|
Return to Woodward Home Page Return to Richard Woodward, Jr. Page Abraham Woodward's birth is recorded at Bradford Monthly Meeting in Chester County, Pennsylvania on 4th month, 17th day, 1740. His parents are listed as William and Eliza Woodward. William Woodward was the oldest son of Richard and Deborah Stanfield Woodward of England and West Bradford, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Eliza Marshall Woodward was the oldest daughter of Abraham and Mary Hunt Marshall of England and Newlin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Her name was spelled "Elizah" on her birth record. Eliza is the mother of the Woodward children. After the death of Eliza, William married Hannah Lewis, widow of Jabez Lewis on 5th month 13th day 1762 at Goshen Monthly Meeting, Chester County. Hannah is the wife named in his will given below. William is styled as "yeoman" in the marriage record, i. e., a landowner who worked his own land. Hannah apparently was quite a bit younger than William or lived to a very ripe old age. An abstract of her will is appended at the bottom of the page and she died between December 28, 1801 and March 20, 1802 in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania. |
| William Woodward born Chester Co, Pa died Bef. 8/1769 Chester Co, Pa |
Eliza Marshall born 10-2-1705 Chester Co, Pa died Bef. 4/1760 Chester Co, Pa |
| Married: 5/24/1733 Kennett Monthly Meeting, W. Bradford, Chester County, Pa (Certificate) Children: Mary Woodward born 4/11/1735 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married Aaron Mendenhall, Jr. James Woodward born 11/28/1736 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married Sarah Alice Thornbrough Abraham Woodward born 4/17/1740 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married Hannah Thornbrough William Woodward born 6/8/1743 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married (1)Lydia Lewis (2) Elizabeth Stalker (more below) John Woodward born 4/30/1749 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married Lydia Martin Hannah Woodward born 3/7/1753 West Bradford, Chester County, Pa; married Abraham Taylor (more below) |
|
William Woodward, Sr. was very active in the Quaker meetings, serving on many committees. His father Richard Woodward was elder of the Bradford Monthly Meeting from its inception in 1737. As his father grew older, William often stepped in and covered Richard's duties, such as attendance at Quarterly Meeting. Richard only left William a token five shillings in his will written in 1748 and probated in 1752, but he conveyed two hundred and fifty-three acres of the southeast corner of his original one thousand acres to William on 6/16/1734, shortly after William's marriage. We do not find a deed, but William did own a "plantation" at the time he wrote his own will in 1769. He is listed under West Bradford taxables in 1765 as owning 260 acres; his son William, Jr. is listed separately as owning 159 acres. According to "History of an American Family" John & Lydia Martin Woodward settled on this same property which was left to John in William's will (below). We know that Eliza Marshall Woodward died before 4/1760 as her father Abraham Marshall wrote his will then and does not mention Eliza, but mentions William: "...and the remainder being fifty pounds unto my Son in Law William Woodward for him to Divide amongst his Children as he sees Cause..." William was extremely careful in his provisions for his "now" wife Hannah Lewis Woodward and his stepdaughter Betty Lewis when he wrote his will. This was a usual practice when there was a second wife who was not the mother of the children. Provisions for care for the lifetime of the widow were made in great detail, this was a matter of law so that the wives did not become wards of the state. In some wills there is a threat the children will lose their inheritance if the provisions for the "now" wife are not carried out. William does not state his occupation in his will but he no doubt was still a yeoman farmer (as mentioned in his marriage record to Hannah). He willed to his son John : "all that tenement & plantation whereon I now Dwell together with all the Buildings, Gardens, Orchards, Improvements, and Appurtenances." We know from his will that his house was a substantial two story house with several rooms. William's will written 7th month, 30th day in 1769 is at the bottom of the page. Children of William WoodwardYou will notice that this family is considerably smaller than many of the later Woodward families and that there was some spacing of the children that was more than the usual two years. Because there was already a shortage of good land in Pennsylvania at this early date, people attempted to limit the size of their families. The Quakers were particularly interested in having enough land to pass on to their sons to keep them nearby and within the Quaker faith. The record of the first five children is directly from a microfilm of the original Bradford Monthly Meeting records in Chester County. We are then certain there were no additional children who died.Hannah Woodward TaylorHannah Woodward's parentage is documented with her marriage record at Bradford Monthly Meeting. "Abraham Taylor, son of Samuel Taylor late of the Twp. of East Bradford dec'd, m. Hannah Woodward, d/o William Woodward late of the Twp of West Bradford, dec'd, 3rd day 11th mo 1773. Hannah is also named in William's will (given below). According to the History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Abraham and Hannah Woodward Taylor had children: William, Elijah, Benjamin, Rachel, and Mary. We heard from Virginia Waller in 2004 who added son Abraham Taylor who married Mary Murtick and lived in Christiana Hundred in Delaware. She tells us he is proven in the estate proceedings of Abraham Taylor, the elder, in Chester County, Pa. When time permits we will gather more information for a page for Hannah Woodward Taylor.James and John WoodwardDespite the family's strong Quaker background, William's two sons James & John served in the Revolutionary War. William apparently did not hold it against them, as he left his plantation to son John in his will. The fact that son James migrated westward may be due to receiving a Revolutionary War land grant in the West. See their pages linked above for family information.William Woodward, Jr.William's son, William, Jr., was a carpenter by trade. According to the History of Chester County, Pa, when Bradford Meeting House suffered a fire, it was repaired at once by William Woodward for the sum of 115 pounds. On the 1765 tax list in West Bradford, William, Jr., owned 159 acres of land. William Woodward, Jr. married (1) Lydia Lewis, daughter of Jabez and Hannah Lewis, on 11/28/1765 at Goshen Monthly Meeting. William's father was already married to Hannah Lewis, widow of Jabez. As far as we know there were no children of this marriage.We have some very brief information on William, Jr. and his second wife from a manuscript "History of an American Family" among the Marshall family papers in the National DAR Library in Washington D. C. The author is not named and we have noted many errors in the content of the manuscript. From this manuscript, William, Jr. & second wife, Elizabeth Stalker Woodward, had only one son, Thomas Stalker Woodward, who married Mary Worth. Thomas & Mary Worth Woodward had a son Paschall Woodward who was a lawyer and served as District Attorney in Chester County from 1850 to 1853, when he moved to Will County, Illinois. Paschall died in Louisville, Kentucky in 1870. Thomas Stalker and Mary Worth Woodward: We were able to verify some of the above information. William Jr's son, Thomas Woodward is found in 1850 in West Bradford, Chester County: #1 Thomas Woodward, 57, farmer, Pa; Mary B, 51 Pa; William M, 30, farmer, Pa; Margaret P. 20, Pa; Anna M., 17, Pa; Sarah, 8, Pa; plus two nonrelated children and four Irish laborers. Sons Samuel and George are found in East Bradford: Samuel Woodward, 27, Pa, drover; Anna M [James], 25; Jesse, 5, Pa; Thomas S., 3, Pa; George Woodward, 22, Pa. Daughter Elizabeth had married Jonathan Barton and is found in West Goshen: Jonathan Barton, 31, Pa, farmer,; Elizabeth S., 31, Pa; William H., 6, Pa; Mary E., 4, Pa; Susan A, 3, Pa; plus an Irish laborer and two servants. Thomas Stalker Woodward's son Paschall was indeed a lawyer in 1850: #362 West Chester, Chester Co, Pa, Paschall Woodward, 25, Lawyer, born Pa, personal property $2500; Elizabeth J., 22, Pa; Anna Mary Woodward, 17, Pa; Margaret Mills, 19, Pa. Anna Mary is Paschall's sister and also censused at home, but Paschall and family lived next door to a girls' school run by Palmer Evans and and these two girls were no doubt boarding with Paschall and family and attending the school. We found the marriage of Elizabeth J. James to Paschall Woodward in 1847 mentioned in a compendium of marriage records 1560-1900. Elizabeth James was sister of Anna Mary James married to Paschall's brother Samuel. They were daughters of Jesse and Jane James of Chester County. A small book "Side Lights on the Bench and Bar of Chester County" (Wilmer W. MacElree 1918) states "In 1850, an Act of Assembly was passed, creating the office of District Attorney and making the officer elective by the people. The first choice of the electors fell upon Paschall Woodward, who acted in that capacity until 1853, when he resigned and removed to the West." The book mentions a murder case tried and won by Paschall in January 1851. Paschall and Elizabeth James Woodward are found in 1860 in New Lenox, Will County, Illinois: #1119 Paschall Woodward, 35, farmer, Pa; $72,000 real property; $22,000 personal property; Elizabeth J., 34, Pa; Harry Woodward, 9, Pa; Emma J., 4, Il; John Yertze, 60, farm hand, Pa; John Conwell, 30 , carpenter, NY; Wm Edwards, 24, farm hand, Pa; James Brenan, 30, farm hand, Ire; Henry Law, 25, farm hand, NY; Anges McFadden, farm hand, Scotland; Charlotte Weston, 56, servant, England; Lydia Cramer, 14, servant, NY. They had done well. We were unable to verify the death place of Paschall but Elizabeth had returned to West Chester, Pennsylvania, by 1880 and was living with a sister Hannah McCorkle and her family. It was through this sister that we were able to find the parents of Elizabeth and Anna Mary James: 1850 Wesstown Chester County: #76 Jesse James, 49, farmer, Pa; Jane, 48, Pa; Sarah, 20, Pa; Hannah, 16, Pa; Ester A., 4, Pa. Paschall's daughter, Emma Jane, had married Frank Stoner and they are found in 1880 in Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania and had evidently restarted the westward migration: #186 Frank Stoner, 29, Clerk in Store, Pa, Eng, Pa; Emma J., 24, Il, Il, Pa; Elizabeth, 2, Pa, Pa, Il. ***************************************************** Will and Inventory of William WoodwardI William Woodward of the Township of West Bradford in the County of Chester and province of Pennsylvania, being Weak of body, but Sound and Disposing Mind and Memory, Calling to mind the uncertainty of time here as Well knowing that it is appointed once for all men to Die, Do therefore Order and Dispose of such Worldly Effects as kind Providence hath Bless'd me with in the following Manner VisIt is my Will and I do Order that in the first place all my Inst. Debts and funeral Charges be fully paid and Satisfyed by my Executors hereafter Named as Soon as Conveniently may be after my decease. I Give and Bequeath unto my Loving wife Hannah Woodward one Horse Creature & one Cow which she may Chuse, together with all the Household Goods and effects which She brought with her or belonged to her and the Sum of Ten pounds, to be paid her by my Executors. I likewise leave unto her use the Room where I used to Lodge with the privileage and Liberty of Cellar room and use of the Kitchen & Water at the Well &tc Sufficient for her use with other priviledges in the house to pass & repass as she may have occasion, also my son John is to pay unto her the Sum of Five Pounds a year and keep her one Horse & one Cow winter and summer & also provide Sufficient fire wood at the Door for her use and Also allow her Twelve Bushel of Wheat yearly. During the time she remains my Widow also the priviledge of the foot & rail Garden at the Northeast Corner of the House. Item, I Give unto my Son Abraham Woodward the Sum of Seventy pound money of Pennsylvania I Give unto my Daughter Hannah Woodward the sum of Forty Pounds together with all the furniture belonging to the Lower Back room I Give unto my son James Woodward the Sum of Ten pounds I Give unto my daughter Mary Mendenhall the Sum of Ten pounds I Give unto my Step Daughter Betty Lewis the sum of Ten pounds I Give and bequeath unto my son John Woodward and to his heirs and Assigns forever all that the Tenement & plantation wheon [whereon] I now Dwell together with all the Buildings Gardens Orchards Improvements and appurtenances thereunto belonging to him his heirs and assigns forever. Nevertheless subject to the priviledges reserved to my widow before Mentioned -- All the Remaining part of my personal Estate after Debts & Legacies before mentioned are paid I leave to be Equally Divided between my four sons & Two Daughters Share and Share alike. Lastly I do hereby Ordain Constitute and Appoint my Loving wife Hannah Woodward & my Son William to be my whole and Sole Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and Disannulling all other & former Wills by me heretofore made Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last will and Testament -- In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this Thirtieth Day of the Seventh Month in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty Nine -- 1769 /s/ William Woodward (seal) Signed Sealed published Pronounced and acknowledged by the Testament in the presence of us George Carter James Marshall James Woodward William's will was proven 29th August 1769 and the appraisal of his estate totaled over 370 pounds. An Inventory of the Goods and Chattels Effects and Credits of William Woodward late of West Bradford, Deceased: Purse & apparel, horse saddle & bridle etc, one desk, two oval tables & a couch, two feather beds & bedding, one eight day clock & one silver watch, two old cases of drawers & a chaff bed, Eleven pair of sheets & some table linnen etc., one large chest & 15 chairs, a Quantity of pewter dishes, plates, etc., two iron potts & kettles & a warming pan, one crane pot rack and iron shovel & tongs, some earthen & glass ware on the mantle shelf & cupboard (subtotal 111.18.6 pounds) Goods chiefly in the lodging room willed to the widow, viz, one feather bed & furniture, one case of drawers & small desk, one table, 9 chairs and iron shovel & tongs, some pewter & knifes & forks, a small glass, some bowls, cups & teak kettle, one small cupboard & two wheels, one bed furniture, tea kettle, iron pails, tubb & iron potts, likewise, one mare saddle & bridle and one cow (subtotal 49.4.6 pounds) In the back room left to daughter Hannah one bed bedstead & furniture, one case of drawers, one walnut table & small poplar table, six chairs a pair of andirons, looking lgass, etc. (subtotal 20.18 pounds) Money scales & weights, 5 knifes & forks, frying pan, gridles, smoothing iron, box iron, etc., a parcel of tinware & earthen & wooden ware, a quantity of hogshd barrells & tubbs & in the cellar a quantity of wool & yarn and two pair cards, worsted ..&linnen yarn for bags (subtotal 14.4 pounds) One bible & sundries other books, one pair steelyards a cheese press & vats, t wo hackles,, loom spools, a pepper mills, etc, some old chairs, wheels etc in kitchen loft, two old saddles & pillion, one gun, one curry comb & 11 bags, carpenter & cooper tools & a maul & wedges, spades, shovels, mattocks, axes & forks, some sickles, scythes, and turning tools, one wheel barrow & grind stone & hangings, horse geers, one cart, two plows, an harrow with swingletree, one waggon, one cutting box & hay knife with cyder mill & pprep (subtotal 33.16.6 pounds) Some Indian corn in the ground, one hay stack in the meadow, hay in the barn & hay house, oats, barley & flax, wheat in the barn 419 bushels and rye in the barn 316 bushels, seven swine & 5 smaller swine, 4 cows and steer & one bull, 2 cows and steer & six young cattle, one brown horse, one old horse, 4 of one d..grey...one loft, thirty two sheep (subtotal 75.15 pounds) bonds, notes & book debts 65.3 pounds. A cryptic note at the end of the inventory is interesting: "An Apprentice said time nearly expired & one little boy not bound therefore not valued." Are there any historians out there who might shed light on this? Apparently apprentices were assigned some value? Also William's inventory seemed to indicate a farm - what kind of apprentice would be assigned to a farm? The inventory was dated August 22, 1769 and signed by appraisers James Trimble & John Carpenter. Will of Hannah Lewis Woodward[Abstract] To my three sons, Phineas, James and David Lewis, and my two daughters, Rebecca Hoopes and Betty James, all estate in equal shares. Executors: Sons Phineas and David Lewis. Signed "x". Witnesses: Jabez Hoopes, Sidney Hoopes. (Note: Daughter Lydia Lewis Woodward had died much earlier).Updates: 9/26/2009 Corrected the birthdate of Hannah Woodward Taylor and added information about an additional son of the Taylors (Information received in 2004 which gives some idea of how far behind we are!) |
