When Marion Francis Ward was born on 8 April 1863, in Bancroft, Daviess, Missouri, United States, his father, James Francis Ward, was 32 and his mother, Rebecca Staley, was 30. He married Marguerite "Maggie" Ann Tourney about 1886. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Lincoln Township, Daviess, Missouri, United States for about 50 years and Sugar Creek Township, Harrison, Missouri, United States in 1930. He died on 23 April 1955, in Gilman City, Harrison, Missouri, United States, at the age of 92, and was buried in Gilman City Masonic Cemetery, Gilman City, Harrison, Missouri, United States.