John Wards Story, yes more than one John.

John Ward, (Great-Great-Great-Grandfather of Christian and Nancy Bass [Ward]), moved from Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina. Records from the Archives Department, Columbia, South Carolina, show that John Ward’s will was recorded May 11, 1720. His children were: John II(Great-Great-Grandfather of Christian and Nancy Bass [Ward]), Benjamin, Joshia (probably Joshua maybe Josiah), and Daniel.

The family raised cattle for a livelihood. The cattle were driven from Carolina to Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana for sale, by way of Columbus Georgia. Here they crossed the Chattahoochee River at a ford and stopped for the night. It was here that John III (Great-Grandfather of Christian and Nancy Bass [Ward]) met Nancy Knight, his future wife. Her mother was a Creek Indian and her Father operated a blacksmith shop near the river crossing.

One day while the Ward boys were splitting rails to build a fence, John III decided he was tire of splitting rails, left his axe in the woods, and when to Columbus, Georgia. He and Nancy Knight were married. They went back to Charleston, South Carolina to live and it was there that Elijah was born in 1779 (his memorial marker says 1776). Children of John and Nancy were: Elijah(Grandfather of Christian and Nancy Bass [Ward]), Moses, Patrick, Tarelton, John, Benjamin, Henry, and Nancy.

The family moved to Bon Secour, Alabama, near Mobile.

-Genola Spence [Bass] Bass Family Record 1968 (with additions by Nicholas B. Bass)

John Ward III was the first person buried at Fort Mitchell, his gravestone indicates that he was an “Interpreter”. There is a historical marker placed by Historical groups of Georgia and Alabama to preserve the history. On the Historical Marker it indicates that John Ward was the first burial, having “died of pneumonia” in November of 1813. John was on the staff of General John Floyd of the Georgia Militia.

Christian and Nancy Bass [Ward] are mentioned above, and for those that are unaware, they are sisters who married two Bass brothers, Holland M. Bass and William Riley Bass. These are the relationships that tie them an all of their ancestors listed above to the Bass line.