Elijah Ward (September 16, 1816 – February 7, 1882) was a

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

and the

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era.

Early life

Ward was born in Sing Sing (now Ossining), New York. He pursued classical studies at the Common Schools in Sing Sing.

Career

In 1833, he came to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

to engage in commercial pursuits and, at the same time, study law in the office of his uncle, Maj. Gen. Aaron Ward, who was then a U.S. Representative from

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

. In 1838, he began attending the law department of

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

, and was admitted to the bar in 1843 and thereafter commenced practice in New York City. In 1839, he was elected president of the Mercantile Library Association of New York City. Ward was judge advocate general of the State 1853 to 1855, and was appointed on Governor

Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810February 12, 1886) was an American politician. He served as Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1868 United States presidential elec ...

's staff with the rank of

Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

. He was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1856.

U.S. Congress

He was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, over George Briggs on the "Native American" ticket and Gen. James W. Nye, the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate (who later became the Governor of Nevada Territory and a U.S. Senator from Nevada), to the Thirty-fifth Congress serving from March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1859, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1858. He was subsequently elected to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses serving from March 4, 1861 to March 3, 1865, but again was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1864, losing to

Henry Jarvis Raymond Henry Jarvis Raymond (January 24, 1820 – June 18, 1869) was an American journalist, politician, and co-founder of ''The New York Times'', which he founded with George Jones. He was a member of the New York State Assembly, Lieutenant Governor ...

. He resumed the practice of law in New York City, and then was elected to the

Forty-fourth Congress The 44th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1875, ...

and served one term, from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877, as he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1876, losing to General

Anson G. McCook Anson George McCook (October 10, 1835 – December 30, 1917) was an American military and political figure who served as Union Army colonel during the Civil War. In recognition of his service, in 1866, he was nominated and confirmed for appo ...

. While in Congress, he served on the Committees on Roads and Canals and in his last term, he was chairman of the Committee on Commerce.

Personal life

On August 28, 1866, Ward was married to Ellen Eliza ( née Cairns) Stuart (d. 1893), who was previously married to Lt. Robert Stuart, who died in

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2019 was 10,027. It is at the junction of U.S. R ...

while fighting for the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states t ...

. He died in Roslyn in

Nassau County, New York Nassau County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2020 U.S. census, Nassau County's population is 1,395,774. The county seat is Mineola and the largest town is Hempstead. Nassau County is situated on western Long Isl ...

on Long Island on February 7, 1882. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Legacy

After his death, his widow donated a memorial horse trough in

Roslyn Harbor, New York Roslyn Harbor is a village in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the Incorporated Village of Roslyn. The population was 1,051 at th ...

in his memory. Shortly after her death in 1893, her children erected the Clocktower and gave it to the Town as a memorial.

References

External links

* *
Speech of Hon. Elijah Ward, of New York, in the House of Representatives, February 21, 1877
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Elijah 1816 births 1882 deaths People of New York (state) in the American Civil War People from Ossining, New York Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) New York University School of Law alumni 19th-century American politicians