1612 Park Street, Greenville, Texas was the home of Dr. James W. Ward and wife Rena from at least 1920 until her death in 1968. Will N. Harrison, a local builder whose homes often included Prairie style architecture such as this home, may have built it.
Just before Christmas a friend of mine in Sulphur Springs sent me a photograph of the business center of a town somewhere in the middle of the United States. The early 20th century photograph could have been anywhere, as many small towns were remarkably similar. He wanted to know if it was taken in Greenville or Sulphur Springs. I was unable to find even one identifiable landmark.
A few days later I received two names from my friend. Did I know Grady Bruce or J. W. Ward, both medical doctors specializing in Ear, Nose, and Throat, better known as an ENT? Since this is a good friend who has done several favors for me, I decided to see what I could find out about the two doctors.
Using City Directories, Census records, Google Maps, and John Armstrong’s wonderful index to Hunt County newspapers, I managed to put together what I think is a pretty good resume of Dr. Ward.
Dr. James W. Ward practiced medicine in Greenville as early 1920. Before that in 1910, I found him in Detroit, Red River County, Texas where he was in general practice medicine. He married his wife Rena five years earlier. His practice was brisk if the fact the couple hired a twenty-year-old live-in maid was any indication. Two children were in the household. He did not answer the call for medical personnel in World War I, though.
By 1920, Dr. Ward relocated to Greenville, purchased a home at 1612 Park Street, and practiced as an ENT. His first office was above Pennington & Holderness Drug Store at 2502 Stonewall. How long he kept that office is not known, but sometime after 1926 when the Greenville National Exchange Bank building was opened, he moved into an office there. He remained in the bank building until he semi-retired and moved his office to 2213 Johnson Street about 1953. He was no longer practicing medicine in 1956.
Dr. Ward was a dedicated member of the Greenville Lions Club, organized an oil company, and served on the Boy Scout Advisory Board as well as the Wesley College Board. Sometime after World War II he joined the Board of Directors at Citizens National Bank as Vice-President.
His wife Rena was a member of at least two women’s clubs in town, an officer in PTA at Travis, Greenville Junior High and Greenville High School when the three children were young. She served as an officer in the Hunt County Medical Auxiliary. Evidently the couple enjoyed social life as they were in attendance at one of Greenville’s more elaborate events, the Opening of the Washington Hotel.
Dr. Ward passed away on December 16, 1956. Rena lived until 1968. They resided in the same home, raised three children, took part in many local activities, but for some reason I don’t feel like I know them. It is possible to discover all the outstanding honors and occupations a person has held, but what was that person really like? Was he cheerful with a great bedside manner, or was he really grumpy? As an ENT he treated many children, did they like him or did they come in kicking and screaming?
Those are problems genealogists face. We can rattle off accomplishments, or even disgraces, but it is very hard to zero in on the real human being.