John Ward

Who was John Ward?

John Ward was a businessman, militia officer and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented St. John County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1809 to 1820.

He was born in Peekskill, New York. Ward was probably the son of Edmund Ward and Elizabeth Strange. He served with the Loyal American Regiment during the American Revolution, reaching the rank of lieutenant. Ward married Elizabeth Strange in 1777. He led a unit of provincial troops to Parrtown in 1783. The following year, Ward settled in an area that would come to be known as Wards Creek but later returned to Parrtown, where he established a wholesale liquor business. The business expanded to incorporate the sale of general merchandise, lumber mills and an iron foundry. With others, Ward operated a steamboat service travelling between Saint John and Fredericton. From 1799 to 1809, he served on the town council for Saint John. Ward also served as a justice of the peace, as a magistrate for the city and county of St. John and as a commissioner for lighthouses on the Bay of Fundy. In 1793, he helped found the Saint John’s Loyal Company of Artillery. He later served as commander for all the county militia.