William Ward was born in England in 1827. He immigrated to America in 1850. He passed through Council Bluffs on his way to Salt Lake City. At that time he was known as a sculptor. He sculpted a life size stone lion that decorated the exterior of Brigham Young's house in Salt Lake City.
In 1853 William married Mary Elizabeth Binnall. They had 3 children; Mary Ann, Fred and Emma.
In 1856 the Ward family moved to Council Bluffs. Once here he became a well known local architect. He designed many buildings in the 1860s and 1870s; St Paul's Church, the Court House, Iowa School for the Deaf, Center Street School and a building on Broadway for C. A. Beebe. He also designed several buildings in Broadway.
William Ward also taught drawing lessons over the years. Early in 1879 he took a three month tour of Europe.
Mary Binnall Ward died on August 24, 1879. Mary was born in 1829 in England. Her family immigrated to America in 1849 and settled in Council Bluffs a few months later. Her husband and three children survived her.
In 1881 William married Emma White. Emma was born in England in 1840 and immigrated to the United States in the late 1870s.
The Ward family moved to Salt Lake City in 1890 where William became a professor of architecture and technical drawing at the University of Deseret. They remained in Salt Lake for three years. They returned to Council Bluffs for good in 1892.
In December of 1892 Emma Ward was taken ill with pneumonia and died on December 31, 1892. That same day William was taken ill. Emma's funeral was delayed in the hopes that William would recover enough to attend the funeral. Sadly William passed away a few days later on January 4, 1893.
Emma was 52 years old, William was 65. They are both buried in Fairview Cemetery.
Click HERE for more information on Council Bluffs History.