BIOGRAPHY: Robert J. Ware born October 10, 1759 – Revolutionary War soldier

Happy Birthday!

ROBERT J. WARE

BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY

(1759-1827)

Montgomery, Alabama

Robert J. Ware (b. 1759) and his wife Judith came from Lincoln County, Georgia to settle in the Fork (the juncture of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers) in Montgomery about the year 1825. He was a Revolutionary War Soldier who fought in the Battle of Cowpens and the Siege of Augusta, both occurring in 1781. He participated in an emotional reunion with General LaFayette in Montgomery, Alabama in 1824-5. He only lived two years more and died in 1827.

Dr. Robert J. Ware, Jr. (b. 1800), son of the patriot, settled in the Fork in Montgomery about the year 1825. “He was a rich talented young bachelor, a practicing physician, a large planter, politician and prominent member of the Baptist church. Dr. Ware was a good citizen and neighbor, and was very charitable with his means; he never hesitated for a moment to extend a helping hand to the needy or distressed. He lived a bachelor for several years and then married a Asenath Ann White from Mobile.” She was the daughter of David and Mary (Billingslea) White. Dr. Ware, Jr. opened the Alabama Hotel with his father-in-law at the corner of Royal and St. Francis Streets in Mobile. The hotel later became the Waverly House, then the Battle House.

Dr. Ware built a splendid residence on one of these tables above the river  and was surrounded with every comfort and convenience for country life. He had a park, stocked with deer, the only one ever seen by the writer. He belonged to the old Whig party and was very popular. He was the second man from the Fork that represented Montgomery county in the Legislature.

He married Judith Anthony (b. Oct 23, 1771 – d. Jan 25, 1856) Dr. Ware had the following known children:

1.Robert Y. Ware married Miss Molton

2.James Ware married Miss Stokes

3.Mary Ware married T. J. Molton, a young lawyer.

The Dr. lived in the Fork a number of years and then moved to the city and had a fine brick residence there, where he lived the remaining years of his life. Robert Ware is buried on private property behind the residence at 162 West Rosemary Road. His magnificent monument can be viewed from the rear parking lot of Seton Haven, 2721 Wares Ferry Road, near the intersection of Wares Ferry Road and the Atlanta Highway. The current owners of the cemetery (which is actually located on a city easement) have spent the past five years reclaiming the cemetery from thick vegetation overgrowth. The main monument is a huge obelisk with one side inscribed, “Robert Ware, Sen. Born Oct 10, 1759, died May 8, 1827.”

Julich erroneously reports in her book (page 608) that he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in the Ware lot. Actually, the Robert Ware buried in that lot was his son, Dr. Robert James Ware, and the Oakwood Cemetery caretaker confirmed this. There is a brass plaque near the monument which reads, “Revolutionary War Patriot Robert Ware 1759 – 1827, Magnolia State, Ms & Ann Phillips, AL CHS [chapters], NSDAR March 14, 1997.”There is no SAR marker. Descendants belong to the DAR, but not the SAR. The owner of the property said that there was another metal plate that had been removed by her husband to safeguard it (perhaps a historical marker?). The GPS reading for the site is N32 23.191 W086 15.119, and is registered by the Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance as the Ware-Green Cemetery, ID# 51-000014. The gravesite is not in the SAR Revolutionary War Graves Register, 2000 Edition.
His obituary in the Alabama Journal is as follows:

Died on the 6th inst. at his residence near this place, aged, 67. The eulogy of the departed good, is but a just tribute to their merit. In some degree, it soothes the feelings of friends, and excites to emulation and virtue. Those who knew Mr. Ware will always venerate his memory. Animated by ardent patriotism he early embarked in defence of the liberties of his country. He endured every hardship, and encountered every peril, with fortitude and heroism. In numerous excursions against the tories, at the battle of the Cowpens and at the siege of Augusta, he performed services which ought to embalm his name in the hearts of his countrymen. During most of his life, he was an inhabitant of the county of Lincoln in the State of Georgia; and for many years, as a member of the Legislature and a judge of the county court was distinguished for his sound judgment and inflexible integrity. As a member of the Baptist church, for nearly forty years he exhibited an example to the Christian, in piety to God and good will to man. In his general intercourse with society upright and honorable, in his domestic relations kind and affectionate, in his private habits temperate and industrious, few men more fully performed the various duties for which it has pleased the Deity to place in this world, in order to qualify us to enjoy that state of happiness which he has reserved only for the righteous. We trust he has gone to meet his redeemer, and receive the welcome. ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.—Alabama Journal, Montgomery, Ala., May 17, 1827.

This is from a partial survey of the Ware-Green Cemetery made in January 2000 by Frank Harvey BrownThis cemetery is located in the Dalraida Area of the City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama. The cemetery is located about 50 yards (West) off Wares Ferry Road, approximately 250 yards +/- North of the intersection of the Atlanta Highway (At one time know as Mount Meigs Road) and Wares Ferry Road. The cemetery joins the North boundary of the Seton Haven property. The exact location is approximately 200 feet North of the Northeast corner of the Seton Haven building. The cemetery is fenced and has an opening from the Seton Haven parking lot. The cemetery is approximately 80 feet by 40 feet in size. There is evidence of fourteen (14) graves in the cemetery. Even though all of the graves are marked with stone slabs only eight (8) have names and dates inscribed on them. All names and dates on the graves and moments can be read easily. The cemetery is in fairly good condition on the date of the survey.

There is a very large monument in the middle of the cemetery which is about twelve (12) feet tall.

On the East Side of the large moment is inscribed:

Robert Ware, Sen

Born October 10, 1755

Died May 8, 1827

On the West Side of the large moment is inscribed:

Judith Anthony

Wife of Robert Ware

Born October 23, 1771

Died January 25, 1856

At the base of this moment on the east side is a metal marker:

Revolutionary War Patriot

Robert Ware

1759 – 1827

Magnolia State MS &

Anne Phillips, AL

CHS, NSDAR

March 14, 1997

———————

To the memory

Young S. Ware

who was Born June 22, 180?

And Died in Richmond, V?

November 18th 1826

age 22 years, 4 months ?6 days

He was a native of Lincoln Co. Georg?

Moved to Montgomery Co. Ala

February 1st 1822

Married Martha M. Mitchell

December 19th 1822

This corruptible must put on incorruption, and

this mortal, must put on immortality

Erected by his only child

Jane

 

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SOURCES

1.Recollections of the Early Settlers of Montgomery County, Alabama – Original data: Robertson, W. G.. Recollections of the early settlers of Montgomery County, Alabama. Montgomery, Ala.: Society of Pioneers of Montgomery, 1961

2.Alabama Journal May 17, 1827

3.Alabama State Archives

4.http://files.usgwarchives.org/al/montgomery/cemeteries/waregreen.txt

 

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