Gerrit S. Ward (1842-1916) came to Alma from N.Y. (State) before the Civil War to work with a cousin, the son-in-law of his Uncle Sardis Ward. Sardis Ward (1796-1874) played cornet for the 6th N.Y. Cavalry (1820). During the Civil War Gerrit served as Sergeant and, later, Chief Principal Musician in the 144th N.Y. Infantry (1862-1865). On Oct. 21, 1869, Gerrit married (Mary) Josephine Ely (1853-1939), the daughter of Brig. Gen. and Mich. state Senator Ralph Ely (1819-1883). Ralph Ely's Civil papers are also at the Clarke Historical Library. Together Gerrit and Josephine had two children, Sarah L. (1871-1953) and Charles O. Ward (1875-1962). Gerrit eventually became president (1913-1916) of the First State Bank of Alma and Dir. of the Valley Telephone Co. He owned mines in Tenn., timber lands in Mich., and, with Charles and others, operated the Roanoke Rapids Paper Mfg. Co. (N.C.), 1907-1912. Charles married Della L. Sigsby (d. 1963) and they had two children. During the Spanish-American War, Charles served as Chief Musician (cornet) in the 35th Mich. Infantry (1898-1899). Like his father, Charles worked at the First Bank of Alma. He served as Treasurer of the Roanoke Rapids Mfg. Co., 1911-1912. Later, Charles worked in the Alma real estate development business, forming the Mich. Ave. Heights Subdivision and the Shadow Lawn Realty Co. in Alma. (Information from the collection. For information on Turck, see Michigan Biographies.).
From the description of Family papers, 1820,1965. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 45311644
