Ebenezer Ward
Ebenezer Ward (4 September 1837 – 8 October 1917) was an Australian politician and journalist. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1870 to 1880 and from 1881 to 1890, representing Gumeracha (1870–1880), Burra (1881–1884) and Frome (1884–1890). In 1890 he switched to the South Australian Legislative Council, where he represented Northern District until 1900. He was Minister for Agriculture and Education under James Boucaut from 1875 to 1876 and under John Colton from 1876 to 1877.
The Honourable Ebenezer Ward | |
|---|---|
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Gumeracha | |
| In office 1870–1880 | |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Burra | |
| In office 1881–1884 | |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Frome | |
| In office 1884–1890 | |
| Member of the South Australian Legislative Council for Northern District | |
| In office 1891–1900 | |
| Minister for Agriculture and Education | |
| In office 1875–1877 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 September 1837 Mersey Island, Essex, England |
| Died | 8 October 1917 (aged 80) Perth, Western Australia |
| Resting place | Karrakatta Cemetery |
| Spouses | Matilda Ann Simmons
(m. 1861; div. 1870)Lucy Johnson
(m. 1870; sep. 1893) |
| Children | two sons from first marriage, four sons and five daughters from second marriage |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Known for | Accidentally giving women the right to stand for parliament |
As a journalist, Ward variously worked for the Morning Post in England; in Melbourne, for The Herald and Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle, and The Age; and, in Adelaide, for The Advertiser and the Daily Telegraph, where he served a stint as editor. He subsequently established a series of regional newspapers: Southern Argus in Port Elliot, the City and Country, the Northern Argus in Clare, a newspaper at Gumeracha, and The Farmers' Messenger.