Found one....

[Cactus Jack]

I found one of my kin that is listed as a CW vet. Melger McIntyre Ward. All I know is that he was listed in the 1890 census as a Union CW vet. I have searched online but hitting brick walls. Can someone help me with this?

 

[John Hartwell]

Familysearch has the original 1890 veterans' census. The unit and dates he served should be given on the form.

Do you know where he was living ca.1860-5? If he received a pension, the index card will also give his unit. If we have a state to narrow down the search, there would be a much better chance of locating him.

 

[lupaglupa]

@John Hartwell is right that having more info increases our chances of success. But since Melger is such an unusual name I put it in and tried.

The 1890 Veterans' Census shows a Melger M Ward in Cowan township, Wayne County Missouri. The form shows he was a private in the 8th MO Cavalry, enlisting in May of 1863 and serving 6 months.

Fold3 has records for another Melger Ward, who served in the US Colored Troops. He doesn't show in the 1890 Veterans' Census though so I'm assuming the first man is the one you want. Yes?

 

[Fairfield]

Melger Ward (8th MO Cavalry) appears on the 1860 census in St. Francis Twp., Wayne County, MO and on the 1880 census in Cowan, also in Wayne County, MO (there were several other men surnamed "Ward" on the same census page).

In 1880 he was a farmer, living alone but, in 1860 he was living with other WARDs (possibly his mother and siblings).

There is a tree for this man on Ancestry but I have misgivings about trees. The tree shows him as being the person who served in CT (but I agree with @lupaglupa - that it is more likely that he served with 8th MO Cavalry).

 

[Fairfield]

More: I found a book on Google books (copyright 2010 so I won't copy any sections) called "Old Wayne: A Brit's Memoir). This family is discussed on pp. 105 and (esp.) 108-109. https://www.google.com/books/editio...er+ward+missouri&pg=PA108&printsec=frontcover

 

[steamboater]

I don't know about Fold3, but I searched the NPS Archives, and found the soldier listed in the 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery, Company M, as MELGAR Ward (note spelling of given name. The listing also notes that an alternate spelling, MILGAR, was used). Civilwardata.com repeats the given name as MELGAR.

Looking at the book listing that Fairfield provided, all the Ward folks in the photos appear white. Few privates in colored units were white, but it did occur. Possibly Melgar was an African-American who took the name of M.M.Ward's father.

 

[Fairfield]

I don't know about Fold3, but I searched the NPS Archives, and found the soldier listed in the 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery, Company M, as MELGAR Ward (note spelling of given name. The listing also notes that an alternate spelling, MILGAR, was used). Civilwardata.com repeats the given name as MELGAR.

Looking at the book listing that Fairfield provided, all the Ward folks in the photos appear white. Few privates in colored units were white, but it did occur. Possibly Melgar was an African-American who took the name of M.M.Ward's father.

That book specifically identifies Melger Ward as being with the MO 8th Cavalry (p. 108). Looking up "Missouri 8th Cavalry, " I found that there was an 8th with the Missouri Union forces and another with the Missouri State Militia (I presume, also with Union forces). It isn't at all impossible that there were two contemporaries with the same--or similar--names (this is the stuff that genealogical errors often is made of ).

 

[lupaglupa]

I looked at both the regular 8th and the state militia. None had anyone who fit our guy - if indeed we have the right guy. I think we should hold off until @Cactus Jack gives us more info.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Ok. This is way cool. Here's what I have on him-
Melger McIntyre Ward
LCM9-3NR
Born 2/14/1831, in Lincoln Co. NC
Died 2/14/1892, buried in Clubb Cemetery, Head of Bear Creek, Wayne Co. MO
Residence 1860, St. Francis Township, Wayne Co. MO
Residence 1890, Cowan, Wayne Co. MO
Wife is Sarah A Carolina Clubb, married
Had 4 sons & 2 daughters
1890, Melger M Ward, "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890"

There's more info, but that stuff is unverified for now. The info I gave has, so far, been verified. To the best of my knowledge he's white (unless he's an albino African, which does happen on occasion). This from using the FamilySearch app on my phone & laptop.

 

[lupaglupa]

I doubt very much that the two men are the same. As unusual as Melger is for a first name, Ward is fairly common so an overlap in names doesn't seem that odd. I've seen stranger names show up on two different persons before.

 

[Fairfield]

Having looked over what is on the Web, I'd say that your problem is not the lineage (which seems clear to me) but in the surnames used. The book on Google calls the family's surname "Ward" while there are records that indicate they used "Clubb" (the mother's name). The same people, apparently. This may mean that there was no legal marriage or that, for some reason, the mother's name was preferred; neither would be unusual.

If I were you, I'd say that this is the time to do some local research. Online, look at https://raogk.org/missouri/wayne-county/ (incidentally, if RAOGK) has a physical presence in Wayne County, you're in luck. Another great site for local research is the GenWeb project--the one you want is at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mowayne/ (warning: this organization is strictly volunteer and puts up only what the volunteers are interested in. Ideally, you may need to go there yourself but, if a trip to Missouri is out of the question, you might check with the local historical society (https://www.facebook.com/HistoricalWayneCountyMissouri/) or genealogical society (couldn't find a web site but there are references to it).

Wayne County--who has which records: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Wayne_County,_Missouri_Genealogy

 

[lupaglupa]

This is very interesting and thus confusing. There are a LOT of Wards from North Carolina in this community. In fact, there are a lot of folks from North Carolina period. Unusual to see so many households in one place that have all come from the same eastern state.

I am not sure Sarah Clubb is Melger's wife - maybe a sister or cousin. He lists himself as single in the 1880 Census, only one in his household. Sarah is nearby but not in his house. Not definitive but certainly would be an odd way for a man and wife to have themselves recorded.

One small fact to note - a man named Rainey Ward - also from North Carolina - died at Jackson, MS while serving in the Union Army. His wife, Ruth, has a very long pension application online. Melger is one of the witnesses. That was the only place I could find him on an official CW record. But I'm still looking...

 

[Fairfield]

I am not sure Sarah Clubb is Melger's wife - maybe a sister or cousin. He lists himself as single in the 1880 Census, only one in his household. Sarah is nearby but not in his house. Not definitive but certainly would be an odd way for a man and wife to have themselves recorded.

Not if it were a common-law marriage. According to Family Search, the two had children together for nearly 20 years. But there was no record of a marriage. Also there may have been a divorce (divorce records are difficult to find in Maine and this may be true in Missouri as well). They aren't buried together but one of the people who put up one of the memorials on Find a Grave came right out and requested information on the precise identity of her husband (I'll have to refind that page because, foolishly, I didn't take a note at the time )

 

[Fairfield]

Found that notation: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28517237/jacob-a_-clubb. It is the memorial of one of their sons (apparently the writer has seen this son's death certificate).

 

[lupaglupa]

Death certificate says father is Jacob Clubb. But they didn't know the mother's maiden name so whoever gave the data may not have known the ins and outs.

 

[Fairfield]

Death certificate says father is Jacob Clubb. But they didn't know the mother's maiden name so whoever gave the data may not have known the ins and outs.

View attachment 389138

Yes, that is what the writer said (see post above). The son is found living with Sarah Clubb and his siblings (surnamed WARD in that History of Wayne County). The Informant wasn't very informative, was he? . Perhaps this Robert Cross came from Maine where he leared to be vague and uninformed.

 

[Cactus Jack]

I havn't.

 

[lupaglupa]

Jacob's younger brother, Lawson, has "unknown" for father but Sarah for mother.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Death certificate says father is Jacob Clubb. But they didn't know the mother's maiden name so whoever gave the data may not have known the ins and outs.

View attachment 389138

The cert is correct. Jacob is one of Melger's son's as is Lawson Clubb, Mary Jane Clubb (sister), James K. Clubb, Martha Clubb (sister), and Peter Clubb.

There is also another Jacob Clubb who is Sarah's dad.

 

[lupaglupa]

There was a younger son, James K Clubb. He died in 1909 which is one year before the online death certificates are available. His obituaries don't mention a father and when Sarah dies there is only a brief mention, no real obituary. James did have a will where he names all his siblings, including a brother Peter who had pre-deceased him and left heirs (unnamed). This will caused some lawsuits which show up in newspaper searches. None of any of this mentioned Melger but it didn't mention any other father either.