USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The story of Essex County, Volume III > Part 56
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The children of Edward Woodman and his wife, Joanna, were seven in all, so far as the records of Newbury show. The first two were born in England and the others in Newbury. Dr. Goodridge, in his genealogy of the Goodridge family, states that the old- est son of Edward and Joanna Woodman, Edward, Jr., was born in Milford, County Surry, England, March 14, 1628, and that Joanna's maiden name was Bartlett. The children of Edward and Joanna (Bartlett) Woodman were: (1) Edward, Jr .; (2) John, who settled in Dover, New Hampshire; (3) Joshua, the first man child born in New-
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bury, who lived in the' Byfield Parish; (4) Mary, married John Browne, of Newbury ; (5) Sarah, married John Kent, Jr., of New- bury ; (6) Jonathan, a prominent ship builder of Newbury; (7) Ruth, married Benjamin Lowell, of Newbury.
EDWARD WOODMAN, JUNIOR.
Edward Woodman, the oldest child of Mr. Edward Woodman and his wife, Joanna, was born March 14, 1628, in Milford, County Surry, England, and came to this country with his father and mother when he was seven years old. His education, such as it was, was received in the school kept in the first meeting house built by the early set- tlers of "Ould Newbury."
On December 20, 1653, he married Mary Goodridge, the daughter of Mrs. Margaret Goodridge, widow of William Goodridge, of Watertown, Massachusetts.
Mary Goodridge was born in Bury St. Edmunds, England, January 8, 1633.
Edward Woodman, Jr., was not as promi- nent in the public affairs of the town as was his father, Mr. Edward Woodman. He served on the jury on several occasions and held minor town offices. He took an active part with his father in the bitter church con- troversy which engaged the attention of the whole town during the twenty years imme- diately following his marriage.
Edward Woodman died in Newbury, Sep- tember II, 1694. His wife Mary survived him several years.
In the conveyance of property, Edward Woodman, Jr., is called "Planter" and "Yeo- man." In his will he calls himself "Planter." His wife's mother, Widow Margaret Good- ridge, after coming to Newbury, married John Hull, of Newbury. He owned a farm of four hundred acres located on the north side of Parker River, on the highway lead- ing from what is now Dummer Academy in
Byfield. In 1656 John Hull conveyed this farm to his son-in-law, Edward Woodman, Jr., under certain conditions as appear in the deed of conveyance recorded in Volume I, Ipswich Deeds, Essex County.
Edward Woodman, Jr., made his will De- cember 16, 1693, in which he made bequests to his wife Mary and to all his children. He bequeathed to his eldest son Edward all his freehold lot and all his land in Haverhill, about one hundred acres, being part of a farm which his father bought of Stephen Kent.
He bequeathed to his son Achelaus, whom he appointed executor of his will, all his house lot, being about thirty acres, also his new house which stood thereon, together with his barn and outhousing, with all his chattel, shop and horses of whatsoever sort. Also his weaving loom, also all his hus- bandry implements whatsoever. Also his commonage land, all his meadow, "also ye bed and bedding he yuseth to lay on."
He bequeathed unto his wife, Mary, the use of his old house during her widowhood, also the use of one-third part of his orchard, also five good fleeces of sheep's wool every year to be paid by his executor ; also the 11se of one good milch cow to be maintained by his executor ; also five pounds to be paid in good corn at three shillings per bushel by his executor every year during her widow- hood ; also all his household goods not above disposed of.
The children of Edward Woodman, Jr., and his wife, Mary, were: Mary, Elizabeth (died young), Edward (died young), Re- becca (died young), Rebecca. Sarah, Judith, Edward, Archelaus, Elizabeth, Margaret.
DEACON ARCHELAUS WOODMAN.
Archelaus Woodman, the son of Edward, Jr., and Mary (Goodridge) Woodman, and grandson of Mr. Edward Woodman, was
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born on the ninth of June, 1672. He lived all his life on his father's homestead, located in what is now the west precinct of the city of Newburyport, on the road to Curzan's Mill, not far from the Merrimack River and the mouth of Artichoke River, which emp- ties into it.
His father died in 1694, leaving him a large part of his property. Soon after this he married. The record of his marriage has not been discovered. His wife's tombstone in the Sawyer Hill Cemetery, nearby the Woodman home reads: "Hannah, the wife of Deacon Archelaus Woodman, died April 25th 1749 in her 75th year."
October 26, 1705, during the French and Indian Wars, the General Court passed an order "For allowing and paying twenty pounds and six shillings to Nathaniel Rolfe of Newbury, a soldier wounded while in the Queen's Service." Two or three months later, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Noyes was ordered to report the number of men provided with snowshoes, in Newbury, that could be depended upon to march against the Indian enemy. On the list of Newbury men, equipped and prepared for a winter campaign, is recorded the name of Archelaus Woodman.
In the month of November, in 1709, the provincial authorities determined to com- mence a vigorous campaign against the Indians on the northerly side of the Merri- mack River. In the Massachusetts archives is a list of the names of the men belonging to the North Regiment in Essex, appointed "to keep snowshoes and moggensons," and in this list are the names of many well- known Newbury men, among them the name of Archelaus Woodman.
In 1856, Jabez H. Woodman, the son of Rev. Jabez Woodman, of New Gloucester, Maine, published in Brunswick, Maine, a pamphlet giving an account of the ancestry
of Joshua Woodman, the son of Deacon Archelaus Woodman. In this pamphlet he describes a visit made by one of his father's uncles at the home of Deacon Archelaus as follows: "My father had an uncle, Joseph Woodman, who, when I was some twelve years of age, spent several months at our house and used to take great delight in tell- ing what he had heard respecting the Wood- mans who first came from England. He told us particularly about his grandfather Dea. Archelaus Woodman of Newbury. To use his own words,-for the following is deeply engraven on my memory-'My father once carried me clear to Newbury on purpose to see my grandfather.' How many times, at my request, he told about that visit to New- bury ! And at each successive repetition of the same, I could almost see the aged Archelaus-sitting there in his big armchair -and those silvery locks were just as plain as day ; and I could almost hear the tremu- lous accents that fell from his lips at the time of that visit to Newbury !"
Archelaus Woodman gave to his sister, Margaret, on June 10, 1700, his "rate lott in Newbury Woods" in exchange for the legacy of five pounds left her by her father, Edward Woodman, Jr., in his will ; March 6, 1729-30, "for love and affection," he gave to his son Edward "a tract of Land Lying in Artichoke Pasture called the 4th Lot"; June 23, 1749, "in consideration of Love and good Will," he gave to his son Edward one-half part of all his real estate.
Deacon Archelaus Woodman made his will November 4, 1762, and died March 17, 1766. He left legacies to all his children and to Mary Woodman, the widow of his son Edward, deceased. He gave all his personal and real estate, not otherwise disposed of, to his grandson, the son of Edward Wood- man, deceased. Deacon Archelaus and Han- nah Woodman were buried in the Sawyer
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Hill burying ground near Artichoke River. operated during his lifetime, being aided by The children of Deacon Archelaus and his sons when they became old enough to learn the trade. Hannah Woodman were: Mary, Edward, Archelaus, Hannah (died young), Hannah, Judith, Joshua, John, Elizabeth, Joseph, Benjamin.
JOSHUA WOODMAN.
Joshua Woodman was the third son of Deacon Archelaus and Hannah Woodman. He was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, June 6, 1708. His early life was spent on his father's farm in Newbury. In early man- hood he learned the trade of blacksmith. After coming of age, he purchased a tract of land in Nottingham, Province of New Hampshire, which he sold to Thomas Bart- lett of Newbury, January 13, 1734-35. In March, 1736, he married Eunice Sawyer, the daughter of John Sawyer, a prosperous farmer living near the Woodman home- stead. Not long after his marriage, Joshua moved to Kingston, New Hampshire. He purchased a piece of land of Samuel Bean, "20 acres more or less," lying on the south side of the highway that leadeth to Trick- ling Falls mill. The deed was signed De- cember 7, 1736. In this deed Joshua is re- ferred to as "of Kingston, Blacksmith." From time to time, he added to his original purchase and eventually owned a farm of considerable extent. He and his wife first lived in a log cabin. This was soon replaced by a lean-to house, which was built on a slight elevation, a few rods above the site of the log cabin, on the very spot where the present house now stands. It has been re- modeled and now bears little resemblance to the original structure. It is located on the south side of the road leading from Kingston Village to the present Pow Wow station, distant about a mile and a half from the village. On the north side of the road, directly across the road from the house, Joshua built a blacksmith shop which he
Joshua Woodman was a man of sterling character. He and his wife were communi- cants of the First Parish Church of Kings- ton. His religious character must have been moulded early in life. His father, Deacon Archelaus, was "very much devoted to the Cause of Vital Piety, and must have exer- cised a beneficial influence on the minds of the whole family." His children were all baptized in childhood, were brought up to attend church faithfully and to give heed to its teachings.
Joshua Woodman died in Kingston, New Hampshire, April 4, 1791, and was buried in the cemetery at Kingston Village. A monu- ment to his memory has been erected over his grave. On January 27, 1789, he made his will, in which he provided amply for his wife during her life time, and left legacies to each of his children. All the residue of his estate, both real and personal, was bequeathed to his son Samuel, who had lived with his par- ents all his life.
Eunice, his wife made her will following her husband's death. She survived him for nearly twelve years. She died January 2, 1804, and was buried in the family lot at Kingston Village.
Joshua Woodman reached the age of al- most eighty-three years, his wife Eunice, the age of ninety. They left a family of twelve children, whose combined ages amount to nine hundred and ninety-six years-an aver- age of eighty-three years.
Their grandchildren numbered one hun- dred and sixteen; eighty of the Woodman name and thirty-six of other names.
The following are the names of the twelve children who lived to the age of maturity and married : Joshua, Eunice, John, Moses, Samuel, Jonathan, David, Joseph, Hannah, Sarah, Mary, Benjamin.
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CAPTAIN JOHN WOODMAN.
John Woodman was the third child of Joshua and Eunice (Sawyer) Woodman. He was born April 24, 1740, in Kingston, New Hampshire, and was baptized April 27, 1740, when three days old, by Rev. Joseph Secomb, pastor of the First Church of Kingston. He died, March 21, 1808, in New Gloucester, Maine. His parents were prob- ably living in the log house at the time of his birth. When old enough, he attended the district school in Kingston with his brothers and sisters. When not in school he found plenty of work on the farm or in his father's blacksmith shop. Before he was twenty-one, he had learned the trade of housewright or joiner. At the age of twenty-two years, he married Sarah Page, the daughter of Nehemiah and Mary (True) Page, of Salisbury, Massachusetts. She was born October 17, 1737, in Salisbury, Massa- chusetts, and died February 13, 1809, in New Gloucester, Maine.
Soon after their marriage they moved to North Yarmouth, Maine, where they lived for a few years. He bought of Benjamin Welch, of North Yarmouth, a farm of twenty acres, with a house and barn stand- ing on it, located on the Northeasterly side of Royal's River. The deed was dated De- cember 7, 1762, and is on record in the Cum- berland County Registry of Deeds, Portland, Maine. The consideration of the transfer was eighty pounds lawful money. In the deed he is referred to as a housewright. It was here that their first child was born, Sep- tember 13, 1763, and named True, as a token of love and respect for his grandmother Page, whose maiden name was Mary True.
Some time during the year 1764, John and his wife Sarah decided to leave North Yar- mouth and settle in the adjoining town of New Gloucester, which was then a frontier settlement. Everything beyond it was a wil- derness. The whole surrounding region had
but recently been infested with Indians, whose favorite hunting grounds were here in the New Gloucester hills and in the long stretch of intervales below. The hardships endured by the handful of settlers living there in 1764 and the story of their early attempts to make a permanent settlement in the township were well known facts both to John Woodman and to his wife. While they were living in North Yarmouth, all the stirring events of those early days "up in New Gloucester" were told them by friends and neighbors there.
In 1760 peace came to the settlement. Canada had been taken by the English. The settlers who had previously lived within the Block House now began to build log houses upon their clearings and to occupy separate homes of their own. It was at this particu- lar period in the history of New Glouces- ter's early beginnings that John Woodman came to town.
He came from North Yarmouth with his wife and one child in 1764 and settled a little south of the great bridge (Woodman's Bridge), on the westerly side of the Yar- mouth road. His goods were poled up Royal's River on a raft. He and his family may have used the same means of convey- ance. More likely, they came on horseback up the Old Yarmouth cart road.
His first task was to build a log house to shelter his family. The site selected for it was a small knoll, several rods nearer the river than the site of the frame house he built later, and lived in till the time of his death.
In 1770 sixty-one persons, including John Woodman, subscribed to build a meeting house. The site chosen for the building was where the present Congregational Church now stands near New Gloucester Corner.
Early in the year 1774 the town of New Gloucester was incorporated. At the first meeting John Woodman was chosen tax
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. collector, but he declined to serve. In con- sideration of the alarming situation of pub- lic affairs, the town voted "to choose a Com- mittee of Inspection to see whether the peo- ple do subject themselves to the resolves of Congress and to expose them that do not." John Woodman was chosen a member of this committee.
He performed his duty faithfully, as did each member of this committee of inspec- tion, and searched every house in town. But such was the patriotism of the inhabitants, that they found no contraband articles, although one crafty dame succeeded in secreting in an oven her store of tea, ob- tained unbeknown to her husband for her own private use from a Falmouth Tory.
March 21, 1775, the town voted that "Cap- tain William Harris, John Woodman and Enock Fogg be a committee to provide a store of provisions and ammunition for the town's use, according to the recommenda- tion of the County Congress."
Early in the morning of April 25, 1775, news was received of the battle of Lexing- ton, fought six days before. On the 30th of October, 1775, Captain William Harris, Cap- tain Isaac Parsons and Mr. David Millet were chosen a committee of safety. This committee and the committee of inspection, of which John Woodman was then a mem- ber, were continued until the close of the war.
When the town was organized, it assumed the support, by taxation, of the Rev. Samuel Foxcroft, to dispense the Word of God to them, as required by the laws of the Prov- ince. Then upon every Sabbath the people were required by law to attend divine serv- ice and give due observance to the ordi- nances of religion. It was the duty of cer- tain town officers to see that these require- ments were observed.
A large portion of the early settlers of this township were of that iron mould, who
could only see that "a rigorous enforcement of these laws would redound to the general welfare, and to the glory of God." A few thought otherwise, and believed that reli- gious worship should be voluntary, and free to the choice of every man, according to the dictates of his own conscience. Of the lat- ter group was John Woodman.
On the 3Ist of May, 1775, Simon Noyes, David Millet, John Woodman and seven others appeared in open town meeting and objected to the payment of any tax towards the Rev. Mr. Foxcroft's salary, and had their protest recorded ; nevertheless, the tax was assessed, and they were compelled to pay it. Four years after, they again applied to the town to be allowed to provide a public teacher for themselves, but were refused, and paid their taxes. Three years after this John Woodman and Adam Cotton applied to the town to repay the money they had paid towards the support of the minister for the two years previous, but were refused. Then, the War of Revolution being ended, these aggrieved brethren set about in good earnest to procure their liberty from the support of religious teaching they did not approve, and Mr. John Woodman, the lead- ing spirit in the measure, wearied with con- tinued applications for relief, and in despair of any redress from the town, refused pay- ment of all taxes for this purpose, and the tax gatherer sold his cow therefor. On the 2d of September, 1782, he applied to the town for indemnity, which was refused him. In May, the next year, he applied again, and was again refused. But on November of that year, in order to prevent further dis- putes, the town voted to set off from Mr. Foxcroft's parish all who were dissatisfied; and Mr. Simon Noyes, John Stinchfield, John Woodman, Peleg Chandler, William Widgerly, Eliphalet Haskell, John Tufts, John Megguier and thirty-two others re- corded their names for the purpose. Here
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was the first decisive step for toleration in the town.
By act of the General Court, 1790, Mr. John Woodman and seventy-two others were incorporated by name of "The Baptist Religious Society of New Gloucester and Gray."
In 1792 New Gloucester became a half shire town with Portland, and the Courts of General Sessions of the Peace, and of Com- mon Pleas sat regularly here once each year till 1805, when Oxford County was formed and they returned to Portland.
These courts sat each winter at the court house standing at the center of the town, just above the present pound. The sessions judges always had rooms at Mr. John Wood- man's and the jurors had rooms at the "Bell Tavern," kept by Peleg Chandler.
The old pound had a whipping post in the middle, and stocks beside it, where offenders received their deserts. Noisy people were confined in the stocks on Sundays and town meeting days when they became trouble- some.
Court time filled the village with stran- gers, jurors, suitors and witnesses. All the principal lawyers in the county attended here upon court, and here most of the cases from the back country were tried.
The children of Captain John and Sarah (Page) Woodman, six sons and three daugh- ters, were all born in New Gloucester, Maine, except the first child, True, who was born in North Yarmouth, Maine, and was baptized in the First Congregational Church there, April 7, 1765. The names of their children were: True, Eunice, John, Jr., Isaiah, Sally, Betsey, Jabez, Moses, Eliphalet.
JOHN WOODMAN, JUNIOR.
John Woodman, Jr., the third child and second son of Captain John and Sarah Woodman, was born in New Gloucester,
Maine, August 15, 1767. His oldest brother, True Woodman, married Judith Lufkin. of New Gloucester, February 10, 1785. Soon after this event, True made a journey through the wilderness to that part of the township of Bakerstown now known as Woodman Hill, in Minot. The purpose of his visit was to buy three farm lots adjoin- ing, one for himself, one for his brother Isaiah, and one for his brother John. He found three lots that fulfilled these condi- tions.
The most northerly one, however, was already claimed by John Allen, son of one of the early settlers of New Gloucester, who was there on the lot at the time, felling trees for a clearing. True gave his reasons for wishing to secure three lots which adjoined and asked Mr. Allen if he would be willing to dispose of his lot. The reply was, "I do not care to sell." After further discussion, Mr. Allen said he would talk the matter over with William Verrill, who was felling trees on the lot just east of his. On his return, he told Mr. Woodman he could have the lot.
The northerly lot was laid out to True Woodman ; the one joining it on the south to his brother, John Woodman; and the one next below to the other brother, Isaiah Woodman. The three lots combined amounted to about six hundred acres.
True had made a clearing and built a log cabin by the time his brothers arrived. John made a clearing and built a log cabin on a spot near the site of the house now standing there, which was occupied by him the re- mainder of his life, then by three genera- tions of his descendants: first by his son Sullivan, then by Sullivan's daughter Helen, and at the present time by Sullivan's grand- son, Charles C. Washburn.
John Woodman married at New Glouces- ter, Maine, February 5, 1790, Abigail Mer-
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rill, of New Gloucester ; second, November 25, 1800, Hannah Bates; third, June 28, 1826, Mrs. Ruth (Merrill) Ayer, widow of Dr. Aaron Ayer. His first wife, Abigail, died August 20, 1800, and his second wife, Hannah, October 21, 1825. He was a promi- nent farmer in the town of Minot and highly respected. In 1798 he was chairman of the school committee and was for many years captain in the militia. He was a zealous Christian and closely identified with the formation of the Baptist societies at Hebron Academy and at North Auburn, Maine. About 1790 a school house was built on a slight elevation across the road from his house. Here for several years the children of the early settlers in this vinicity went to school. On Sundays religious services were held in the school house.
The nearest store was fifteen miles away at New Gloucester. His brother Isaiah kept store for a few years before his death in a small building which he built about 1795 near his dwelling house.
John Woodman united with the Baptist Church in Hebron soon after it was organ- ized. It was his usual custom on Sundays to drive seven miles to attend divine service there. About the time the Baptist Church was incorporated in North Auburn (then a part of Minot) he united with that church and continued a worthy member until 1839, when he and a number of others transferred their membership to the church in Hebron.
Prayer meetings were held Sunday eve- nings alternately at the homes of John and True Woodman, to which all residents of Woodman Hill and vicinity were invited to attend. Many of John Woodman's sayings on such occasions have been repeated by those who were present, and one in particu- lar : "I have had my trials, my tribulations, and my afflictions, but, thanks be to God,
my last days are my best days." Both True and John Woodman had light complexion and blue eyes. True was small in stature and of slight build. His brother John had a large frame, was tall and corpulent, and obliged to pray standing, as it was impossi- ble for him to kneel. Both were men of high ideals and deep religious convictions, but sometimes given to eccentricities. John was usually oblivious to all mundane affairs when engaged in prayer, but one morning, as one of his daughters related, while his son Isaiah was plowing in plain view of the open door, his father interrupted his prayer with the exclamation, "Gee off that stump, Isaiah," then went on with his devotions.
During the last part of his life he suffered from a slight stroke of paralysis, which in- capacitated him for active work on the farm. As was his custom, on Sundays he drove to Hebron Academy to attend church. His wife and daughter were afraid to go with him on account of his infirmity. One of his nieces usually accompanied him. With his long flowing locks, white as snow, he made an imposing appearance as he strode down the aisle to the front of the church, with cane in his hand and a pillow under his arm.
Several years before his death he con- veyed his farm and all his estate to his son Sullivan, and lived with him the rest of his days.
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