Colonel James Ward

Colonel James Ward was born 2 February 1768 in Guilford, Connecticut. He was the son of Beulah Hall Ward and Billious Ward. He was descened from William Ward, one of the early settlers of New Haven who was living there in 1678. In 1789, James Ward opened a clock and silversmith shop, and in 1790, he partnered with Miles Beach in the gold and silversmith's trade. On 8 September 1803, James Ward married Ruth Butler (d. 1844) daughter of Jonathan Butler of Hartford; they had seven children. In May 1804, Ward had gone into partnership with Roswell Bartholomew (d. 7 April 1830) of Harwinton, Connecticut. In January 1814 they took Charles Brainard into partnership with them.

During the War of 1812, James Ward was appointed Commissary-General of Connecticut, and was given the rank of Colonel, a position he held until his death. Colonel Ward was a chief engineer of the Hartford Fire Department, one of the principal officers of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and he was a Director of the Retreat for the Insane. He died 25 October 1856.