Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Lucy Ann Carroll Ward

This biography is taken from The Willoughby Independent (Lake Co., Ohio) Friday February 28, 1896, page 2.

LUCY ANN CARROLL WARD
Pioneer Sketches
Written for the Independent.

Lucy Ann Carroll was born in 1817, and lived nearly the whole of her life, 78 years, in Willoughby. She attended select school in the village when about ten years old, boarding with Dr. Henderson, her uncle. She often saw deer coming to drink at the stream east of the corporation in Mentor, and well remembered how the wolves killed nearly all of their sheep in one night - the sheep being in a lot near the house. The pioneer families were very cordial and helpful to each other. The practice of the signing of notes for others was common and sometimes caused great trouble, as the law allowed everything to be taken for debt. When a small child, her father had every hoof of stock, every bed, and nearly all of their household effects sold for the debt of a neighbor. At the age of 18 she married Allen Ward, and moved to the farm east of Willoughby over the river. She was always a manager, and attended to every duty; was president of the Soldiers' Aid Society of the Methodist Episopal Church during the war; of the Women's Aid Society during the building of the college and the present church.

Away back in the forties, just as Mrs. Ward was getting up the dinner, there came the cry "Joe's in the well!" All ran towards the "moss covered bucket" just in time to see the little two-year-old son rising to the surface of the water. Without a second's hesitation she climbed over the curb and started down the slippery and mossy stones. The well had a bucket and sweep for drawing up the water. Steadying herself by the pole, she descended just in time to grasp the child as he arose to the surface. How she ever got out, holding the child with one hand and climbing up with the other, she never knew; but just as the men came running up the dripping boy was raised high enough for their strong hands to grasp him and steady the mother up until she could be lifted out also. She always said in relating the circumstance that it all happened so quickly that she was not frightened until it was all over. It may be truly said that all the men were heroes, and surely all the women were heroines.

The old well, with its long sweep and bucket, was a boon to thirsty travelers until the Nickel Plate railroad was built exactly were the old house stood, changing the appearance of everything in the vicinity. Thus the onward march of progress is ever obliterating old landmarks as the years go by.

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Last updated 27 Oct 2007

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