SIMEON WARD PREACHER AND GUNSMITH
SON
EVAN P WARD
GUNSMITH AND CONFEDERATE SOLDIER
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SIMEON WARD was born in Frederick County Virginia in 1804. Simeon Ward lived near Lehew in Hampshire County. His first wife was Sarah Johnson , she died in 1857. Simeon married again in 1869 to Sarah Racey who died in 1886. Simeon died January 8 1877.
Simeon was a gunsmith and is stated as such in the 1850 census. He also preached the gospel and belonged to the Timber Ridge Christian Church near High View . He even traveled with Rev. Christy Sine ( 1798-1858) spreading the message of salvation and the word of God. In the 1860 census Simeon is living with his son Evan P Ward. Evan is listed as a Gunsmith and Simeon is noted as a " Minister of the Gospel".
In the 1870 Census Simeon is listed as a Gunsmith.
After some searching and talking to several collectors and students of the Hampshire County Long Rifle there is currently no known examples' of Simeon's work. Of course the work could be unsigned and we may never know who made it. If you know of Simeon's work please contact us. We have been more fortunate in the search of Evan P Wards' work. We have seen a few rifles made by Evan, some are signed E P W & a couple are signed E P Ward, all in script.
Evan was born September 29 1827. Evan married Margaret Spaid (1837-1910). Early on in the Civil War, Evan joined the 114 TH Virginia Militia. Later on he went into the 18TH Virginia Cavalry.
During the Battle of Lynchburg on June 17 1864 Evan was wounded.
Evan died from the results of that wound several months later on February 2 1865. Evan is buried near his parents, in Timber Ridge Christian Church Cemetery.
Signed E P Ward
Signed E P W
You can also find his name on the Confederate Memorial in the Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney.
Many of the guns made in Hampshire County went to war during the Civil War. Recently a attributed Evan P Ward Rifle was located in Tennessee . The family who had the rifle said one of their ancestors carried the rifle during some of the Civil War.
We have noticed, on all of Evans rifles, the hinges on both the patchbox and the capbox are flat. We have not seen this on any other Hampshire County rifles.
If You have any additional information or questions on the Ward's and their rifles , please contact us .
For more information on Evan and his Father read.
Frederick County Virginia
Settlement and Some Families of
Back Creek Valley
1730-1830.
by Wilmer L Kerns PH.D.
You can find this book in the Hampshire County Library
THANKS TO THE OWNERS OF THESE RIFLES THAT ALLOWED US TO PHOTOGRAPH AND POST THEM.
PLEASE DO NOT COPY PICTURES.
