San Joaquin County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



 
LAFE WARD.
 
        A well-to-do rancher of the Elliott district of San Joaquin County, who 
has won his success entirely through his own industry and enterprise, is Lafe 
Ward. He was born at Beverly, W. Va , on December 9, 1868, a son of Abraham and 
Lucinda Ward. Grandfather Ward was a plantation owner in Virginia, and an early 
settler. In 1874, the father, Abraham Ward, started across the plains by the 
southern route through Texas, and arriving in California settled at 
Collegeville, San Joaquin County, and there leased about 700 acres of land, 
which he farmed to grain. The father passed away in 1903, sixty-three years old, 
and the mother in 1921, at the age of eighty years.
        For a number of years Mr. Ward rented various ranches, among them being 
the Northrup ranch, now conducted by John D. Sowles, whose sketch is found in 
this volume. He spent a few years a quarter of a mile east of the Elliott 
schoolhouse; and then rented the Henderson ranch, known as section seven, 
consisting of 420 acres of land, on which Mr. Ward raised grain and stock. He 
then purchased 480 acres one-half mile north of the Elliott school, and also 
farms forty acres belonging to his mother; besides he rents a half-section of 
land on Dry Creek, making a total of over 800 acres that he successfully farms. 
Mr. Ward is the father of three children, James B , Tyrell, and Bessie, residing 
at Sacramento. James B. and Tyrell are in partnership with their father in 
running the ranches, on which they maintain about 200 head of cattle and operate 
a dairy of sixty cows. Mr. Ward has made extensive improvements in the way of 
modern buildings and equipment for handling his business. He has twelve head of 
work horses, but does much of his plowing, harrowing, planting, etc., with a 
tractor.
        James B. Ward, the eldest son, was born in San Joaquin County on July 
29, 1894, attended the district school, and finished his education with a 
business course in Heald's Business College at Sacramento. On November 2, 1917, 
he entered the service of his country and was sent to Camp Lewis, where he 
remained but two days, when he was placed in the 116th Signal Corps of the 41st 
Division and sent to Camp Mills, and later to Camp Merritt, N. J. While at Camp 
Merritt, he was taken ill and could not go to France with the original outfit, 
but was placed in the 161st Ambulance Corps, and on January 11, 1918, was sent 
to France via Liverpool, Southampton and La Havre. During April of 1918 his 
company went to the front with the French at St. Die and served in the drive on 
Frappell on the Strassburg front. Later he was sent to Nancy and Point Mousson 
on the Mouselle River and was in the second Argonne offensive, being near Sedan, 
France, when the armistice was signed. He then returned to Verennes, and went 
thence to Mallory where he remained for one month; and then came to Montigny, 
where he was stationed for four months. Returning to the United States via 
Marseilles, he landed in New York City on May 9, 1919, after having been on the 
water twenty-one days. Coming immediately to San Francisco, Cal., he was 
mustered out at the Presidio on May 29, 1919, honorably discharged, and returned 
to his home in San Joaquin County. The marriage of James B. Ward occurred in 
Stockton on April 14, 1920, and united him with Garnet Loker, a native of 
Nebraska, and a daughter of Victor and Sophie Loker. Her parents came to 
California while Garnet was a small girl, and her father was section boss for 
many years for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Mr. and Mrs. James B. Ward 
have one son, James B., Jr., born on his father's birthday, July 29, 1922.
        Tyrell Ward was also born in San Joaquin County, on November 25, 1896, 
and attended the district schools of the county, finishing with a commercial 
course at Heald's Business College in Sacramento. His marriage occurred in 
Sacramento on July 20, 1921, and united him with Miss Tina Daniels, a native of 
Elk Grove, Cal., a daughter of Robert and Mina (Noble) Daniels, her father a 
native of Ireland, who came to California many years ago, where he has since 
farmed to advantage. Mr. and Mrs. Tyrell Ward have one child, Robert La Fayette, 
born June 26, 1922. In politics, Mr. Ward and his two sons are Democrats. 
Fraternally, Mr. Ward belongs to the Elks; and he and his two sons belong to the 
Eagles of Lodi.
 
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 
1923
p  1510        
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.