Joshua John Ward
| Joshua John Ward | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 24, 1800 Brookgreen Plantation Georgetown County South Carolina |
| Died |
February 27, 1853 (aged 52) Brookgreen Plantation Georgetown County, S.C. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Rice farmer, plantation owner, slaveholder |
| Known for | America's largest slaveholder. |
Joshua John Ward, of Georgetown County, South Carolina, was the largest American slaveholder,[1] dubbed "the king of the rice planters".[2]
In 1850 he held 1,092 slaves,[2] and in 1860 his heirs (his estate) held 1,130 or 1,131 slaves.[1][2]
One of his plantations, the Brookgreen Plantation, is now part of the namesake park of Brookgreen Gardens.
He was the largest slave-holder in the United States during his lifetime.
Career
In addition to his rice plantations, he served as the 44th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 1850 to 1852, as a Democrat, under Governor John Hugh Means.
Family history
Ward was born November 24, 1800, at Brookgreen Plantation, South Carolina. He was married March 14, 1825, in South Carolina to Joanna Douglas Hasell, and died February 27, 1853, at Brookgreen Plantation. His father was Joshua Ward and his mother was Elizabeth Cook.[3]
References
- 1 2 The Sixteen Largest American Slaveholders from 1860 Slave Census Schedules, Transcribed by Tom Blake, April to July 2001, (updated October, 2001 and December 2004 – now actually includes 19 holders)
- 1 2 3 Boundaries and Opportunities: Comparing Slave Family Formation in the Antebellum South, Damian Alan Pargas, Journal of Family History 2008; 33; 316, doi:10.1177/0363199008318919
- ↑ Joshua John Ward / Joanna Douglas Hasell
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William H. Gist |
Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina 1850–1852 |
Succeeded by James Irby |