Joseph Ward died 1906 in America

[Subaru]

Hi Ambly

I know, it's like I've had these names in front of me for months, going up to 1901, and not known what happened to them.  And all of a sudden, I can picture them emigrating to America and South Africa to make their fortunes.  There's so much to go on now.  Thank you again.

By the way, which ship's manifests did you get the information from?  Or which website - I only tried Ellis Island, but I suppose they would have only gone there if they were going to that area.

Regards

Rosemary

[johnnyboy]

Hi Rosemary and Ambly:

AMBLY seems to have covered everything in her posts. The only thing I can add is that you can order death certificates from Butte-Silverbow County (which is an unusual merger of a city and a county). AMBLY posted the city-county's URL above. But here's a direct link to the certificates portion of the site: http://www.mtech.edu/silverbow/silverbow/BUTTE/SBHowto.htm

There is an e-mail address on the page, which you might want to use to get the cost. I couldn't find the costs posted.

I'm also adding a PDF of a Google satellite image of Butte. Much of the mining was copper, and the map image shows how big the mine was (about 1 mile across the widest point, by my reckoning). You can compare the size of the buildings to the size of the mine pit, which is filling with water. To the right of the main pit in the picture, is another small pit showing how the mine was terraced and how deept went.

It's hard to believe that I stayed overnight in Butte a few years ago and don't remember seeing any of this.

John

[Subaru]

Hi John

Thanks for that.  When I have time to sit down and work out who is who from all the information Ambly has given me,  that website will be useful.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you come to be staying in Butte?  Is it a tourist town, or are you actually living near there?

Best wishes

Rosemary

[johnnyboy]

Hi Rosemary:

I live in New York and stayed in Butte when I travelled cross-country in 2001 to visit family that had moved to Seattle, Washington State.

All of the State of Montana is worth a tourist's visit. The state's nickname is Big Sky Country, and it fits. The vistas are so broad there that I felt I could touch mountains that were fifty miles away. I literally drove for an hour toward the largest rainbow I had ever seen and proceeded to drive part way around the side of it before it evaporated. No exaggeration.

Butte has some late 19th century buildings, but it is not the prettiest place in Montana. Copper mining did immense environmental damage there. You can see the scale of the degradation from the Google photo I posted. That mine pit was at one time the site of a few hundred houses. There was--and is--also immense water pollution downstream from Butte.

Don't be deterred by me, though, if you ever have the chance to travel to Butte. I grew up in an area of worse environmental pollution, and the real reason for travelling to a far off place where a relative lived is to understand what he or she or they experienced

Cheers,
John

[Subaru]

Hi John

It sounds beautiful but a long way from where I am.  It isn't a place I would choose as a holiday destination, but if I won the lottery I would maybe consider it.

I live in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England, near Cleator Moor - where the Wards hail from after coming over from Ireland.

Most of the Wards worked as iron ore miners at Florence Mine in Egremont.  The men had the nickname of 'The Redmen' because when they came up from their shift, they were red from head to foot.  The paths, buildings and roads around the mine are red as well.  It is a mining museum now - with its own website, but I'm afraid I don't know how to attach links, being a mere woman!!!

At least three of the Wards went to Butte, one went to South Africa, and three are unaccounted for as yet.

Thanks for your lovely description.  I'm sure New York is a wonderful place to live as well.  I would love to go there for xmas one year, and see the huge tree.


Regards

Rosemary

Rosemary

[Queeneowyn]

Hi Rosemary,

I know this is a very old thread, but I just found it, and I am descendent of Peter Ward. I would love to be able to share information with each other if possible. I have history from the time the Ward's came to Butte and there is a Patrick Ward that lived in Deerlodge, MT.

Cate