Historic Darby-Green Farm

Rufus Ward was once an owner of what is now the Darby-Green Farm in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  See chain of title:

As far as I can tell, Rufus Ward was foreclosed upon by his own father-in-law, Henry T. Ernest.  Note below that Rufus's wife Ettie was the daughter of Henry T Ernest and Mary Ward: http://api.ning.com/files/PMI93VuEyUcP0mPmYzimuYPnCosbZnVoq6uAvaIQa08R0Nu*rT6vh1xwMMo5hDB3U6V1xkmTK-xHJemrRTor1WYd1YSYKE1D/igm1.cgi_opDESCdbcmwbushidI00673printer_friendly 

Ernst appears to be an alternate spelling of Ernest. 

4 Mary L WARD b: 1848
              + Henry T ERNEST b: SEP 1841
                5 Unknown ERNEST
                5 Unknown ERNEST
                5 Alice ERNEST b: NOV 1868
                  + John A DODSON b: 1855
                    6 Mildred L DODSON b: MAY 1896
                5 Ettie ERNEST b: AUG 1881

Henry T. Ernest:

Birth:	Sep. 15, 1841 Perry County Pennsylvania, USA
Death:	Jan. 11, 1922 Montgomery County Maryland, USA Mary L. Ward Ernest:

Birth:	Oct., 1847 Montgomery County Maryland, USA
Death:	1934 Montgomery County Maryland, USA
Family links:  Parents:   Thomas F Ward (1822 - 1894)   Mary Ann E Burrows Ward (1823 - 1895)

source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77453858