US-RNk-1980.1 Guide to the John Ward Collection 1890-1986, undated Finding aid prepared by Tom Frawley. North Kingstown Free Library

100 Boone Street North Kingstown, RI 02852 Tel: 401-294-3306 email: nkiref@nklibrary.org Website: https://nklibrary.org/

Finding aid encoded by Tom Frawley 2026 March English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard(DACS). English North Kingstown Free Library

100 Boone Street North Kingstown, RI 02852 Tel: 401-294-3306 email:nkiref@nklibrary.org

Ward, John, 1911-1986 John Ward Collection John Ward Collection 1890-1986, undated 2 linear feet Photographs, documents and memorabilia related to the Town of North Kingstown, including the histories of the North Kingstown Fire Department and the North Kingstown Ambulance Association. 1980.1 Biographical Note

John Ward was born in the village of Wickford in North Kingstown, RI on September 5, 1911. He lived on West Main St. in Wickford nearly his entire life and was a devoted recorder and collector of the town's history. Ward graduated from North Kingstown High School in 1932 and began working for the Providence Journal-Bulletin soon after. Within two years he was made a reporter for the paper, covering the area of North Kingstown, Exeter and Jamestown. He worked for the paper for his entire career, retiring in 1974.

Ward was also a member of the North Kingstown Fire Department for 25 years and was instrumental in the restoration of the department's original handtub engine Washington No.1. He was also a member of the committee that established the North Kingstown Ambulance Association. He was among the group who created the South County Museum, was a member of the Gilbert Stuart Museum, and was a board member of the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Through his work at the newspaper, his involvement with the Fire Department and Ambulance Association, and his passion for the town's history, Ward amassed a collection of photographs, documents, and memorabilia which he began donating to the library in 1980 until just before his death on June 26, 1986.

Collection information

This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the North Kingstown Free Library.

Copyright has not been assigned to North Kingstown Free Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be obtained by the researcher from the copyright holder.

[item title], John Ward Collection, 1980.1, North Kingstown Free Library. North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

This collection consists of photographs related to the history of North Kingstown, materials related to the history of the North Kingstown Fire Department, materials related to the creation and history of the North Kingstown Ambulance Association, and other miscellaneous materials related to North Kingstown history. Ward's areas of interest, in addition to firefighting and ambulance services, included railroads (especially the Sea View Railroad) and the Quonset Naval Air Station.

The collection is divided into four series: I. Photographs, II. North Kingstown Fire Department materials, III. North Kingstown Ambulance Association materials, IV. Miscellaneous materials related to North Kingstown history.

Administrative information

Materials were donated by John Ward between 1980 and 1986.

The collection was received by the North Kingstown Free Library in multiple accessions between 1980 and 1986.

The collection was processed at various times between 1980 and 2026; finding aid by Tom Frawley, March 2026.

No accruals are expected.

Names Ward, John, 1911-1986 North Kingstown Ambulance Association (R.I.) North Kingstown Fire Department (R.I.) Quonset Point Naval Air Station (R.I.) Subjects North Kingstown (R.I.) North Kingstown (R.I.) -- History Fire departments -- Rhode Island -- North Kingstown Railroads -- Rhode Island -- History RIAMCO Browsing Terms North Kingstown (R.I.) -- History Types of materials correspondence memorabilia newspaper clippings photographs receipts Series I. Photographs

Note: Images and item level description are viewable via the library's online catalog.

Box 1 Folder 1-20 Photographs Box 2 Folder 21-40 Photographs Box 3 Folder 41-53 Photographs Box 4 Folder 54-129 Photographs Series II. North Kingstown Fire Department materials Box 5 Folder 1 Photograph, Narragansett Handtub Engine Undated Box 5 Folder 2 Receipt, Wickford Fire Engine Co. 1907 Box 5 Folder 3 Receipt, Secretary of State 1907 Box 5 Folder 4 Receipts and correspondence, Wickford Fire Engine Co. 1907 Box 5 Folder 5 Guaranty Bond, USFGC 1907 Box 5 Folder 6 Deed, Ellen Reynolds to Wickford Fire Engine Co. 1909 Box 5 Folder 7 Guaranty Bond, USFGC 1909 Box 5 Folder 8 Correspondence, Wickford Fire Engine Co. (9) 1909 Box 5 Folder 9 Receipts (2) 1912 Box 5 Folder 10 Receipts (2) 1913 Box 5 Folder 11 Correspondence 1914 Box 5 Folder 12 Guaranty Bond, USFGC 1915 Box 5 Folder 13 Receipts (12) 1915 Box 5 Folder 14 Receipts (60) 1916 Box 5 Folder 15 Receipts (19) 1917 Box 5 Folder 16 Rules and Regulations of the North Kingstown Fire Department 1918 Box 5 Folder 17 Raffle Ticket, Narragansett Veteran Fireman's Association 1921 Box 5 Folder 18 Photograph, NKFD group photo at firehouse 1930 Box 5 Folder 19 Photograph, Arthur Selley Undated Box 5 Folder 20 Photograph, NKFD group photo 1955 Box 5 Folder 21 Photograph (contact sheet), Washington No. 1 engine 1961 Box 5 Folder 22 Negatives, Washington No. 1 1961 Box 5 Folder 23 Photograph, Herbert Standeven at fireman's muster Undated Box 5 Folder 24 Newspaper clipping, fireman's muster 1962 Box 5 Folder 25 Invitation, Washington Handtub Ball 1964 Box 5 Folder 26 Program, New England States Veteran Fireman's League Muster 1965 Box 5 Folder 27 Photographs (10), North Kingstown muster 1965 Box 5 Folder 28 Negatives, fireman's musters Undated Box 5 Folder 29 Photograph, East Greenwich parade 1966 Box 5 Folder 30 Photograph, handtub engine Undated Box 5 Folder 31 Photograph (copy), handtubs Undated Box 5 Folder 32 Photograph, fireman's muster Undated Box 5 Folder 33 Photograph, Washington No. 1 Undated Box 5 Folder 34 Photograph (contact sheet), fireman's muster Undated Box 5 Folder 35 Negatives Undated Box 5 Folder 36 Photograph, Herbert Standeven Undated Box 5 Folder 37 Chronicle of Firefighting in North Kingstown by John Ward 1981 Box 5 Folder 38 Prints, handtubs by Virginia Seamans Undated Box 5 Folder 39 Photograph, Firefighters, Post Road 1968 Box 5 Folder 40 Ribbon, Washington No. 1 Undated Box 5 Folder 41 Photograph, Defiance handtub Undated Box 5 Folder 42 Photographs (2) 1959 Series III. North Kingstown Ambulance Association materials unboxed Album of the history of the North Kingstown Ambulance Association containing photos, correspondence, organizational documents, news clippings and other documents 1943-1981 Box 6 Folder 1 Photographs (25) Undated Box 6 Folder 2 Community Citizenship Award 1983 Box 6 Folder 3 Recollections of past members 1980 Box 6 Folder 4 List of commanders and presidents Undated Box 6 Folder 5 Newspaper clippings (3) 1981 Box 6 Photographs, framed (2) Undated Series IV. Miscellaneous materials related to North Kingstown history Box 7 Folder 1 Articles, In Perspective by John Ward Undated Box 7 Folder 2 Articles, John Ward Undated Box 7 Folder 3 Biography of Richard Ruble Undated Box 7 Folder 4 Biography of John Ward Undated Box 7 Folder 5 Cards, Robert McMeehan, illustrator (5) Undated Box 7 Folder 6 Clipping, Cold Spring Beach/Sachem Farm 1937 Box 7 Folder 7 Clipping, Devil's Rock (photocopy) 1939 Box 7 Folder 8 Clipping, General steamboat 1956 Box 7 Folder 9 Clipping, Hurricane of 1938 (3) 1938 Box 7 Folder 10 Clipping, Jamestown Bridge (5) 1939 Box 7 Folder 11 Clipping, North Kingstown signs 1936-1937 Box 7 Folder 12 Clipping, Paule Loring 1968 Box 7 Folder 13 Clipping, Pine River Pond ice harvest 1939 Box 7 Folder 14 Clipping, Quonset Point fire 1953 Box 7 Folder 15 Clipping, USS Bennington explosion (3) 1954 Box 7 Folder 16 Correspondence, John Ward to North Kingstown Free Library 1986 Box 7 Folder 17 Envelope, Newport and Wickford Railroad Undated Box 7 Folder 18 Form, South County Museum Membership Undated Box 7 Folder 19 Manuscript, Streets of the City article Undated Box 7 Folder 20 Map, North Kingstown by George Matteson (folded) 1954 Box 7 Folder 21 Newspaper, Depot News (Davisville) April 3, 1943 Box 7 Folder 22 Newspaper, Quonset Scout No. 1 November 1941 Box 7 Folder 23 Newspaper, Quonset Scout May 20, 1950 Box 7 Folder 24 Newspaper, Quonset Scout May 18, 1951 Box 7 Folder 25 Newspaper, Quonset Scout (2) July 12, 1966 Box 7 Folder 26 Newspaper, Towlines No. 1 (Davisville) September 3, 1943 Box 7 Folder 27 Obituary, John Ward 1986 Box 7 Folder 28 Postcard, Mill Cove by Paule Loring Undated Box 7 Folder 29 Postcard, Pacific Electric Railroad 1910 Box 7 Folder 30 Print, Wickford Dock by Paule Loring 1944 Box 7 Folder 31 Ribbon, North Kingstown Poultry Association 1916 Box 7 Folder 32 Sketch, Paule Loring Undated Box 7 Folder 33 Ticket, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (2) Undated Box 7 Folder 34 Ticket, New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, Providence and Worcester Railroad, Sea View Railroad (3) Undated Box 7 Folder 35 Ticket, Rodman Hall Undated Box 7 Folder 36 Timetable, Sea View Railroad (photo of) 1910