OBITUARY: Former Tippecanoe County Resident Dies In Washington State (1917)

Obituary and family information submitted by Judy Ward Donley, great-granddaughter of Thomas Ward:

Thomas Ward was born January 1826 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. His father John was from Ohio and his mother (name unknown) was from Indiana, according to the 1910 census for Washington state. The family moved to California at some point - in the 1870 census Thomas is in Placer, California, with his occupation listed as teamster. Thomas had a sister named Lottie (Ward) Howland.

from The Washingtonian, issue of February 20, 1917:

THOMAS WARD WAS RESIDENT 42 YEARS
Pioneer Dies At The Home of His Daughter in Pataha; Funeral Held Sunday

Thomas Ward, after continuous residence here for 42 years, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. D.L. Palmer, in Pataha, last Saturday morning. Mr. Ward was nearing the close of his eightieth year and the immediate cause of his death was senile gangrene of the foot.

In company with the late George S. Harris, Mr. Ward came to Garfield county in 1875. Both settled upon land in the Scoggin neighborhood, south of the town. Mr. Ward made the farm his home until 1889, when he sold and moved to Pomeroy.

In 1879 he married Mrs. Carrie E. Pifug, who was a daughter of the late James Socggin. She died three years ago.

He was born in Tippecanoe, Indiana, and it is said that he made seven trips across the plains before making a permanent home.

He served as assistant quartermaster in the army during the Indian wars, when the troops were engaged in subduing the outbreaks in the “Badlands” of the Dakotas.

He is survived by one son, Frederick and a stepson, Charles Pifug, besides the daughter, Mrs. Palmer. Jesse, William and Howard Scoggin and Thomas Gilbanks were his brothers-in-law and Mrs. E.G. Teale and Mrs. Glover his sisters-in-law.

The funeral was held from the chapel on the Pataha flat, Sunday, the Rev. S. Bartlow conducting the services.

The pallbearers were Peter Gerhardt, L.F. Koenig, O.S. Williamson, E.L. Sanford, Jery Miller and Wilbur McFail.

Interment was made in the Chapel cemetery, where Mrs. Ward and one child were buried.