Ward, Joseph (1838-1889), was a noted clergyman and educator, and a leader in South Dakota’s drive for statehood. In 1879, he helped form a group that worked for South Dakota’s statehood.
Ward became a Congregational minister in 1869, and became a missionary in Yankton, then capital of the Dakota Territory. Because of his missionary work, some people call him the Father of Congregationalism in Dakota. In 1881, he helped establish Yankton College, a private school associated with the Congregational Church. He served as president and professor of philosophy at Yankton until his death on Dec. 11, 1889.
Ward was born on May 5, 1838, in Perry Centre, New York. A statue of him represents South Dakota in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
