Growing Up Country: Ward Family Memories

What does “Growing Up Country” mean? I think the word “country” means not only one’s nation, but a natural and rural way of life. It’s a descriptive word that brings to mind rolling hills, golden grasslands, meandering creeks, and fresh spring water drawn by windmill pumps, powered by gentle breezes. This book is a compilation of the memories of many Ward family members. Part 1 is the memoirs of my grandfather J.G. (Jasper Grigg) Ward, written in the 1970s. He gives insight into the family’s rural country life in Virginia, New Mexico and California. Part 2 is based on a manuscript by my uncle Robert Ward, written from 2009 to 2012, describing a life growing up on ranches and farms with his parents and nine surviving siblings. Uncle Bob tells of his idyllic childhood as a fearless explorer of the family’s many acres in central California. This is the Ward family story, told in our own words by J.G. Ward, Bob Ward, Annette Savage Williams, Ted Ward, Wilma Ward McKee, Al Ward, Verna Ward, Jim Pate, Lee Pate, Linda Savage Wakeling, Glen Ward and Mitchell Ward. I hope readers will enjoy our story and be reminded of the best definitions of “country.” Annette Savage Williams June 2013