NameAlfred Ward
Birth15 Apr 1881, Boston, Lincolnshire, England
Death16 Mar 1959, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
MemoSt Mary’s Hospital
Burial18 Mar 1959, Mountain View Cem, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
Occupationbuilding contractor
Misc. Notes
Son of William Ward and Lucy Cook. He was listed as naturalized for the WWI registration.
His first wife, Henrietta, died 26 Aug 1943.
[Obituary] Reno Gazette-Journal - Tuesday, 17 March 1959, pg 11
Alfred Ward, Civic Leader and Builder, died Monday afternoon in Reno
Alfred Ward, 77-year-old Reno building contractor, civic leader and well known sportsman, died Monday afternoon in a local hospital following a brief illness. A native of Boston, Lincolnshire, England, Mr. Ward was born April 15, 1881. He came to the U. S. in 1907 and settled in Reno, where he operated the William Ward building contracting firm with his two brothers, John and William Ward.
BUILT THEATERS
The company built the Majestic and Granada (the old Rialto) theaters in Reno, the agriculture and science buildings at the University of Nevada, the Orvis Ring and McKinley Park schools and chapel at St. Mary's convent. Mr. Ward recently was honored as the oldest member in the Reno Bricklayers Local, having joined in his teens. Long interested in civic and business affairs, Mr. Ward was instrumental in the formation of the Business Men's Association, a well known early day business men's civic group. In 1915 during a bad depression in Reno, Ward helped promote the divorce bill which provided for six weeks residence in the state instead of a year. He also supported the horse racing bill which legalized that activity in Nevada and was past president of the racing association which was formed subsequently in Reno.
OLD AGE AID
Among other foresighted achievements was his sponsorship of the old age assistance plan in Nevada. He toured the state in support of the measure along with the late Judge Harry Dunseath and appeared before the legislature several times on its behalf. At an early date he helped the state to be come one of the first in the US. to provide assistance for the aged. Mr. Ward also aided in the campaign of E. E. Roberts, who subsequently was elected mayor of Reno. An avid sportsman, Mr. Ward, who was a member of the Washoe county game management board for more than nine years, supported hunting, fishing and game conservation activities in the state for more than half a century. Mr. Ward also was past president of Reno area No. 207, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Bess Ward of Reno; his son, Alfred G. Ward and his daughter, Mrs. Wayne C. Hinckley, both of Reno; his grandson, Ward Hinckley and great grandson, Arthur Hinckley, both of Reno; and two brothers, John and Andrew Ward, both of Reno and several relatives in England. He was preceded in death by his brother, William Ward.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p. m. in the Sierra chapel of the Walton Funeral Home with a Christian Science reader officiating. Burial will be in the Masonic section of Mountain View cemetery.
Spouses
Birth7 Feb 1887, Scranton, Lackawanna Co, PA
Death13 Jul 1979, Washoe Co, NV
BurialMountain View Cem, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
MemoSec D-9-8 Head
OccupationArtist
Misc. Notes
She was in Cripple Creek, CO in 1900, with her parents.
Married Frank Arthur Peterson on 5 May 1903, and then David William Reilly in Reno in 1905.
Also (3rd)married to Harry David Barasch on 20 Sep 1918 (b. 13 Mar 1886, CA). Listed in San Francisco as Bessie Barasch (30, PA) in 1920, with husband Harry, a stock broker and son Sidney (listed as Sidney Barasch).
In 1927 she submitted an application for a special cosmetology license to perform “permanent hair waving” without examination, using the name Bessie Elvira Tallman. At the time she was living in Oakland and working at the Bessie Lee Garrett shop in San Francisco. It said she had been in California 10 years. She and Harry were listed the SF city directory that year.
It is unclear whether Harry died, or they were divorced.
Married a fourth time to Harold Vincent Bronge (27 Jun 1891, London) on 1 Jan 1929 in Alameda Co, CA. Listed as Bessie E. Bronge (37, PA) in 1930 Berkeley census with Harold Bronge, an optician, and her son Sidney Reilly, stating that she was first married at age 16. Harold died 23 Jun 1930 in Alameda Co, CA at age 38.
Married Soren Jorgen Hansen (13 Jun 1874 Denmark) on 2 Apr 1931 in Alameda Co, CA. So she was listed in the 1940 census as Bessie Hanson (55, PA) with Soren (55, Denmark) a clerk in a drayage company, and his step-son Sidney Reilly (30, NV). He subsequently died 23 Mar 1946 in Alameda Co (556-14-0435).
She was married a final time to Alfred Ward in Reno and lived with him until his death in 1959.
Buried in Mountain View Cem in Reno with other Tallman relatives as Bessie Ward.
She left her estate to her sister Eva May, dau in law - Rosamond Olsen Reilly, and step children Dorothy Hinckley and Alfred Ward, as well as her son Sidney David Reilly.
MarriageReno, Washoe Co, NV