Clara Alice (Richards) Ward, 1854-1929

Clara Alice Richards was born 29 March 1854, the eldest daughter of Samuel Kennedy Richards and his wife, Susan T. Watt.  She may have been born in Indiana or in Arkansas when her father was working on the railroad there. The family called her "Cal."

She is found with her parents on the 1860 census for Clarks Hill, Laramie Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana.  She is found again with her parents and siblings on the 1870 census for Laramie Township, Tippecanoe Co., Indiana.

In 1872, she was studying piano in the music department of the Western Female Seminary, in Oxford, Miami Co., Ohio.

I have copies of several letters written by Clara to her aunt, Laura (Watt) Braden.  I will add them to this blog as I can and in separate posts.

In August 1879 when Clara was 25, her mother, Susan (Watt) Richards died.

Clara is found with her father and siblings on the 1880 census for Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., Indiana.

On the 8th of May 1884 at the age of 30, Clara married Henry F. Ward, son of Roland and Hannah Ward.  Henry seems to have been a widower whose first wife, Abigail, died in 1881.  I have not found much information on Henry, though I have certainly looked.  I do have a copy of Clara and Henry's marriage announcement:

From the marriage announcement, I assume that Clara and Henry lived at 74 West Ohio Street in Indianapolis after they were married.

A letter from Clara's sister, Lura, to their cousin, Mary Jane Braden, dated 1 September 1885, says the following:   "We have as yet recieved [sic] no word of Henry's death, but expect to must any minute.  We received a postal from Cal yesterday saying that he was sinking very rapidly.  He has  lingered now longer than the physician thought he would." 

Another letter from Lura to Mary Jane, dated 15 September 1885, says "On Tuesday we received a telegram announcing Henry's death.  They took him to Michigan that evening.  We got word from Cal last night telling us that she would return to Indianapolis next Wednesday and as soon as she settles things up there she will come home."   This would indicate that Henry died about 8 September 1885 in Indianapolis.  I am still searching for verification.  I did find this memorial and tombstone picture on Find-A-Grave.com, that is for a Henry F. Ward who died in 1885 and was buried in Branch Co., Michigan.  I suspect this is Clara's Henry and that he had been married before.  This will take more research.

So, Clara and Henry were only married about 16 months before he died.  They had no known children.  Clara, who was 31 years old, moved back to Tippecanoe County for awhile.

In October 1890, Clara wrote her aunt, Laura (Watt) Braden from Herscher, Illinois, where she was living with her aunt, Sarah Maria (Richards) Whittum and family.

In March 1905, Clara's father, Samuel K. Richards, died.

I next find Clara on the 1920 census.  She was living with her brother Clyde and sister, Mary, on the Richards farm in Laramie Township, Tippecanoe Co., Indiana.  She was 65.  She was on the voter registration list for Laramie Township in September 1922.

Clara died on 4 August 1929 at the age of 75 years.  She had been living with her brother, Clyde.  She was buried in Springvale Cemetery, Lafayette, Indiana.  Her obituary, published August 5, 1929 in the Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana) follows:

"Mrs. Clara A. Ward Dies at Clarks Hill.    Clarks Hill, Ind., Aug. 4.--- (Special) --- Mrs. Clara A. Ward died of tuberculosis at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the family residence, two miles north of this place.  She was born March 29, 1854.
  Surviving are a brother and sister, Clyde Richards and Mrs. William A. Coyner, both residing at home.  Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the residence.  Interment will be made in Springvale cemetery.  Rev. A. W. Jackman, of Attica, will officiate."


In April 1935, estate papers filed in Tippecanoe Co., indicate that Clara Ward's only living heir was Lura J. Coyner, her sister.  Her brother, Clyde, had died 26 October 1934.