William Ward (2) First of “Woodlawn” Sassafras Neck

William Ward (2) Freeholder and planter in Cecil County First of “Woodlawn”. Sassafras Neck. The County of Cecil was organized in 1674 and when William Ward had a tract surveyed for him in 1671 it was no doubt taken to be in Baltimore County. It was however in that territory which was organized into Cecil County in 1674 and is included in the Rent Roll of Cecil County. It appears by the Rent Roll that William Ward had surveyed for him and patented to him the following tracts of land in Sassafras Neck. “Rattlesnake Neck”, 100 acres, at head of Back Creek June 16, 1671. Sold to Jonathan Beck. “Locust Thicket”, 500 acres, Dec. 31, 1678. “North Level”, 300 acres, Oct. 1, 1681. Sold to Vestry of St. Stephens Church for glebe, part in 1695 and remainder in 1697. This is the present glebe. “Neighbor’s Grudge”, 175 acres, Dec. 14, 1681. This is the tract which with “Connectiant”, “Indian Range”, and 50 acres of “Mount Harman” made of the homestead of “Woodlawn”, the house being on the “Neighbor’s Grudge” tract. He had also a tract called “The Level”, 100 acres, his land being about 1500 acres and he was thus one of the substantial Freeholders of Cecil County from the beginning. He held certain public offices in the County: Commissioner to lay off towns in Cecil Co. 1683 One of the Justice of the County. 1688 One of the Justices of the Quorum of the County Cecil in 1692. One of the Commissioners to divide Cecil Co. into parishes. Return made Nov. 22, 1692 dividing the county into North Sassafras afterward called St. Stephens and South Sassafras, afterwards called Shrewsbury. (For these official positions see Proceedings of the Assembly –  1683, Archives of Maryland – page 610 Historical Society Publication Proceedings of the Council 1687, Archives – Historical Soc. Pub. pages 23, 49, 454 and 474. He was a member of the first Vestry of the Parish of North Sassafras (afterwards called St. Stephens) which held its first meeting Jan. 10, 1693 and it is noted on the record that on Feb. 16, 1693, the Vestry met at the house of Mr. Ward. He served as Vestryman of St. Stephens from its organization in 1693 to 1704 and again from 1707 to 1712 when he finally retired from the Vestry. On Feb. 10, 1695, he sold to the Vestry 100 acres of the tract “North Level” which he had patented Oct. 1, 1681, and on March 25, 1697 he sold the remainder of the tract, 200 acres, to the Vestry. This is the glebe of St. Stephens Church and is one of the fine farms of the neighborhood. He was twice married. His first wife Elizabeth died in January 1696 and was buried in St. Stephens churchyard. His second wife was Charity and there were no children of the second marriage.  He died April 17, 1720 and was buried in St. Stephens churchyard. It is understood that the first church stood near the road and next the lane now leading to the rectory and that the early Wards were buried at or near what is now the corner of the road and lane fences, inside the present churchyard. It is believed that he lived on the place patented on Dec. 14, 1681, under the name of Neighbor’s Grudge and that the house was on the same spot or nearly the same as the later dwellings. The place passed to his son and it has been so long known as Woodlawn that he has been styled in these notes “First of Woodlawn”. The children of William and Elizabeth Ward were as follows: Alice Ward (3) who married George Veazey on Nov 18, 1708. Nathaniel Ward who died in 1718. John Ward, styled “Second of Woodlawn”; baptized July 7, 1692. William Ward (Jr.); b. abt. 1694. [note that this is information that was NOT in Duncan Veazey’s original manuscript. I believe that this William Ward was the son of William and Elizabeth but I do not have proof.] Last Updated: May 27, 2002.