Artemas WARD

                   See notes for historical information

Artemas Ward Graduated from Harvard College in 1748. He later served as a Major in the French and Indian War.In 1775 he as appointed General and Commander in Chief of the Colonial forces around Boston until he was superseded by General George Washington. He was then appointed a major General in the Continental army under Washington. He was later elected a representative to the first congress. He later resigned and retired to his farm.


From a pedigree on Ancestry World Tree:

Artemas Ward (November 26, 1727 - October 28, 1800) was an American Major General in the American Revolutionary War and a Congressman from Massachusetts. President Adams described him as "...universally esteemed, beloved and confided in by his army and his country." Ward was much more effective as a political leader than as a soldier.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemas_Ward


Artemas Ward Sr.
Artemas Ward Sr. was born 26 Nov 1727 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, a son of Nahum Ward Sr. and Martha Howe. He graduated from Harvard College in 1748. He was elected to the Massachusetts General Assembly and later served on the Executive Council.
Artemas served as a Justice of the Peace in Shrewsbury in 1752. In 1755 during the French and Indian War, he was a major in Colonel Abraham William's Regiment of Massachustts Militia. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel while serving under Gen. James Abercrombie and became commander of the 3rd Regt.
After the war, Artemas was elected to represent Shrewsbury in the Massachusetts Assembly. He was named to the Executive Council and took an active roll in the controversies between the elected Assembly and the appointed Royal governors. He was appointed a Brigadier General of the Massachusetts Militia in 1774 by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress while serving as a delegate in the legislature. In 1775 he was made Commander in Chief of Massachusetts Militia. He was commissioned Artemas was in overall command of the American forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill but was not at the battle site itself. He was also in command of the forces besieging Boston until the arrival of General George Washington, when he assumed second in command. Because of poor health, he resigned his commission in Apr 1776 but Washington asked him to continue until May.
Artemas was elected Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas of Worcester County in 1776 and as President of the Massachusetts Executive Council in 1777.
He was elected as a member of the Continental Congress in 1779 but because of poor health did not take his seat. He was elected as to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and served 1779-1785 and as Speaker in 1785.
Artemas was elected as a Federalist to the House of Representatives of the 2nd US Congress and reelected for a second term, serving from 1791-1795.
Artemas married Sarah Trowbridge in 1750 and they had 8 children, including Artemas Jr., who became a United States Congressman. Artemas died 28 Oct 1800 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Shrewsbury.
Delegate to the Continental Congress Massachusetts, 1780-1
State House of Representatives Massachusetts, 1779-1785
U.S. Congressman, Massachusetts 1781-85



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Massachusetts Archives Collection (1629-1799)
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ArchivesSearch/RevolutionaryDetail.asp?Vol=014&Page=692
Volume Number 014
Page 692-693
Summary STATEMENT OF SETH COLEMAN, CLERK OF THE DISTRICT OF AMHERST, RELATING THE TOTAL VALUE OF TAXABLE ESTATES, THOSE BELONGING TO ANABAPTISTS AND NON-RESIDENTS, AND THE VALUE OF THOSE BELONGING TO THE PETITIONERS [FOR A NEW PRECINCT]. GENERAL COURT ORDER APPOINTING A COMMITTEE [ON THE PETITION OF INHABITANTS OF THE DISTRICT OF AMHERST] TO REVIEW THE PETITION, HEAR THE PARTIES, AND REPORT. CONCURRED TO BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND COUNCIL. (SEE PAGES 684-691 AND 694-696.)
Number of Pages 2
Condition
Series 228 : PASSED RESOLVES : OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Cite RESOLVES 1773-1774, C 26
Copy Type Original
Original Date (yyyy/mm/dd) 1773/05/26
Other Dates [1773/05/26]
Seals No
Geographic Locations AMHERST (MA)
Personal Names : Signature Type
INGRAHAM, ELISHA (INGRAM)
PAINE, ROBERT TREAT (PAYNE)
WARD, ARTEMAS
WARNER, AARON
WARNER, MOSES
WARNER, MOSES (JR.)
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