Ward's Knowledge

Ward's Knowledge was granted to John Ward on March 10, 1694 by the Lord Proprietary of Maryland, and has been owned by the family at least up until 1967. The property is on the Cecilton-Sassafras road at Ward's Hill. The original 140 acres were increased by 450 in 1706. This was called "Ward's Addition".

The rambling frame house consists of the original building with the additions made at later times. In 1820 John Ward Davis inherited the farm and had the beautiful iron grill work placed around the front porch. It is comparable to that found on mansions throughout the South.

In the early days before court was held in a central place in the country, a jail and courthouse were on the farm. Traces of these have long since gone, but the story of their locations has been passed down from earlier generations and tells that the jail was near a stream and the courthouse close to the dwelling house, where a farm building now stands.

Indian artifacts have been found in the surrounding fields. There is a mound along a stream in the woods which is believed to contain many more relics.

P. 135 Deed of Gift. Peregrine Ward of Cecil Co., gent., to comply with his father's Will and for natural love and affection and for 5 shillings, to James Chattam Ward of the same county, 300 acres, the northwest end of a tract called Greenfield. John Ward, late of said county, father of Peregrine Ward and grandfather of James Chattam Ward, by his Last Will and Testament dated 25 May 1745, devised (among other things) to the said Peregrine the dwelling plantation of the said John Ward, and the tracts of land belonging to it:

Ward's Knowledge,

Ward's Addition,

part of Pain's Lott,

100 acres part of Colleton,

100 acres on the proviso that Peregrine make a deed to James Chattam Ward for 300 acres, part of a tract called Greenfield where the said Peregrine then lived.

The said 300 acres to be laid out on the west side of the main road leading from Cecil Town to Frederick Town with the planation where Jeremiah Grindley formerly lived. John Ward bequeathed to the said James Chattam Ward these 300 acres. If James Chattam Ward should die without heirs, then the land goes to John Ward son of Henry Ward and his wife Hannah (Ricketts). Made: 13 Feb 1749. Wit. & JPs: P. Bayard, Adam VanBebber. Ackn: same day by Peregrine Ward and his wife Mary. Rec. 26 Feb 1749/50. M. Bordley, Clerk. Peregrine Ward paid 12 shillings alienation fine on 16 Nov 1751.

The owners in 1967 were Mrs. George Hearne (nee Frances Ward Davis) and her sister, Miss Mary Ellen Davis.

This information on the Homes of the Parish Area was taken from a commemoration booklet for the Two Hundred and Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Earleville, Maryland.