Archives

Original manuscripts, bound volumes, and microfilm collections of Ward family documents are distributed among several Massachusetts and national repositories. Microfilm copies and published volumes may be available in other libraries and archives, as well.

American Antiquarian Society

The AAS holds the most extensive collection of original Ward family papers (38 boxes and 17 volumes), many of which were originally housed at the Ward Museum. Most of these papers pertain to Thomas Walter Ward, the son of General Artemas Ward. Researchers who plan to visit the Ward Museum may also want to make use of the AAS, which is located in nearby Worcester, MA.

The Massachusetts Historical Society

The MHS collection emphasizes General Artemas Ward and Nahum Ward, and is located in Boston. It is comprised of 5 document boxes, 2 volumes, and 1 oversize box, and includes personal items like the General’s diary for 1758. A finding aid for the collection can be found here. This collection was microfilmed during the 1960s, and is available in many libraries as a result. See Published Material for holdings in the Harvard Libraries.

Chicago History Museum

Artemas Ward appears in the papers of Joseph Ward, the General’s secretary and aide-de-camp during the Revolutionary War. A finding aid for the Joseph Ward Papers can be found here.

National Archives

Records related to General Ward’s service during the Revolutionary War and his two-year stint in the Continental Congress can be found in this national repository, including letters and the General’s orderly book. Papers of other prominent Revolutionary figures who interacted with General Ward can be found here as well.

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress collection includes books related to the Wards and published in the United States. It also includes some microfilm reels and manuscripts The General’s son, Artemas Ward, served as a United States representative, and one of his speeches appears in the collection. Several items pertain to the Artemas Ward of the twentieth century.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

This repository holds a handful of Ward-related documents, primarily letters written to or by General Ward.