Marcus Lawrence Ward (November 9, 1812 – April 25, 1884) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 21st governor of New Jersey from 1866 to 1869 and represented Essex County for one term from 1873 to 1875.

[2] He was also active in other businesses, including serving as a director of the National State Bank and secretary of the Lawrence Cement and Manufacturing Company.

[1] By 1856, Ward became interested in the growing movement for the abolition of slavery, which led him to become involved in the new national Republican Party.

[1] During the American Civil War, Ward became identified prominently with the Union cause, primarily as a philanthropic advocate for those serving in uniform.

"[1] He invested personal funds to create a wartime hospital for convalescing service members, and later helped establish a soldiers' home for wounded and disabled veterans.

[1] Ward soon created an office devoted to aiding veterans, which assisted them in procuring pensions, medical care, and other benefits.

[3] On the strength of his personal popularity and bipartisan support for his philanthropy, Ward was nominated on the National Union Party ticket for Governor in 1862, but he lost to Democrat Joel Parker.

One strategy involved delegates working to convince influential General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick to give his support, but he refused.

It was finally broken on the fourth ballot after a collection of civil war veteran delegates voted to hand the nomination to Ward.

In the general election, Ward defeated Theodore Runyon by a large margin bolstered by the veterans' vote.

[4] On purely state affairs, Ward was convinced that active, energetic government could produce wise social and economic policies.