Elijah Ward was a U.S. Congressman during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 and the Reconstruction era.

Ward was born in Sing Sing (now Ossining

Ossining (village), New York

Ossining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 25,060 at the 2010 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Ossining.-Geography:Ossining borders the eastern shores of the widest part of the Hudson River....

), New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. He pursued classical studies, engaged in commercial pursuits in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 and at the same time attended the law department of New York University

New York University

New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

. He was admitted to the bar in 1843 and commenced practice in New York City. He was judge advocate general of the State 1853-1855, and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention

Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...

 in 1856.

He was elected as a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 to the Thirty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1857–March 3, 1859), but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1858. He was subsequently elected to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1861–March 3, 1865), but again was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1864. He resumed the practice of law in New York City, and then was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1875–March 3, 1877). He was chairman, Committee on Commerce (Forty-fourth Congress). Ward was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1876.

He died in Roslyn, Nassau County, New York; interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City.