George Taliafero Ward
| George T. Ward | |
|---|---|
George T. Ward
|
|
| Born |
January 8, 1810 Fayette County, Kentucky, United States |
| Died | May 5, 1862 (aged 41) Williamsburg, Virginia |
| Allegiance |
 Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army
|
| Years of service | 1861–1862 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Commands held |
 2nd Florida Infantry
|
| Battles/wars |
Yorktown Siege American Civil War |
| Other work |
Plantation owner Delegate: Florida Territorial Council 1852 Candidate Governor of Florida |
George Taliaferro Ward (1810 – May 5, 1862) was a major cotton planter and politician from Leon County, Florida. He served in the Confederate Army as a colonel during the American Civil War, dying near Williamsburg, Virginia.
Ward was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, and moved with his family to Tallahassee, Florida Territory, in 1825.
He was appointed as Registrar of the territorial Land Office, succeeding Samuel R. Overton. In 1844 Ward married Sarah Jane Chaires, of the wealthy Chaires planter family of eastern Leon County, who had a large cotton plantation. The couple had at least three daughters, Georgiana, Anna, and Mattie, as well as sons. Mrs. Ward inherited properties that were later incorporated into their plantation known as Southwood. She died in 1859, at the age of 33.
A major planter in central Florida, George Ward owned Waverly, his wife's Southwood, and Clifford Place plantations. Combined, he held 160 slaves and produced annually 7500 bushels of corn and 500 bales of cotton.
Planters were known for conducting duels to carry out challenges of honor, and tensions rose in the years before the American Civil War. Ward and Augustus Alston, a Republican, conducted a duel just north of Tallahassee. Prince Achille Murat was Ward's second, and Dr. Randolph of Tallahassee was the attending physician. Alston hit Ward first, breaking his leg with one shot and an arm with another. When Alston got directly over Ward, he had no shots left while Ward still had one. Alston was said to fold his arms and declare, "I believe he will kill me after all." Ward fired his last shot and missed.
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