Captain Julius A. Ward

Captain Julius A. Ward, a prominent and public-spirited citizen of Marine City, Mich., is the son of Peter and Catherine (Esche) Ward, born in Columbia, Tenn., October 5, 1850. His parents were natives of Mauch Chunk, Penn., in which city they were married. The children born to them were: Edward, who married Miss Lucy Landfair, sister of Captain Landfair, master of the steamer Republic, in 1897; Marietta and Susan, who died at the ages sixteen and seventeen respectively; Charles Ezra, who died in Santa Rosa, Cal., in 1880; Ann, who became the wife of Alonzo Landfair, and died in June, 1863; Stephen, who passed away in 1884 at Leslie, Mich.; Julius A and his twin sister, Julia Alice (she united in marriage with Marshall S. Perry, and is now residing in Cuero, Texas); and Eugene J., who made Miss Marietta Williams his wife, and is now living in Red Land, Cal. In the year 1837 the family removed from Pennsylvania to Clinton, Lenawee County, Mich., where a tract of land was purchased and a clearing made; they next went to Leslie, Ingham County, Mich., where they purchased a farm and remained on it for a number of years. About the year 1847 the family went South, locating at Columbia, Tenn., where they acquired considerable city property. In 1863, during the progress of the Civil war, they suffered much damage by pillage and fire from the soldiers of both armies, and their father, Peter Ward, determined to return to Michigan, which he did, locating on his farm at Leslie. He had served throughout the Mexican war under General Scott, and with his regiment participated in many hotly contested battles, where courage was victorious over superior numbers of Mexicans; notable among the engagements were the pitched battles of Cerro Gordo, Chapultepec and City of Mexico.

On September 10, 1864, Julius Ward, then a well-grown lad of fifteen years, enlisted in the First Michigan Light Artillery as messenger boy, his battery being M, commanded by A. H. Emory, and was stationed at Cumberland Gap, under General Cox. [His two brothers, Ezra and Charles, were also Union soldiers, being members of Battery A, First Michigan Light Artillery.] While at the Gap, the battery was on several occasions engaged with the enemy. After serving until the close of the war Mr. Ward was honorably discharged and mustered out of service September 1, 1865, at Jackson, Michigan.

Previous to his enlistment, Julius had acquired a district-school education, but on his return home he went to Lansing, Michigan and attended the old Academy for three winters, and in 1868 he graduated from the high school at Leslie, and took a course in a private school at Flint, Michigan. That fall he entered the employ of the New York & Erie railroad (Eastern division) as fireman on a locomotive, remaining one year. In the summer of 1870 he purchased a stock of groceries and opened trade in Leslie, conducting the business successfully nearly two years. In the spring of 1872 he went to Columbia, Tennessee, to look after the city lots owned by his father, and in the interest of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, as collector. He remained there one year, when he went to Leslie and won his bride, Miss Hattie Rice, later returning to Columbia, where he resided until December 1, 1873, when he again went north, this time locating in Marine City. He then entered the employ of the Toledo & Saginaw Transportation Co. (in which he had purchased stock) as a steamboat painter, David Lester being superintendent of the yard. It was in the spring of 1874 that Captain Ward began his career as a sailor, shipping as watchman on the steamer V. H. Ketcham. The next two seasons he sailed as mate of the schooner Kittie Brainard, and in the spring of 1877 he was appointed mate of the steamer Troy, and held that berth until August, 1879, when he was made master of the A. Gebhardt. The next two seasons he sailed the Brainard and came out in her in the spring of 1882, but was transferred to the new steamer C. F. Curtis, in which he closed the season as master. This was followed by three seasons as master of the schooner Theodore S. Fassett. He then sailed the schooner Minnie E. Orton three years. In the meantime he purchased an interest in the steamer Buckeye State, but sold out in the spring of 1889 and bought the schooner Dayton, which he sailed three seasons. Captain Ward then purchased stock in the Miami Transportation Company, and became one of the directors, and in 1892 assumed command of the steamer Miami. The next season he sailed the schooner Mingo, which had been built that winter; he also owns an interest in the new steamer Mohegan, but did not sail her. In the spring of 1894 he again took command of the steamer City of Concord for the Mills Transportation Company. The next spring he brought out the steamer Miami, but sold his interest in her, and stopped ashore the balance of the season. He was appointed master of the steamer J. P. Donaldson in the spring of 1898.

By industry and good business methods the Captain had acquired considerable real and personal property, including a farm near Leslie, and one near Manistee, Michigan, and has a handsome homestead in Marine City, Michigan. Besides his vessel property he is a stockholder in the Marine Savings Bank. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the council, a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, and of the Odd Fellows, a charter member of the Maccabees, of the Newport Club, and carries Pennant No. 783 of the Ship Masters Association at Marine City, which he represented as delegate to Washington two terms and at Milwaukee in 1898.

Captain Ward was married to Miss Hattie Leona, daughter of S. P. and Harriet (Childs) Rice, of Leslie, Michigan. Two daughters, Florence Rice and Grace A., have been born to this union.

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Volume I

This version of Volume II is based, with permission, on the work of the great volunteers at the Marine Captains Biographies site. To them goes the credit for reorganizing the content into some coherent order. The biographies in the original volume are in essentially random order.

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.