Henry Alfred Ward

Who was Henry Alfred Ward?

Henry Alfred Ward was a Canadian politician.

Born in Port Hope, Canada West, the only surviving son of the late George C. Ward, Registrar for Durham County, Ontario. He became a lawyer and was elected Mayor of Port Hope in 1885, 1893 and 1894. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons for Durham East in an 1885 by-election. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1887 but did not run in 1891. He ran again and was elected in 1900 and 1904.

The Ward family of Port Hope, Ontario were of English descent. Henry Ward was a grandson of Captain Thomas Ward, who as born in London and came to Canada with Governor John Graves Simcoe in 1791. Captain Ward was one of the first statute lawyers of Upper Canada and one of the first benchers of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Until 1808, he was Registrar of Northumberland County, Ontario, residing at Brighton. In that year he became Registrar for Durham County, Ontario and removed to Port Hope. In later life he also held the offices of Judge of the County Court and Clerk of the Peace for the Newcastle District. In 1847, Captain Ward resigned from the Registrar's office in favor of his son George C. Ward. Among the Captain's children were Mrs John Tucker Williams.