Chapter 8

Son ~ Edmund

     April 25, 1753 saw the birth of the last child for James and Agnes Ware.  They named their youngest son Edmund, and he joined a household where his oldest brother, John, was 17 and his closest sibling, William, was three.  It was a time of great change in the world. 

     Both France and England claimed the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. Beginning in the 1740s, both countries saw the economic goldmine waiting in that area and wanted to tap into the wealth that was provided by the fur trade with the Native Americans in Ohio.  The colonists had many such merchants who used the fur trade for their livelihood, and in the 1750s, they also hoped to convert the wilderness into viable farms.  That hope was thwarted, however, when the French and the English each decided to deny the other access to the Ohio country.  There was a lot at stake.  Obviously, any move by the French to corner this market would impose severe hardships for the hard working colonists.  Tensions rose and if the French made good on their claim to completely drive out the British, Virginia merchants would lose a lot of money.    

Map showing French & English land ownership in North America

     Consequently, Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia found himself in quite a predicament. In 1753, he ordered Major George Washington of the Virginia militia to go to the disputed area and deliver a message to the French; warning them to leave Virginia territory.  Not surprisingly, they stoutly refused to vacate. French soldiers had captured several English trading posts, so Washington set up a fort, named Fort Necessity, to protect American interests.  Open hostilities soon broke out which placed three great powers, Great Britain, France and the Native Americans, on a course to determine the control of North America.

     The French and Indian War lasted nearly nine years, but until 1756, when England officially declared war on France, it was primarily a North American conflict, with virtually all Indian tribes allied with the French. Only the Iroquois tried to stay as neutral as possible. When the peace treaty of 1763 was finally signed, England got most of the French land in North America, but they also found themselves deeply in debt.  They turned to taxing the colonists as a way to refill the coffers.  Needless to say, the colonists were not pleased by this, and the next few years would be fertile ground for many of the problems that would lead up to the Revolutionary War.  The heroes of the French and Indian War would, in many cases, become the leaders and heroes of the Revolution.  It was into this world of historic precedents that little Edmund Ware was born.

     Both James and Agnes were 39 years old at the time of Edmund’s birth.  After he reached adulthood, Edmund married a young lady named Susannah Brasfield in Virginia. (Ref.874, 879)  A few references give her the nickname of Sukey. (Ref. 938, 963)  Susannah’s family was quite active in the David’s Fork Baptist Church.

     The newlyweds began their family in Caroline County, but later made the big move to Kentucky with the rest of the clan.   Consequently, some of the eight grandchildren they gave James and Agnes were born in Virginia and some were born in their new home of Kentucky. 

     Their first child, however, was definitely born in Caroline County, Virginia.  His name was Nathaniel and the year of his birth was 1777.  Missing out on the excitement of the French and Indian war, Nathaniel lived during the time of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.  He married Ann G. Scott on April 11, 1836.  By all accounts, it seems he stayed in Virginia and he died there in 1848. (Ref. 1024)

     Nathaniel was soon joined by the birth of three sisters.  In 1781, a daughter named Nancy was born.  She married Rueben Samuel in 1802 and died just six years later in 1808.

     Then in 1783, Agnes got another little namesake.  Agness Ware married Ambrose Jeffries in 1805.  They, along with many other members of their family, belonged to The Forks of Elkhorn Church.  Agness was “received and baptized in September 1800” and Ambrose “was received by way of experience in July 1801.”  He died in 1811.   (Ref. FOEC)

     Susannah probably named the next daughter after herself, but they called her Susan.  She was born in 1785 and married William Samuel on December 24, 1806.  They eventually moved to Illinois where William died on March 22, 1864.

     Nathaniel, growing up with all those sisters, was probably thrilled to get a little brother in 1787.  Susannah gave birth to baby James on September 18^th and he became the fifth grandchild to carry the same name of “James” Ware.   He would also be one of the last grandchildren to be born in Virginia.  One year after James was born, in 1788, Woodford County was formed from Fayette County in Kentucky.  This would soon be “home” for most of the Ware family.

Area in red =  Lexington/Fayette counties, Area in green =  Frankfort County

     When James was 23, he married his first wife, Joannah Thompson Parrish, on June 6, 1810, in Woodford County.  She was the daughter of James and Tabitha Parrish and the sister of James Ware Parrish Sr., an influential Kentuckian who lived near Midway on the Lexington Pike.    

     James and Joannah had ten children, “most of whom moved to Mississippi and Texas.” (Ref 1024)  Their children were:   Thompson Parrish Ware (1811), who married Julia Winchester Shelby in 1839 and Sallie Bullus Smith in 1854; Edmund Ware (1812); James Ware (1814), who married Elizabeth Parrish and Virginia C.; Helen M. Ware (1817), who married William R. Chew; William Wallace Ware (1819) who married Mary Elizabeth Buckner, Susan E. Ware (1824), who married William Samuel; W. Ware (1826); Sarah Ann Ware (1828), who married Richard Johnson Davis; Harvey Richard Ware (1830), who married Mary Stewart; and Robert William Ware (1831), who married Letitia Lander.  “Two of their sons, Thompson and brother Harvey R. Ware moved to Mississippi.  Thompson served as an Attorney General of Mississippi and Harvey was commissioned a Major during the Civil War.   He worked with the Mississippi House of Representatives and later the Southern Claims Commission.” (Ref. 877)

     James remarried and his second wife was Margaret Allen Smith Hunter.  She had previously been married two times, once to Joseph M. Smith and then to David M. Hunter.   The daughter Margaret had with her first husband, Sallie Bullus Smith, became the second wife of James’ first son, Thompson Parrish Ware.  It was actually during a trip that Margaret made to visit her daughter and son-in-law, in 1857, when she met James Ware who was also visiting from Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  They were married on February 10, 1858.  “James was an architect and was building a home for his family when he died in 1861.” (Ref. 877)

     On January 20, 1792, another daughter was born to the Wares.   Susannah gave birth to a little girl named Sallie.  She was the last grandchild that Grandfather James would know, as he passed away later that year. She married Benjamin Stephens in 1817.

     Sometime between 1793 and 1795, some sources say that another baby was born to Edmund and Susannah, named Louis.  Since he is listed in the Forks of Elkhorn Church records, it would seem safe to assume he was a member there.

     In 1796, Catherine Ware, who was called Kitty, was born.  It was the same year that President John Adams took office.  Kitty was one of the first Wares to be born in Kentucky, and she married Lyman Martin.  Her mother, Susannah, was only 40 years old at the time of her birth.

     One year later, in 1798, Susannah and Edmund had their last child.  He was named Edmund Jasper Ware, and he was the last of 37 grandchildren born to James and Agnes.  Sadly, they were not alive to see him.  On April 18, 1823, Edmund J. married Louisa Virginia Anderson, the daughter of Nicholas and Sarah T. (Bullock) Anderson of Todd County. (Ref 878)  They had the following children:  Sarah Jane Ware, who married Dr. Freeman Runyon; Charles William Ware (1856), who married Elizabeth V. Garth on Oct. 9, 1861; Mary A. Ware, who married Mr. Edmonds; Jasper Anderson Ware (1831), who married Ellen Hall Kinney on Oct. 10, 1861; Susan B. Ware, who married Dr. Freeman Runyon after her sister’s death in 1856; Martha G. Ware, who married Mr. Joseph Sandige Dickson; Nicholas M. Ware; and Louisa E. Ware, who married George G. Garth. (Ref. 878)

     Jasper Anderson Ware, at age 19, went into the mercantile business in Trenton Kentucky with his older brother Charles W. Ware.  He stayed there until 1857 when he moved to Nebraska and made his fortune in land investments.  He and his wife, Ellen, had a home there that they called ‘Wildwood’. 

     An article entitled History of Todd County, Kentucky, written in 1884, stated that “Charles William Ware (son of Edmund & Louisa) was born November 16, 1826.  He moved from Christian County, Kentucky to Todd County. Charles was reared to the mercantile business, but for the last twenty-five years has pursued the vocation of a farmer, in which he has been very successful, owning at present 800 acres of very valuable and productive land, well improved.  His residence, which is near the Trenton depot, is doubtless one of the very best in Todd County.  In religion, Mr. Ware is a Baptist, and in politics was formerly an Old Line Whig, but at present acts with the Democratic Party.  He has been often urged by the people of his county to represent them in the Legislature, but never consented to offer his service.”  (Ref. 878)

     Edmund and his family were staunch members of The Forks of Elkhorn Church.  Church minutes give a good accounting of some of his contributions:

In November of 1801, Edmund was “appointed to settle a dispute” that had occurred between some members of the congregation.

In February of 1803, he was asked to “inspect and revise some rules drawn up by the minister for the guidance of the church.”

In April 1804, Edmund “gave a report to the church about getting a ‘sufficiency’ to pay for getting the meeting house and grave yard posted and railed in.

In July of 1807, “Brother Edmund Ware was appointed to receive all such monies for the use of the church and to enter the same in a book to be kept for that purpose.” (Ref. Forks of Elkhorn Church minutes) 

     Edmund died in 1814 and his will was proved the same year.

Edmund was the youngest son of James Ware I and his wife, Agnes Todd Ware.

He married Susanna who was sometimes called Sukey.  Edmund raised his family in Kentucky.

(1) Nathaniel Ware -   born 1777     died March 22, 1848

Married Ann G. Scott on April 11, 1836

(2) Nancy Ware - born in 1781         died 1808

Married Rueben Samuel on June 29, 1802    

(3) Agnes Ware - born in 1783              died 1811

Married Ambrose Jeffries Nov. 13, 1805   

(4) Susan Ware - born in 1785              died 1850 

Married William Samuel on Dec. 24, 1806   

(5) James Ware - born on Sept. 18, 1787   died Nov. 11, 1861 in Hopkinsville   

Married Joannah T. Parrish on June 6, 1810 & Margaret Allen Smith Hunter 

(6) Sallie Ware - born Jan. 20, 1792              died 1821

Married Benjamin Stephens on Sept. 14, 1816

(7) Louis Ware    born circa 1789-91

(8) Catherine (Kitty) Ware - born in May 28, 1796   died 1884    

Married Lyman Martin in 1818

 (9) Edmund Ware - born July 27, 1798       died Dec. 14, 1852

Married Louisa Virginia Anderson on April 18, 1823.   She was the daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Anderson of Todd County.  

CHILDREN OF: JAMES WARE  and JOANNAH THOMPSON PARRISH WARE

                        B. Sept. 18, 1787                         B.

                        D.                                                  D.

James was the son of Edmund Ware and his wife, Susannah Brasfield.  He was also the grandson of James Ware Agnes Todd Ware.  He married Joannah Thompson Parrish (who was sometimes called Sukey) on June 6, 1810.

(1)Thompson Parrish Ware   born May 17, 1811 

Married Julia Winchester Shelby on February 24, 1839 and Sallie Bullus Smith in April 1854

(2)Edmund Ware    born Dec. 1, 1812

(3) James Ware    born 1814

(4) Helen M. Ware   born Aug. 24, 1817

Married William R. Chew

(5) William Wallace Ware   born June 6, 1819

Married Mary Elizabeth Buckner

(6) Susan E. Ware   born Feb. 7, 1824

Married William Samuel

(7) Walter C. Ware   born October 24, 1826

(8) Sarah Ann Ware   born June 29, 1828

Married Richard Johnson Davis

(9) Harvey Richard Ware   born February 19, 1830

Married Mary Stewart

(10) Robert William Ware   born September 11, 1831

Married Letitia Lander 

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