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The Individuals subseries is arranged by family members. The folders contain material which will help the researcher better understand the personalities of Ward family members, particularly David, his sons, Charley and Willis, and his grandson, Harold. It is also the portion of the collection which best documents David Ward's estate. There are two linear feet of legal documents, maps, and bound and unbound correspondence pertaining to the execution of the estate. The bound volumes of correspondence, which are in very fragile condition, are comprised of the letters of the family law firm involved in work with the estate.

By studying the estate files, the researcher will learn of the extent of Ward property holdings at the time of David's death. (David Ward materials were received in two accessions. The second group of estate files more thoroughly documents land holdings in West Virginia.) In addition, along with the use of Willis Ward's business correspondence, insight can be gained into the establishment and running of the town of Deward. Deward was located just north of Grayling and was built as part of David Ward's estate to cut the pine on 70,000 acres of timber in Crawford, Kalkaska, and Otsego Counties. Per instructions from Ward in his will, the logging was completed in 1912, after which Deward became a ghost town. The insight gained from these files primarily concerns the business affairs connected with the Deward logging operations.