In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1846, Weakley county
From The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominen (1883)
F. F. WARD. The subject of this sketch was born Feb. 12, 1846, in Weakley county, Teun. He was reared in Green county. Mo., and came to
Jasper county in 1868. On May 20th, 1867, he married Martha Grots, of Pickens county, Texas, who was born in Hardin county, Teun., but raised in Arkansas. The names of their five children are Thomas, Rena, Frank, Walter, and Luther. Mrs. Ward is an exemplary member of the Baptist Church. He is one of the mining firm of Bodley, Downs & Ward, who are successfully and profitably sinking shafts on the Granby lands, where five or six tons are raised each week.
As printed in The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominent (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.