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Woodward Home Page Return to Richard Woodward Page It was not originally our intent to include the Robert Woodward Family in these Web Pages. However, we found several Woodward researchers (ourselves included) occasionally confused between the descendants of Robert and Richard Woodward since they carried many of the same given names. We are therefore including our research on the Robert Woodward Family to try to mitigate some of the confusion. We certainly have not researched this family to the depth that we have our own ancestor, Richard Woodward. We would appreciate anything anyone can add to these pages. {email on the About Us Page} We will also happily entertain any questions as to sources of information and will try to help clear up any confusion that still exists. We are using a different background color for descendants of this family, so as you page through the site you can differentiate between the families. Robert and Richard Woodward were thought to be brothers. They were probably born in Acton Parish, Cheshire, England, and were probably sons of Edward Woodward. (See map of England for location.) They are believed to have immigrated to America with sister and brother-in-law Thomas and Elizabeth Woodward Eavenson. The principal point of confusion in the Robert and Richard Woodward families is that both Robert and Richard had sons named Richard, who were both born about 1673. Fortunately, the two families lived in slightly different areas of Chester County which helps sort them out. Robert and his sons originally lived on Crum Creek in Providence Township, while Richard and his sons lived on Chester Creek in Thornbury Township. Later Richard, son of Robert, lived in East Bradford and Richard, son of Richard, lived in West Bradford (see Chester County maps). J. Gary Woodward, in The Woodward Family of Chester County, Pennsylvania, gives us the names of children of Robert Woodward as son Richard and daughter Ann. He also considers another daughter Hannah, who was buried 25 November 1686 in Acton Parish and was a daughter of "Roberti Woodward," although it is not certain it is this Robert Woodward. Land records of Chester County, Pennsylvania, give us two more names. On 8 March 1696 Robert Woodward granted to John Powell land on Crum Creek. The deed is witnessed by Thomas Woodward. Another deed on June 11, 1696, mentions land on Crum Creek bounded by George Woodward. It appears that Thomas and George Woodward were sons of Robert Woodward. Robert's occupation is given as yeoman in his deed. We do not know the name of Robert's wife. She did not sign the deeds, but at that very early date it was not necessarily customary for the wife to sign. She may have been deceased. Robert's son Richard is well documented in Quaker records and in Nayle wills in Chester County. To summarize - Probable Children of Robert WoodwardRichard Woodward, born 12/17/1673, Acton Parish, Cheshire, England; married Mary Nayle, daughter of Henry and Deborah Nayle.Hannah Woodward died 11/1686, Acton Parish, Cheshire, England. Ann Woodward married George James 7/27/1698, Springfield Township, Chester Co, Pa. Ann died 1720. George Woodward owned land on Crum Creek in Providence Township, Chester County. Thomas Woodward witnessed deed when Robert Woodward sold land on Crum Creek in Providence Township, Chester County. Another deed on 20 March 1711 tells us that Nathaniel Ring sold 150 acres of land to Richard Woodward late of Thornbury, yeoman, son of Robert Woodward of Birmingham, Tailor. Henry and Deborah Nayle were witnesses to this deed (father and mother-in-law of Richard). This tells us that this Richard also lived in Thornbury at some period in time. The deed proves Richard as a son of Robert. Another indication that Thomas was a son of Robert is that Richard named a son Thomas, apparently for this brother. The will of George James, husband of Ann Woodward, proves her as sister of Richard Woodward, and thus a daughter of Robert. George James, Springfield, January 28, 1720, April 23, 1720. Provides for wife Anne, remainder of estate real and personal to be sold and money divided as follows. 1/3 to wife Anne and of the remainder a double share to son Mordecai, equal shares to 6 daughters, viz Sarah, Mary, Jane, Hannah, Anne and Eliz. James at 21 or married. Son Mordecai to be apprenticed. Executors: brother in law Richard Woodward of Bradford and Kinsman David Register. Witnesses: John B. Broomall, Thomas Taylor, Susanna Taylor (Will Book A, page 96). We have no further information on either George or Thomas Woodward. There is a Web Site, Woodward-Mattson Family, containing information on a descendant of Robert Woodward's son Richard, and a concise Woodward Family History. (Just don�t get too caught up in the Wadward knight tale! Much as we all might like to have blue blood running rich in our veins, Woodward was nearly as common a surname as Smith in England so there are many, many possible ancestors!) |