Thomas had arrived the year before her, after a nine week voyage").  She arrived on the 5th of October 1854, and married him 9 days later.  I wonder how she felt as she boarded the ship that would take her to her love.  Frightened?  Would she ever return home to see her parents or siblings?  Facing a voyage of several weeks...alone?  I know her family did not travel with her.  What courage she must have had!

Thomas and Eliza Ward stayed in New York for 14 years and  left for Illinois in 1867.  They first resided in Ottawa, LaSalle Co. IL, and then "came on the prairie in 1869".  They purchased and sold 2 different farms before they bought "the Greenleaf farm" in the fall of 1876.  Eliza's journal tells the tale of what life was like there.  

Her diary lists daily tasks...some daunting by today's standards. 

1887  "We baked 9 pies and 2 cakes and 33 tarts and done a 'hole' host besides" 

1888  "I paid all 15 dollars for organ"

1895  "put up windmill"

        "lost chicks- 4 - cat ate them"

        "thrashed 22 hundred and 65 bushels of oats"

        "shelled 18 bushels of corn"

There are so many more!!  Remind me not to complain about how much work I do in a day!  Day after day she worked like that!  She did have hired help...can that be my excuse?  My life is nothing like Elliza's.  I find it interesting that little is said about Eliza's own family back in England.  She does mention a few...a niece, and a nephew.  But no parents, nor siblings.  I could not go across the ocean, and never think of the family I have left behind.  What kind of life did Eliza so easily leave behind?  

The lengthy entries end in with a single line "April 29, 1890 Bessie died".  Oh...be still my heart!  The grief of loosing her daughter must have been crushing!  She writes the lyrics to "The Christian's Song" at the end.  I imagine that the final verse brought her comfort:

When the seals are all open the trumpet shall sound,
And awake God's dear children that sleep under ground,
Their souls and their bodies shall all join in one,
And each from their Savior receive a bright crown.

The family of William Ward and Ann Horden

William and Ann Ward were married 22 October 1809 in Barnstaple, Devon, England.  They had 10 children that are documented at this time.  All were born in Devon, England.  John (b. 1810 Barnstaple), Richard (b. 1813 ), Mary Ann (b.1815 d. 1818 Week), Sarah (b. 1818 Wixton), William (b. 1820 Wixton d. 1820), Elizabeth (b. 1822 Chulmleigh), Ann (b. 1825 Chulmleigh), William H. (b. 1828 Chulmleigh) and Thomas (b. 1832 Chulmleigh).  This Thomas is my great, great grandfather.  And...This John is also my great, great grandfather!  My grandmother's parents were first cousins.


In 1841 William and Ann Ward are found in in the census in England at Benley (or Binley...possible a street name), Dist. 4, Chulmleigh, Devon.  Their children Elizabeth, William and Thomas still reside in the home.  In 1846 the family still resided at Benley as was documented as the place of residence for 2 of the daughters. 


In 1851, in same area (Dist. 4d, Chulmleigh, Devon) the family is visiting the home of John and Elizabeth Green (Elizabeth is the daugther of William and Ann).  They reside at "Mill Ground" which may have been the name of the a farm, as John Green was a farmer.  Also in the household is John and Elizabeth's son William Green, and both William and Thomas Ward (William and Ann's son).  William is a blacksmith as is his father.  Thomas is a wheelwright. 

Ann HORDEN wife of William WARD

Also shown in “The Book of Common Prayer” (see last entry), under William WARD it is written:

“Ann Horden, the daughter of Benjeman and Elizth Horden was born September 19 in the year of our Lord 1788.”

Parish records show William WARD and Ann HORDEN married on 22 October 1809 in Barnstaple, Devon, England.  (transcriptions of Barnstaple parish register of baptisms, marriages, and burials 1538 A.D. to 1812 A.D.) 

William and Ann WARD appear District 4, Chumleigh, Devon, England in the census in both 1841 and 1851.  William is a blacksmith.

The First William WARD (born abt 1763, resident of Merton, Devon, England)

Our first proven WARD ancestor was one William WARD (born about 1763)  It appears that this William was residing in Merton, Devonshire, England when at least some of his children were born.  His wife was probably Elizabeth (more than one source), but another source stated her name was Ann. 

 My mother’s cousin had in her possession an original “The Book of Common Prayer” published in 1834 (copies in my possession).  In old script is written:

 “Wm Ward 1835” at the top.  The inside cover states:  "Willm the son of Wm and Elizth Ward was born February 6 and was baptized the same day in the year of our Lord 1783”. 

Transcriptions of the “Merton, Devon, England Baptisms 1687-1812” do not show a son of William and Elizabeth Ward baptized in 1783.  It does however show four other sons, and one daughter to a William and Elizabeth Ward, and none to a William and Ann Ward. 

According to "The History of Genesee County New York" William Ward Jr. had 3 brtothers;  John, Thomas and Hugh.  No information in known about them at this time. 

New Beginning

As my interest in genealogy has ebbed and flowed over the years, one thing has remained constant...I'm very disorganized!  The computer has helped in a HUGE way...and now I'm hoping that this blog will do the same.  It is my plan to create a time line for my ancestors, arranging what I already know, and putting it in a narrative form.  I'm hoping that the individuals will come more alive to me, and that their personalities might begin to show.  And if in the process, someone stumbles across my words, and can provide more information, I will be thrilled!!  Oh!  And if my order is random...please forgive me!


I am an only child...which might just explain why finding family is so important to me.  My heritage is rich in Illinois.  My ancestors were here when it was only prairie land.  They "broke prairie" and planted crops.  They were farmers.  I know that I never feel more "alive" than when I'm in the part of the state from which they came.  The sight of the endless farmland warms my heart.  Though I've never lived in that part of the state, it is the place where I truly feel "at home".  I get both energized and find peace there.  It is home.