STERLING STEPHEN WARD
Sterling Stephen Ward,
b 1817 in North Carolina, d May 5, 1878 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas - a son
of John and Mary Helen (Rhodes) Ward of North Carolina. Sterling Stephen (called
"Stephen") married first ca 1841 in Carroll County, Mississippi to Jane Sanders,
b ca 1825 in Alabama, d November 2, 1846 in Limestone County, Texas - a daughter
of Drury Sanders, b 1795 in Alabama, and his wife, Rhoda (Coe) Sanders, b 1805
in Alabama, who settled in Limestone County, Texas about 1841. Drury and Rhoda
(Coe) Sanders were the parents of Jane, b ca 1825 - first wife of Sterling
Stephen Ward; Sarah A., b 1829 - second wife of Sterling Stephen Ward;
Henry G. Sanders, b
1832 - married Mary M, Gage; John, b ca 1834 in Alabama; Calaway, b 1838 in
Alabama; Hamilton, b ca 1842 in Texas; and Rachel, b ca 1845 in Texas. In 1841,
shortly after their marriage, Stephen and Jane moved from Carroll County,
Mississippi to Huntsville, Walker County, Texas, where they remained until after
the birth of their son, John, and then they resettled near her parents in
Limestone County, Texas on Sanders Creek (so-named for Jane's father), near what
became Personville, Texas, Jane (Sanders) Ward died in 1846, and by 1849,
Stephen had married Sarah A. Sanders, b 1829, d 1902 - a younger sister to his
first wife.
Stephen engaged in general freighting 1846-1852 from Houston to various small
Texas towns, and in 1852 he relocated in Marlin, Falls County, Texas, where he
was in general merchandising until his death in 1878.
By his first wife,
Jane (Sanders), S. S. Ward is known to have reared two children: Julia Ward, b
1842, d 1862; and John Ward, b September 20, 1845, d 1917.
By his second marriage
to Sarah A. (Sanders), his children were:
Rhoda Ward, b 1800, d
1927 - married R.E. Parnell, b December 16,1847, d December 25, 1890 and both
buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin. Some of their children are also buried by
them: J. W. Parnell, b December 22, 1878, d April 20, 1891; Infant Son b July 6,1888, d July 19, 1888; R. E. "Peck" Parnell, b 1875, d
1956; Rhoda Parnell, b 1882, d 1959 - married a Mr. McClain; and Fred Rice
Parnell, b December 12, 1885, d January 13, 1960 - served as a Private in
Company K. 2nd Infantry of Texas National Guard.
Martha
Ward, b 1852, d 1912 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls County,
Texas.
Fred R. Ward, b 1855, d 1885 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls
County, Texas,
Anna Ward, b 1859 - no
further information.
Stephen Sterling Ward,
b 1860, d 1936 and buried in Calvary Cemetery, Marlin, Falls County, Texas.
William R. Ward, b
1865, d 1915 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls County, Texas.
Dora Ward, b ca 1867 -
no further information.
Frank G. Ward - dates
of birth and death unknown, although a tombstone with his name on it is in the
family plot at Calvary Cemetery in Marlin.
Sterling Stephen Ward
and his second wife, Sarah A. (Sanders) Ward are buried in Calvary Cemetery in
Marlin.
Ward Street in Marlin,
Texas was named for Sterling Stephen Ward, who purchased the property first
owned by Dr. Allensworth Allen when the township which is "Marlin" was named
"Adams". This property was sold to J. W. Perkins in 1860, and is now the present
site of the Allen House-a present -day civic landmark of Marlin-which was built
by Dr. Walter H. Allen.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for printing
these bio of these Falls County Family to this page
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 472, column 1 and column 2
Member of Falls County Historical Commission
