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Photograph of John Q.A. Ward House
Photograph by Nyttend, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Ward, John Q. A., House

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

“Ward House is a historic house in Urbana, Ohio, United States. Located along College Street on the city's western side, it was built in 1820 by Colonel William Ward, the founder of Urbana, as a wedding present for his son, John Anderson Ward.”

Wikipedia article John Q.A. Ward House, CC BY-SA 4.0.

one of 27 National Register listings in Champaign County · listed in 1974 · category: Building.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 2 buildingss as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 335 College St., Urbana, 43078
  • When was it listed? 1974-07-30
  • Category. building
  • Township. Urbana township
  • National Register reference number. 74001409 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

The ground it stands on

94,624 words

The chapter on Urbana Township in The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881 names Urbana. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.

The subject of this sketch received rudimentary education in the common schools, and afterward attended college at Cincinnati. On the 12th of July, 1825, he married Mary P. Tiffin, a most excellent lady, and daughter of Edward Tiffin, the first Governor of Ohio. Mr. Reynolds was trained to mercantile business, but afterward turned his attention to agriculture. He at one time lived in Chillicothe, but for a number of years has been a retired citizen of Urbana. His amiable wife died July 1, 1862. They had but one child, also deceased. Mr. Reynolds still resides at the southwest corner of High and Reynolds streets.

Passage source: The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881.

A. M., President of the Urbana University, Professor of Intellectual and Moral Science in the same institution, and minister of the New Church, in Urbana, since 1870, was born in Bath, Me., in the year 1837, and is the son of Wm. D. Sewall, of that city. He was educated in the public schools, and, at the age of 16 years, entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me., where he was graduated in the degree B. A. at the age of 20. The same year, 1858, he went abroad ; spent a winter in Rome and other parts of Italy ; the following summer, went to Germany, where he was matriculated a student in the university of Tubingen in Wurtemberg, and pursued his studies in theology, philosophy and literature under the direction of the learned scholar and eminent Swedenborgian, the late Dr. Frederick Immanuel Tafel, then professor of Philosophy and Librarian of the university. From Tubingen he went to pursue his studies at the university of Berlin, where he attended lectures under the eminent Orientalist, Bopp, the historian Ranke, the theologians Hengstenberg, Nitzch and others. He also traveled extensively in Germany, Switzerland and France, passing considerable time in Paris attending lectures at the Sorbonne, and subsequently making a sojourn at St. Amand, in Cher, enjoying the intimate society of the eminent French New Churchman, the late M. Le Boys des Guays. Returning to America after three years' absence, he received from Bowdoin College the degree of Master of Arts, and he then entered upon his preparation for the ministry of the New Church, in which faith he had been nurtured by his parents, studying under the direction of the Rev. Samuel F. Dike, - his Pastor, and the ordaining minister of the Maine Association of the New Church.

Passage source: The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Urbana Township - 94,624 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Fires near this property

2 since 2002

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Ward, John Q. A., House between 2002 and 2002, burning about 1 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Recreation and ceremony1
Natural1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
6 September 2002Recreation and ceremony1.0 acresOhio State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
24 June 2002Naturalunder an acreOhio State Fire Marshal's Officenot named

Every fire recorded in Champaign County

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 1,528 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 1,528 specimens collected within 10 miles of Ward, John Q. A., House between 1838 and 1975: 1,160 Animalia, 269 Plantae, 82 Fungi, 11 Unrecorded, 5 Protozoa, 1 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. Gray; W. S. Sullivant, A. R. Gaufin, A. R. Gaufin, H. H. Ross and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Dryopteris × boottii (Tuck.) Underw.Dryopteris × boottii (Tuck.) Underw.1874Beardslee, H.C.Cedar Swamp
Specimen of Frullania riparia Hampe ex Lehm.Frullania riparia Hampe ex Lehm.1877J. E. Biddlecome
Specimen of Aecidium ranunculi Schwein.Aecidium ranunculi Schwein.1902Schaffner, J.H.; Tyler, F.J.Brush Lake
A photograph of the species Acer negundo, not of this specimenAcer negundo L.1838Samples, JohnUrbana
A photograph of the species Pylaisiadelpha tenuirostris, not of this specimenPylaisiadelpha tenuirostris (Bruch & Schimp. ex Sull.) W.R.Buck1842W. S. SullivantCedar Swamps, 6 mi S of Urbana
A photograph of the species Radula complanata, not of this specimenRadula complanata (L.) Dumort.1843A. Gray; W. S. Sullivantprope Urbana Ohionis
A photograph of the species Radula obconica, not of this specimenRadula obconica Sull.1843Asa Gray; W. S. Sullivantnear Urbana
A photograph of the species Cratoneuron filicinum, not of this specimenCratoneuron filicinum (Hedw.) Spruce1875H. J. Biddlecome
A photograph of the species Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, not of this specimenRhytidiadelphus triquetrus (Hedw.) Warnst.1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Sphagnum girgensohnii, not of this specimenSphagnum girgensohnii Russow1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Thuidium delicatulum, not of this specimenThuidium delicatulum (Hedw.) Schimp.1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Trichocolea tomentella, not of this specimenTrichocolea tomentella (Ehrh.) Dumort.1875H. J. BiddlecomeUrbana

All 1,528 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

8 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 8 workings within 5 miles of Ward, John Q. A., House: 4 producers, 2 past producers, 1 plant, 1 unknown. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Tungsten. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Ultra-Met/ Urbana, OhioTungstenUnknown
Champlaign Co. Highway Dept.Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Jacobs Farm PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Miller Excavating Urbana PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Ralph Moore PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Urbana # 215Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Urbana Number 215 PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Urbana PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary

Every working recorded in Champaign County

Storms near this property

60 of 72 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Urbana, the town this property stands in, in 72 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 49 thunderstorm wind, 14 hail, 6 flood, 1 lightning. The reports record 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2002LightningUrbana3 hurtA 12-year old boy was seriously injured by a lightning strike. Two other boys with him, ages 8 and 11, also complained of minor muscle spasms in their legs.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$100,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed across mainly the northern half of Champaign County.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$25,000Several trees and power poles were downed across Champaign County.
May 2000HailUrbana$25,000Large hail fell causing damage to the roof of a business. The hail also dented three trucks and cracked a car's windshield.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindUrbana$20,000At least four trees were downed in Urbana due to thunderstorm winds. Structural damage also occurred to a house.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$20,000Trees and powerlines were downed from Upper Valley Pike east to Kennard-Kingscreek Road. A garage sustained major damage beyond repair along Upper Valley Pike.
April 2023Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000A house roof was damaged and several pine trees were downed.
May 2011FloodUrbana$10,000Roads were flooded and vehicles were stalled in flood waters due to heavy rain.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000Part of a barn roof was blown off and trees were reported down due to damaging winds.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000A door was blown off of an airplane hangar at Grimes Field just north of Urbana.
August 1998HailUrbana$10,000Hail up to the size of tennis balls caused at least one broken windshield.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$8,000A tower sustained some minor damage. A home on Kennard-Kingscreek Road sustained significant damage from a fallen tree.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Several trees were downed in Urbana.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Numerous trees were downed due to thunderstorm winds.
October 2001Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Trees were downed across town, and a large limb landed on a parked car.
September 2011Thunderstorm WindUrbana$6,000Numerous trees were down and large limbs were down on a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$6,000Numerous trees were knocked down across town.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000A tree fell onto a portion of a house along East Ward Street.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Several trees were downed in the western half of the county.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power poles were knocked down.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines knocked down.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines.
November 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines down.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Several trees knocked down.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Numerous trees downed.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees downed, winds reported at 60 mph.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$4,000A power pole was downed.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Multiple trees were downed.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees and power lines were downed along a portion of Reynolds Street.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Large tree limbs were knocked down.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees were knocked down.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000A few trees were knocked down.
March 2007FloodUrbana$3,000Several roads were flooded and closed.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several four inch dimaeter tree limbs were knocked down.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Trees and powerlines were downed.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Power poles were knocked down.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees and powerlines were downed.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Numerous trees were knocked down.
February 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Numerous trees knocked down.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Trees downed.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000Trees were downed near Urbana due to thunderstorm winds.
March 2007FloodUrbana$2,000One road was flooded.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000Large limbs and powerlines were downed.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
April 1996Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000no account filed
June 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A large branch was downed and caused damage to a house roof and porch.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A tree was downed along State Route 54 in Urbana.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A small tree was snapped in half.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000One tree was knocked down over a road.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000Large branches were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000Large limbs were knocked down onto area roadways.
June 2008HailUrbana$1,000no account filed
September 2006HailUrbana$1,000no account filed
June 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$250Several large tree branches were downed near Lafayette Avenue.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindUrbana$4Numerous trees downed, some taking down power lines.
June 2025FloodUrbana-High water was reported on several roads in the Urbana area.
March 2020FloodUrbana-High water was reported on a few streets in Urbana, including along Jefferson Avenue and Powell Road.
February 2019Flash FloodUrbana-Several roads were closed due to flooding.
June 2019FloodUrbana-High water was reported over roads.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindUrbana-A large tree was snapped in half.

Every storm recorded in Champaign County

Newspapers printed here

0 digitised pages

1 paper published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 0 issues, 0 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
Urbana Union1862 to 1872

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

1,477 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Statement of significance

gift for his son, John A. Ward. Noted sculptor John Quincy quite by accident when, at the age of six, he playfully urged him to pursue them. Because of his health, he was sent he modeled several heads of prominent men, and then returned in Brooklyn, "The Indian Htinter," "The Good Samaritan," artists.and served as president of the National Sculpture MAR 2 1 1974 losophy Commerce Architecture Engineering Conservation Communications Aboriginal NATIONAL John Quincy Adams Ward discovered his artistic abilities REGISTER Science Music Education Military Prehistoric Literature Sculpture Political Agriculture Social/Human- New York Stock Exchange Building. In later life Ward received many tributes from his fellow Industry Religion/Phi.

Landscape Ward settled in Columbus while also maintaining the Urbana copied the work of another artist.His relatives and a became a pupil and assistant of Henry Kirke Brown from numerous works, the house and grounds comprise the only physical record of his life. unusual projects was the sculpting of the pediment for the friend of the family took an interest in his talents and works.Some of these were statues of George Washington, The Ward House was built by Colonel William Ward who founded Urbana in 1805.Colonel Ward built the house as a wedding this house for much of his life. to Brooklyn to recover with a relative, and while there and "General Reynolds" in New York, and "Lincoln Goodale" Adams Ward of John A. and grandson of Colonel to Ohio.

Invention Other AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) - Theater 1849 to 1856. Ward then went to Washington, D. C. where studio.

Read the complete 1,477-word case file.

The whole case file for this property - 1,477 words, 10 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 74001409, 10 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

4 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Mosgrove, Dr. Adam, House1.1 miles1982
Richards--Sewall House1.2 miles1995
Nutwood Place1.9 miles1976
Nutwood Place2.0 miles1976

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 74001409 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Champaign CountyAll 27 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.