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The Ward Mansion, also known as
“Edgewood,” is part of the Butcher Hill Historic District,
which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located in the Town of Beverly, in Randolph County, WV, the
property is historically significant and played a prominent
role during the Civil War, as the site of a major Federal
encampment, entrenchment and artillery placement. In front
of the house is a “v” shaped trench reminiscent of the “war
between the states.”
Built in 1895, the two-story, Victorian Queen Anne style
frame structure is the best surviving example of this style
of 19th century architecture in the vicinity.
Sitting atop the highest hill overlooking the town, the
4,600 sq. ft. house is designed with a hip main roof of
patterned slate with metal in the rounded turrets on the
northwest corner and in the center of the south elevation.
There are three porches with turned balustrades and
decorative posts. The trim, woodwork, interior mantels and
detail exemplifies the proliferation of wood trim “Stick
Style” ornamentation found in West Virginia at that time as
a result of the state’s lumbering operations.
The interior, finished with tongue and groove hardwood
floors, consists of an entrance/stair hall, two parlors, a
dining room with a three-sided bay extension on the south,
and a kitchen with pantry. The original fireplace in the
front drawing room is two-tiered with round supporting
columns and a mirror on the upper shelf.
The second floor contains four large bedrooms and two
bathrooms. Additionally, the house has a full basement and
attic.
Visit www.wardmansionwv.com
Historical Significance:
During the Civil War, Randolph County was of major
importance due to its location to the Staunton to
Parkersburg Turnpike. Beverly, then the county seat, created
in 1797, lay on the Staunton to Parkersburg Turnpike, which
was chartered in 1824. Beverly was generally controlled and
occupied by Federal troops, with occasional takeovers by the
CSA. It acted as headquarters for many war movements and
scouting activities that occurred in Randolph, Pocahontas
and the southern counties of Western Virginia/West Virginia.
The Ward family is that of prominent lawyer John Baylis
Ward, born in 1852 in Elkins, Virginia (now West Virginia).
The Ward family has lived in Randolph County since 1788,
when Sylvester Ward was listed as trustee in the charter for
the Town of Beverly, then the county seat.
The Butcher family is one of the older families in the town,
having settled in the county in the late 18th century. Their
contributions include Bernard L. Butcher, a lawyer, who was
owner of The Randolph Tribune, the county’s first newspaper,
and served as prosecuting attorney of Randolph County. Eli
Baxter Butcher, who served as county assessor and later as
county sheriff, was among other members of the Butcher
family to occupy public service positions in the county.
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