She was a daughter of Benjamin Ward of "Egglestetton" , the family home of her mothers' people in Amelia County, VA. Her mother married General Everard Meade in 1789, following her father's death, and Maria was reared at "The Hermitage" in Amelia County from the age of five. She was married, March 15, 1806, in Amelia County, Virginia to Peyton Randolph after having been unsuccessfully courted by his cousin, John Randolph, of Roanoke.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 70 (April, 1885), pages 716-717 (public domain), states:
"One of the saddest and most romantic love affairs in the social annals of Virginia was that of Maria Ward and John Randolph of Roanoke. Beginning in his early boyhood, it became the one enthralling passion of his manhood, filling his whole being,"until, as he himself said, “he loved her better than his own soul or Him that created it.” There is a picture of John Randolph in the rooms of the Virginia. Historical Society, taken at the time when he was the accepted lover of Maria Ward. It represents a singularly handsome youth of twenty-five, his eyes dark and full of intellect, his mouth beautifully formed, and over his proud and lofty forehead fell a profusion of dark hair. The breaking off of the affair is wrapped in mystery; all we know is that one summer morning he rode up to the house, and after a long interview in the parlor, the lady left the room in tears, while he rushed from the house, mounted his horse, and rode furiously away. He never saw her again; but one day he approached a house where she was staying while she was singing in the parlor. Fascinated by the sound of her voice, he lingered on the porch, and sent in from time to time a request for her to sing one after another the tender little ballads which were associated with their loves. Maria Ward sang, unconscious of her lover's presence, while he rushed frantically up and down the porch in an agony of grief, waving his arms, and crying in the anguish of his heart: "Macbeth hath murdered sleep; Macbeth shall sleep no more."
Maria Ward married Peyton Randolph, son of Edmund Randolph, who was Governor of Virginia, the first Attorney-General of the United States, and Secretary of State under Washington. This lady was distinguished for the exquisite grace and fascination of her manners and her bright wit. Her portrait, a copy of which has been secured for this article by the courtesy of her granddaughter, Mrs. J. L. Williams, of Richmond, represents a lovely girl of sixteen with wondrous blue eyes, exquisitely delicate complexion, a profusion of sunny brown curls, and in the quaint costume of the last century.
Maria Ward died in 1826, aged 42 years. All contemporary accounts unite in describing her as possessing a singular fascination of manners, a charming sweetness and amiability of disposition, an enchanting gayety [sic] and esprit, and a peculiar, irresistible personal loveliness. At the time of her death, she was still as fresh as the summer rose, as captivating in mind and manners as when she enthralled the passionate heart of John Randolph of Roanoke."
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 70 (April, 1885), pages 716-717 (public domain), states:
"One of the saddest and most romantic love affairs in the social annals of Virginia was that of Maria Ward and John Randolph of Roanoke. Beginning in his early boyhood, it became the one enthralling passion of his manhood, filling his whole being,"until, as he himself said, “he loved her better than his own soul or Him that created it.” There is a picture of John Randolph in the rooms of the Virginia. Historical Society, taken at the time when he was the accepted lover of Maria Ward. It represents a singularly handsome youth of twenty-five, his eyes dark and full of intellect, his mouth beautifully formed, and over his proud and lofty forehead fell a profusion of dark hair. The breaking off of the affair is wrapped in mystery; all we know is that one summer morning he rode up to the house, and after a long interview in the parlor, the lady left the room in tears, while he rushed from the house, mounted his horse, and rode furiously away. He never saw her again; but one day he approached a house where she was staying while she was singing in the parlor. Fascinated by the sound of her voice, he lingered on the porch, and sent in from time to time a request for her to sing one after another the tender little ballads which were associated with their loves. Maria Ward sang, unconscious of her lover's presence, while he rushed frantically up and down the porch in an agony of grief, waving his arms, and crying in the anguish of his heart: "Macbeth hath murdered sleep; Macbeth shall sleep no more."
Maria Ward married Peyton Randolph, son of Edmund Randolph, who was Governor of Virginia, the first Attorney-General of the United States, and Secretary of State under Washington. This lady was distinguished for the exquisite grace and fascination of her manners and her bright wit. Her portrait, a copy of which has been secured for this article by the courtesy of her granddaughter, Mrs. J. L. Williams, of Richmond, represents a lovely girl of sixteen with wondrous blue eyes, exquisitely delicate complexion, a profusion of sunny brown curls, and in the quaint costume of the last century.
Maria Ward died in 1826, aged 42 years. All contemporary accounts unite in describing her as possessing a singular fascination of manners, a charming sweetness and amiability of disposition, an enchanting gayety [sic] and esprit, and a peculiar, irresistible personal loveliness. At the time of her death, she was still as fresh as the summer rose, as captivating in mind and manners as when she enthralled the passionate heart of John Randolph of Roanoke."
She was a daughter of Benjamin Ward of "Egglestetton" , the family home of her mothers' people in Amelia County, VA. Her mother married General Everard Meade in 1789, following her father's death, and Maria was reared at "The Hermitage" in Amelia County from the age of five. She was married, March 15, 1806, in Amelia County, Virginia to Peyton Randolph after having been unsuccessfully courted by his cousin, John Randolph, of Roanoke.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 70 (April, 1885), pages 716-717 (public domain), states:
"One of the saddest and most romantic love affairs in the social annals of Virginia was that of Maria Ward and John Randolph of Roanoke. Beginning in his early boyhood, it became the one enthralling passion of his manhood, filling his whole being,"until, as he himself said, “he loved her better than his own soul or Him that created it.” There is a picture of John Randolph in the rooms of the Virginia. Historical Society, taken at the time when he was the accepted lover of Maria Ward. It represents a singularly handsome youth of twenty-five, his eyes dark and full of intellect, his mouth beautifully formed, and over his proud and lofty forehead fell a profusion of dark hair. The breaking off of the affair is wrapped in mystery; all we know is that one summer morning he rode up to the house, and after a long interview in the parlor, the lady left the room in tears, while he rushed from the house, mounted his horse, and rode furiously away. He never saw her again; but one day he approached a house where she was staying while she was singing in the parlor. Fascinated by the sound of her voice, he lingered on the porch, and sent in from time to time a request for her to sing one after another the tender little ballads which were associated with their loves. Maria Ward sang, unconscious of her lover's presence, while he rushed frantically up and down the porch in an agony of grief, waving his arms, and crying in the anguish of his heart: "Macbeth hath murdered sleep; Macbeth shall sleep no more."
Maria Ward married Peyton Randolph, son of Edmund Randolph, who was Governor of Virginia, the first Attorney-General of the United States, and Secretary of State under Washington. This lady was distinguished for the exquisite grace and fascination of her manners and her bright wit. Her portrait, a copy of which has been secured for this article by the courtesy of her granddaughter, Mrs. J. L. Williams, of Richmond, represents a lovely girl of sixteen with wondrous blue eyes, exquisitely delicate complexion, a profusion of sunny brown curls, and in the quaint costume of the last century.
Maria Ward died in 1826, aged 42 years. All contemporary accounts unite in describing her as possessing a singular fascination of manners, a charming sweetness and amiability of disposition, an enchanting gayety [sic] and esprit, and a peculiar, irresistible personal loveliness. At the time of her death, she was still as fresh as the summer rose, as captivating in mind and manners as when she enthralled the passionate heart of John Randolph of Roanoke."
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 70 (April, 1885), pages 716-717 (public domain), states:
"One of the saddest and most romantic love affairs in the social annals of Virginia was that of Maria Ward and John Randolph of Roanoke. Beginning in his early boyhood, it became the one enthralling passion of his manhood, filling his whole being,"until, as he himself said, “he loved her better than his own soul or Him that created it.” There is a picture of John Randolph in the rooms of the Virginia. Historical Society, taken at the time when he was the accepted lover of Maria Ward. It represents a singularly handsome youth of twenty-five, his eyes dark and full of intellect, his mouth beautifully formed, and over his proud and lofty forehead fell a profusion of dark hair. The breaking off of the affair is wrapped in mystery; all we know is that one summer morning he rode up to the house, and after a long interview in the parlor, the lady left the room in tears, while he rushed from the house, mounted his horse, and rode furiously away. He never saw her again; but one day he approached a house where she was staying while she was singing in the parlor. Fascinated by the sound of her voice, he lingered on the porch, and sent in from time to time a request for her to sing one after another the tender little ballads which were associated with their loves. Maria Ward sang, unconscious of her lover's presence, while he rushed frantically up and down the porch in an agony of grief, waving his arms, and crying in the anguish of his heart: "Macbeth hath murdered sleep; Macbeth shall sleep no more."
Maria Ward married Peyton Randolph, son of Edmund Randolph, who was Governor of Virginia, the first Attorney-General of the United States, and Secretary of State under Washington. This lady was distinguished for the exquisite grace and fascination of her manners and her bright wit. Her portrait, a copy of which has been secured for this article by the courtesy of her granddaughter, Mrs. J. L. Williams, of Richmond, represents a lovely girl of sixteen with wondrous blue eyes, exquisitely delicate complexion, a profusion of sunny brown curls, and in the quaint costume of the last century.
Maria Ward died in 1826, aged 42 years. All contemporary accounts unite in describing her as possessing a singular fascination of manners, a charming sweetness and amiability of disposition, an enchanting gayety [sic] and esprit, and a peculiar, irresistible personal loveliness. At the time of her death, she was still as fresh as the summer rose, as captivating in mind and manners as when she enthralled the passionate heart of John Randolph of Roanoke."
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