Texas State Library and Archives Commission

WARD, Matthias, a Senator from Texas; born in Elbert County, Ga., October 13, 1805; was raised in Madison County, Ala.; received a college education in Huntsville, Ala.; taught school two years; studied law; moved to the Republic of Texas in 1836 and settled in Bowie, Montague County, and subsequently in Clarksville, Red River County, in 1845; engaged in trading; served a number of years in the Congress of the Republic of Texas; moved to Jefferson, Marion County, Tex.; served in the State senate; appointed as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of J. Pinckney Henderson and served from September 27, 1858, to December 5, 1859, when a successor was elected; died at Warm Springs, near Raleigh, N.C., October 5, 1861; interment in the Old City Cemetery, Nashville, Tenn.