History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

1746 HISTORY OF MICHIGAN
his career represents many of the fine qualities of his profession and
of civic life in Michigan.
A lifelong Michigan man, born in Allegan county, December I9, 1850,
William Edward Ware is a son of Sylvester S. and Judith E. (Watkins)
Ware. His father was born in Vermont and his mother near Watkins
Glen in New York. The founder of the Ware family was Mr. Ware's
grandfather, who located in Michigan before 1836, and was a pioneer.
settler and one of the first ministers of the Presbyterian church in the
state. Sylvester Ware and wife were married in Indiana, lived for
several years in Allegan county, had their home in Athens in Calhoun
county until I86I, and after two years residence at Colon returned to
Athens. The father, though a man of frail constitution, had wonderful
energy and was a man of business leadership. At Colon he built a mill
for the manufacture of interior finishings, and on returning to Athens
improved the water power and constructed a similar factory. He was a
builder, and many of the substantial structures erected by him in the
vicinity of Athens are still standing as proof of his reliable workmanship. He finally left Michigan and went out to the new country of
North Dakota and took up land, was unable to endure the rigors of the
climate, and died there January 23, I873. During the war, though
unable to go to the front on account of physical disabilities, he performed
effective service for the Union in raising troops and funds for the cause.
He was a strong anti-slavery man, and early Whig in politics, and later
a Republican. He was a member of the Masonic order, and belonged
to the Methodist church. His wife died at Union City, Michigan,
February 8, I877. Of their four children, one died in infancy, William
E. is the oldest; Charles Clark Ware has for many years been prominent in charitable work, was an organizer and officer of the State Federation of Humane Society for Ohio, is at the head of the Toledo Humane
Society at the present time; the daughter Carrie Belle married Charles
Gunthorpe, and she died near Mendon in September, 90o9.
With an education acquired in the village schools of Athens and Colon,
William E. Ware in June, 1872, left the farm and began the study of law
in the office of James A. Minor, one of the ablest lawyers of Marshall,
and who later served as a Federal judge in Utah Territory. Young Ware
on entering Mr. Minor's office had a salt-and-pepper suit two sizes too
large, and was what might be called a verdant boy, with only ambition
and inexhaustible energy to carry him forward. In a few months he
ceased to rely upon his father to support him, and had soon begun to
make a name for himself. In January, 1875, he moved to Union City,
and continued his studies under the direction of Marc. A. Merrifield,
and was admitted to the bar upon examination in open court at Coldwater
in June, 1878. In the meantime he had served as city attorney at Union
City, and in the fall of I879 moved to Coldwater and became junior member of the firm of Thompson & Ware, the senior partner being Judge
Thompson, now deceased, who for many years was one of the leaders
of the Branch county bar. In the spring of I880, Mr. Ware opened
an office of his own at Coldwater, and was soon in the enjoyment of a
large and profitable practice. In 1887 he formed a partnership with
Elmer E. Palmer, now one of the ablest lawyers of southern Michigan.
In the fall of I89I, Mr. Ware moved to Jackson, practiced as head of
the firm of Ware & Price, for a time, and in September, I892, became
a partner of Charles H. Smith, who for some years past has been a
Federal judge in the Philippines. He was with Mr. Smith about four
years, and in I896 their partnership was dissolved and Mr. Ware continued in practice alone at Jackson until 1903, when he moved to Battle
Creek. Since then he has had offices in the Post building of that city