Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 2.djvu/797

 THE CITY OF PORTLAND 789

back to the Empire state for his bride, who was born on the opposite bank of the Hudson river. Having no children of their own, they adopted a daughter, AmeHa Minnie, who became the wife of George Pittock, now a resident of Ari- zona. They have one son, Ralph W., who is married and lives in Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Weeks was always a republican in politics and took an active interest therein, stanchly supporting principles which he deemed beneficial in good gov- ernment. He held the office of school clerk for one term but otherwise was never an office holder, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs which, capably managed, brought him signal success. Both he and his wife were members of the Episcopal church and he was a charter member of the Young Men's Christian Association of Portland. He ever received the respect accorded a life in harmony with its professions.

JOHN P. WARD.

John P. (Ward is now living retired in Portland, where he has resided since May 21, 1863. The width of the continent separates him from the place of his nativity, for his birth occurred in Washington county, Rhode Island, June 30, 1833. He traces his ancestry back to John Ward, founder of the family in the new world who, after serving as officer in Cromwell's army left England and crossed the Atlantic in 1660, casting in his lot with those who were colonizing New England. His son, Thomas Ward, was treasurer of the colony of Rhode Island and was lieutenant governor from 1746 until 1760, while Richard Ward, son of Thomas Ward, was governor of Rhode Island from 1740 until 1747. He also served as lieutenant governor from May until July, 1740, and was deputy governor from 1730 until 1733. Samuel Ward, son of Richard Ward, served as governor from 1762 until 1763 and was later elected to the same office, which he filled from 1765 until 1767. The family were thus prominently connected with the early political history of Rhode Island, taking active and helpful part in shaping the governmental policy of the state. Samuel Ward had a brother Henry who was the great-grandfather of John P. Ward of this review. He, too, was an eminent figure in public life, serving as secretary of state of Rhode Island for thirty-seven years, from 1760 until 1797. These long terms of office indicate clearly that the system of graft, disloyalty and political dishonesty were not so prevalent in that day as at the present time. Henry Ward was also a lieutenant colonel in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war and was taken prisoner. Richard Ward, son of Henry Ward, and grandfather of our subject, lived in South Kingston, Rhode Island. He acted as clerk for his father during much of his incumbency as secretary of state but never engaged in active business, for he was left in comfortable financial circumstances and gave his supervision merely to his property. Samuel Ward, son of Richard, fol- lowed the sea until the time of his marriage to Miss Mary Perry, when they set- tled in Washington county, Rhode Island, where Mr. Ward followed the occupa- tion of farming. Both he and his wife died in that state.

John P. Ward was a pupil in the public schools of Charleston, Rhode Island, and aided his father in the operation of the home farm until sixteen years of age, when he started for the west as a passenger on board the ship Waltes, in which his father owned an interest. He made the voyage around Cape Horn to San Francisco, California, and after landing there proceeded to the mines, where for a short time he engaged in a search for the precious metal. He then returned east in order to take a brother home, who was ill. Subsequently he followed railroading in the southern states on the Mobile & Ohio and the Mo- bile & Great Northern roads, the latter now a part of the Loui.sville & Nashville system. About 1861 he joined a company of surveyors and engineers and came