USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I > Part 27
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active and prominent men in the town, and the registry of deeds shows that he was at dif- ferent times the owner of much real estate. As early as 1750 he built a sawmill, the first of the kind in the town. He was captain of the first military company ever mustered in Buxton. His daughter Sally stated, in 1755, of her father: "He was a great lumberman in those days; he used to haul lumber to Pleas- ant Point and raft it to Saco. He sold his place to Cadwallader Gray, moved to the Hol- lis side of Salmon Falls, and built the first dwelling house there, and lived only three years afterwards." Hollis was then the "Plan- tation of Little Falls." Joseph Woodman mar- ried, in 1737, Betsey Durell, or more probably, Betsey Sewall. She died before she was twenty-one years old. Joseph Woodman mar- ried, according to the town records of Read- ing, Massachusetts, November 7, 1739, Catlı- arine Smith, of Reading, born June 20, 1721, daughter of Isaac and Mary Smith. He mar- ried for his second or third wife, widow Cole, probably born Tarbox. He married last Reli- ance Edgcomb, widow of James Edgcomb, born Thompson, a native of Brunswick. His children were: Betsey, probably child of Bet- sey Sewall; Mary, Olive, Joseph, Rebecca, James, Susanna, Nathaniel and Sally. Seven children were born by the second (third) wife; and one of the last wife.
(V) Captain Joseph (2), fourth child and eldest son of Joseph (I) Woodman, was born in Biddeford, date of birth unknown, probably 1749; and died October 15, 1824, in the sev- enty-sixth year of his life. Buxton was a forest when he was born and during his boy- hood. He was for three months the pupil of Silas Moody, and this was all the schooling he ever had. He settled on lot 3, range A, second division, probably immediately after his marriage, and there he made his home as long as he lived. He built his first house in Au- gust, 1775, while the British were cannonading Portland, and when he heard the thunder of their batteries at Buxton, wished he could have the glass they were breaking there to glaze the windows of his new house, which for want of glazing he was obliged to board up. The country was then so near its natural condition that wolves were plenty, and howled about his house at night. In 1802 he built a much more pretentious house, with a hip roof, which is still standing. He built the first saw- mill on the Buxton side of the Saco river, and his cousin, Hon. John Woodman, and others built the first one on the Hollis side. He owned the land where the dam and mill
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stood, and is said to have felled the first tree in clearing the ground for his improvements. He built not only the first sawmill, which was double, but three single sawmills on the Bux- ton side at Bar Mills. Before 1798 he also built a grist mill and a fulling mill there. A carding mill was put into the fulling mill at a later day, and is said to have been the first one in Maine. A large portion of the lumber in his day went to the West Indies, and re- turn cargoes were composed mainly of rum and molasses. Then every one drank run not excepting the women and the clergy; and Captain Woodman, being largely engaged in lumbering, not only drank it, but bought it by the hogshead for the use of his workmen and of his friends. He was the founder of the Bar Mills on the Buxton side of the river. He owned most if not all of the land where the mills and most compact part of the, village now stand, and his farm lay adjacent. He never ceased to have a lively interest in all that related to Bar Mills, and though an old man when the building of the first bridge there was undertaken, he was so much interested in the project that he waded into the water to help move and place the crib which was to serve as a foundation for one of the piers of the bridge. While thus engaged he bruised one of his legs ; inflammation ensued, and death was the consequence. He was an energetic, wide-awake man, of great natural abilities, who knew as much law as any lawyer of his day, it was said, and to him all the people of the neighborhood went for counsel and ad- vice. In politics he was a Jeffersonian Demo- crat, and capable of maintaining his side in a very spirited debate with his opponents in the Federalist party. He joined no church, but was the first in town to adopt the faith of the Universalists. He had a remarkably fine voice, and attended Parson Coffin's church, where for many years he sang in the choir. He had great muscular strength, was fond of wrestling or any rough game which would test his strength and prove him master. He is said to have been a great joker and fond of convivial entertainment. He was a handsome man, handsomely dressed in the fashion of the time, wearing queue, ruffles, and so forth; in form, noble, erect and commanding, and hav- ing manners of the old school, dignified and polished. He was captain of the military com- pany, and was thereafter always called Cap- tain Woodman, a title which his father bore before him. A military captaincy in those days was an honored position, which he was proud to hold. When in command of his com-
pany he dressed elegantly, wearing short clothes with silk stockings, silver knee and shoe buckles, ruffled shirt and ruffled wrist- bands. He was a Free Mason, and his funeral, which was the largest ever seen in the town up to that time, was under the auspices of that body. There were about eighty carriages in the procession. He was noted for courage and perseverance, and carried through what- ever he undertook. He was generally liked, and was benevolent and good to the poor. He married, March, 1773, Abigail Woodsum, doubtless born in Biddeford, where she was baptized May 28, 1755, and died at the house of William Scribner, who married her grand- daughter, Abigail Wingate, December 26, 1838, aged eighty-three years and eight months. She was the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Dyer) Woodsum, of Bidde- ford, who were married August 24, 1749. Her father's father was probably Joseph Woodsum, of Berwick, tailor. Her father moved to Narragansett No. I when she was a small child, and she was taken there on a load of hay. She was a tall, stately woman, with black eyes and dark complexion, and per- fectly erect, even in her old age. She was of grave demeanor, quiet, and not given to gos- sip. She performed faithfully and well the duties which were incumbent upon her, and commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew her. It has been written: "Her chil- dren were justly proud of her as of their father, and I never saw more admiration ex- pressed and more reverence manifested by children towards their parents than I witnessed in grandmother's children towards her. She would have commanded respect in any com- pany." Children of Joseph and Abigail (Woodsum) Woodman, all born in Buxton : Edmund, Joseph (died young), Mary, Eliza- beth, Joseph, Abigail, William, Submit, Tam- son, John, James and Hannah.
(VI) William, seventh child of Joseph (2) and Abigail (Woodsum) Woodman, was born December 17, 1787, and died at Bar Mills, January 1, 1833. He was a lumberman, and resided at Bar Mills. He was considered a reliable and honorable man, and was beloved for his manly and social qualities. He was genial, social, fond of society and amusements, of quick and sympathetic feelings, and had a merry laugh which made all those who heard it laugh also. All regretted his early death. He married, July, 1815, Eliza, daughter of Aaron Burnham, of Scarborough. She died July 30, 1877. They had six children, all born in Buxton: Sarah Moody, Abigail Harris,
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Mary Jackson, Eliza Burnham, Isabella Tap- pan, and Martha Weeks, next mentioned.
(VII) Martha Weeks, youngest child of William and Eliza ( Burnham) Woodman, was born in Buxton, February 10, 1824, and died in Limerick, March 23, 1891. She married, August 10, 1849, Jeremiah M. Mason, of Lim- erick. (See Mason.)
(For first generation see Edward Woodman I.) (II) Edward (2), eldest
WOODMAN child of Edward (I) and Joanna Woodman, was born about 1628, probably in England, and was married December 20, 1653, in Newbury, Massachusetts, to Mary Goodrich. Both were members of the Newbury church in 1674. He subscribed to the oath of fidelity in 1678. His will was made December 16, 1693, and proved September following, which approximately in- dicates the time of his death. His children were : Mary, Elizabeth (died young), Ed- ward (died young), a child unnamed, Eliza- beth, Rebecca, Sarah, Judith, Edward, Arch- elaus, a daughter died sixteen days old, and Margaret.
(III) Archelaus, third son and tenth child of Edward (2) and Mary (Goodrich) Wood- man, was born June 9, 1672, in Newbury, and died there March 17, 1766. He was married about 1695, to. Hannah (surname unknown), and their children were : Mary, Edward, Archelaus, Hannah, Judith, Joshua, John, Elizabeth, Joseph and Benjamin.
(IV) Joshua, third son of Archelaus and Hannah Woodman, was born June 6, 1708, in Newbury, and settled about 1736 in Kingston, New Hampshire, where he died April 4, 1791. He was a man of most pious and sterling character and bore up the principles and char- ried, in March, 1736, to Eunice Sawyer, born January 21, 1714, daughter of John and Sarah (Wells) Sawyer. the granddaughter of Sam- uel and Mary (Emory) Sawyer, and great- granddaughter of Lieutenant William and Ruth Sawyer, pioneer settlers of Newbury. Of their fifteen children, three died in in- fancy. The survivors were: Joshua, Eunice, John, Moses, Samuel, Jonathan, David, Jo- seph, Hannah, Sarah, Mary and Benjamin.
(V) Moses, third son of Joshua and Eu- nice (Sawyer) Woodman, was born March 25, 1743, in Kingston, New Hampshire, and resided for a short time in Salisbury that state. The latter returned to the neighborhood of his native place and settled in Hawke (now Dan- ville), New Hampshire, where he died in 1824. He married, in 1777, Hannah ( Pierce)
Eaton, born 1751, died in August, 1850, at the age of ninety-nine years. They were the parents of : Polly, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Moses and John.
(VI) Benjamin, eldest son of Moses and Hannah (Pierce) (Eaton) Woodman, was born in 1783, probably in Danville, New Hampshire, and went to Lovell, Maine, whence he removed to Sweden, Maine. His active years were devoted to agriculture, and he maintained an intelligent interest in all that pertained to the public welfare, being an active Methodist in religion and a Whig in politics. He married Rachel Eaton ; children : Timothy, John, Abigail, Hannah, Nathan and Mary.
(VII) John, second son of Benjamin and Rachel (Eaton) Woodman, was born 1808, in Dover, New Hampshire, and removed with his parents to Fryeburg, Maine. When seventeen years of age he went to Fryeburg, Maine, but soon after settled in Sweden, same state, where most of his life was passed, engaged in farm- ing and lumbering. He was an active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he held various official stations, and was a Whig and among the early supporters of the Republican party. He was a captain of militia and prominent in all public affairs. He died about 1890, at the age of eighty-two years, at Kent's Hill, Maine. He was mar- ried. in Sweden, to Sarah Ann Evans, born 1810, died 1905, at the age of ninety-four years, daughter of Timothy and Mary (Gam- mage) Evans, and granddaughter of Joshua and Rebecca Gammage. Joshua Gammage came from Scotland and fought at Bunker Hill, his weapon being a pitchfork. At the age of seventeen he enlisted under General Washington and served through the war. At the age of ninety years he went from Frye- burg, Maine, to attend a soldiers' reunion in Boston, and died soon after. John and Sarah A. (Evans) Woodman were the parents of five children: The eldest, Sarah Worth, be- came the wife of Marcus Nash, and both are now deceased. Rebecca married Simeon Charles, of Fryeburg. John Francis is men- tioned at length below. Caroline Evans mar- ried Edwin Lord, of Kezar Falls, Maine. James Oscar served in civil war; died at South Windham, Maine, leaving a son George.
(VIII) Rev. John Francis, eldest son of John and Sarah (Evans) Woodman, was born September 12, 1836, in Sweden, and grew up there, receiving the educational train- ing afforded by the common schools, but is largely a self-educated man, having prepared himself by private study, after which he took
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a course in preparation for the Methodist min- istry. Meantime he worked at blacksmithing. He was made a deacon and subsequently be- came a member of the Maine Conference, May 9, 1875. He has served as pastor at Shap- leigh, Acton, New Vineyard, New Portland, Phillips and Strong. Because of failure of his health he was compelled to abandon the ministry, and located on a farm in Oxford, Maine, where he has since resided and is a man of affairs in the community. A Republi- can in politics, he has filled various junior offices, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married, March 28, 1859, at Raymond, Maine, Sarah Small Nash, daughter of Daniel S. and Achsah A. (Small) Nash. Daniel S. Nash was a farmer residing in Raymond, and had four children : Marcus, Sarah S., Samuel and Mary. Sarah S. (Nash) Woodman died before 1875, and Mr. Woodman married ( second ) January 9, 1875, Dorothy Melissa Abbott, youngest child of Tobias and Dorothy ( Wilson) Abbott. To- bias Abbott was a farmer residing in Newfield. There were three children of Mr. Woodman's first marriage: Daniel Nash, again mentioned below ; John, died aged two years; and Sarah Ann, wife of William H. Merchant, residing in Yarmouth, Maine. The children of the second marriage were: Alice May, Frank Evans and Ethel Hoyt.
(IX) Daniel Nash, eldest son of Rev. John F. and Sarah S. ( Nash) Woodman, was born March 31, 1861, in Sweden, Maine, and there passed his boyhood, but attended Kent's Hill Seminary for three years and graduated at the Eastern Maine Seminary with class of 1899. He was subsequently a student for two years in the medical department of Bowdoin Col- lege, and studied medicine two years at the medical school connected with the Maine Gen- eral Hospital at Portland. After one year at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore, he was graduated in April, 1893. He immediately began the practice of his pro- fession at North Yarmouth, where he re- mained four years, and has ever since been established at Yarmouthville, where he has a large and growing practice and is highly es- teemed as a man and citizen. Dr. Woodman is a member of the American Medical Asso- ciation, of the Maine Medical Society, and of the Academy of Medicine and Science, at Port- land. He is affiliated with the Masonic fra- ternity, having obtained the Royal Arch de- gree, and is also a member of the Improved Order of Redmen, and the Knights of the Golden Eagle; and of the Methodist Episco-
pal church. He was once active in political matters, associating with the Republican party, but in recent years has given little attention to matters of that nature. He married, October II, 1890, Hattie Worthley Kendell, born in 1871, in Bangor, Maine, daughter of Alva and Harriett ( Worthley) Kendall. Their chil- dren are: Lewis A., Edward Francis, Alfred King, Ruth Nash, Sarah Melissa, Arthur T., Ethel Maud and Alice Cynthia.
(For early generations see Edward Woodman I.) (IV) Joshua (2), third son
WOODMAN of Benjamin and Elizabeth
(Longfellow ) Woodman, was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, Jan- uary 22, 1720. Together with his brothers Joseph and Nathan he settled near Pleasant Point, in Buxton, Maine, in 1750. On De- cember 24, 1741, his father conveyed to him one full right of land, being one one-hundred and twenty-third part of Narragansett No. I (now Buxton), and by subsequent purchase he acquired title to six and one-half full rights, or about one-seventeenth part of the entire township. It is said that he also owned still other lands than those mentioned. Ac- cording to Dennett's map (1870) he settled and had his home on lot No. 22, range C. first division. Under date of Biddeford, August 21, 1749, the clerk of the proprietors of Narragan- sett No. I was requested to call a meeting on the application of Robert Brooks, John Brooks, Jacob Davis, John Redlon, Thomas Bradbury, Joseph Woodman, Joshua Woodman and Amos Chase. At that time all of these men were doubtless living in Biddeford and Saco, all of which territory then was under the name of Biddeford. The year 1749 seems to have been one of preparation on the part of the proprietors of the town, and from the follow- ing year (1750) dates the permanent settle- ment and continuous history of the town. In 1742 a temporary settlement was made and was continued for two years, when the pion- eers were compelled to abandon their lands on account of the outbreak of war between Eng- land and France, which of course involved their American colonies. Joseph Woodman was one of that small band of intrepid pion- eers who in 1742 made the first attempt to found the town which was compelled to be abandoned two years later, but his brother Joshua is not known to have been one of them. Joshua evidently moved from Newbury to Biddeford some time during the year 1749, at the time when the proprietors were making preparations for the second attempt at perma-
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nent settlement of old Narragansett No. I. The proprietors' records show that Joshua Woodman was one of the leading men in the new region, frequently moderator of the town meetings and his name appears often among the petitioners to the proprietors for various purposes and also among those who had occa- sion to present petitions to the general court of the province; and the records bear testi- mony to the fact that he was chosen to serve on committees to which were delegated im- portant and responsible duties. In fact his- tory establishes that Joseph and Joshua Wood- man were recognized as leaders among the founders of the town. On June 27, 1765, probably on account of financial embarrass- ments Joshua Woodman conveyed to his brother Stephen (then of Falmouth, now Portland) "my homestead farm whereon I now dwell, containing one hundred acres, more or less, the same being six home lots in said township, viz .: In Letter C the home lots numbered 21, 23 and 26, and in Letter D lots numbered six and seven, together with the buildings thereon standing." This appears to have been the beginning of a series of finan- cial reverses which eventually resulted in the loss of a considerable part of his once large land holdings in the town. Several judgments were obtained against Joshua Woodman at the June term of the court in York county in 1767 and several others at the June term of the court in the following year. The causes of his misfortunes are not known. He died in Buxton about the year 1800, and his wife is said to have died six years afterward. Both were buried in the graveyard at the Lower Corner, and Cyrus Woodman, in his work entitled "The Woodmans of Buxton, Maine" (1872), says that the stones marking their graves are still standing.
(V) Joshua, son of Joshua Woodman, mar- ried June 14, 1787, Sarah Wheeler, of Bux- ton, and died January 16 (or 21), 1844. He served in the American navy during the revo- lutionary war, was captured by the British, and confined in what was called the Mill prison in England; but after a time he man- aged to escape by digging under the prison wall. He also was in the land service during a part of the war, and was with the army under General Washington throughout the eventful winter at Valley Forge, at which place it also is said that he was one of Washing- ton's life guards. Captain Robert Wentworth, of Buxton, is our authority for the statement "that with others he dug under the walls of the Mill prison in England and escaped to
France." He remained in the latter country for some time, without money or means of any kind by the use of which he was able to return to America. However, one of his fel- low townsmen, a Captain Harding, who hap- pened to be in England about that time and heard of his misfortune, went to France and provided him with the means to get back home. His gravestone says that Joshua Woodman died January 16, 1844, aged ninety-five years, which doubtless is an error, if his brother Ben- jamin was older than himself, for their father was not married until May 25, 1749.
(VI) Samuel, son of Joshua and Sarah (Wheeler) Woodman, was born in Buxton, Maine, August 28, 1790, and died in Portland, Maine, about 1827. He married (first) June 5, 1815, Paulina Libby, of Gorham, Maine, and (second) in 1821, Lydia Raymond.
(VII) Benjamin J., only son of Samuel and Paulina (Libby) Woodman, was born in Westbrook, Maine, November 20, 1818, and died there in 1903. He was a shoemaker by trade, and in the earlier part of his business life was associated with William H. Neal, of Westbrook, in the manufacture of shoes. This was before the days of modern shoe factories. The firm of Neal & Woodman, as the partner- ship was known, manufactured shoes largely by hand and distributed the product of the shop through the surrounding towns with wagons. It was the custom of the "shoe team" to call at the merchant's door and supply their wants from stock carried in the wagon driven by the salesman. The firm carried on a profit- able business for many years and became large holders of real estate in the town, but finally was compelled to suspend operations during the panic and business depression of 1857. At that time Mr. Woodman disposed of his in- terest in the concern to his partner and re- moved to a farm in Westbrook, where he died, in his eighty-fifth year. He married, in De- cember, 1840, Charlotte Babb; of Westbrook, and both she and her husband were members of the Westbrook Methodist Episcopal Church for more than half a century ; children : Charles B., Paulina H., Benjamin F., Clara, Mary and Charlotte.
(VIII) Charles Babb, eldest son of Benja- min J. and Charlotte ( Babb) Woodman, was born in Westbrook, Maine, in 1841, and died in that city in August, 1901. He received his education in the common schools of his native town and in Gorham Academy, and for the next ten years after leaving school was em- ployed in the steward's department of different coast steamboats, three years of that period
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being spent on government transports during the civil war. He enlisted early in the war, but was not able to pass the required physical examination. At the close of the war he re- turned home, and in company with E. H. Sturgis entered general merchandizing, the firm name being Sturgis & Woodman. In 1872 he purchased his partner's interest in the busi- ness, and soon afterward gradually sold out his grocery stock and confined himself to the sale of drugs and medicines. For a number of years he was proprietor of the only drug store in Westbrook, and he continued in that business until the time of his death. Mr. Woodman always took an active and com- mendable part in public affairs. Before West- brook became a city he was for many years a member of the Republican town committee and its chairman for thirteen years. For several years also he was a member of the Republican district committee of the state, having been selected for that position by the late Thomas B. Reed. For five consecutive years he was town clerk and treasurer of Westbrook, and in 1885 and again in 1887 represented Westbrook in the lower house of the state legislature. After the town became a city he was twice elected member of the board of aldermen, serving as president of the board during his second term of office. He was postmaster of Westbrook four years during the administra- tion of President Harrison, and in April, 1899, was reappointed by Mr. Mckinley for another term. He died during the second term of his incumbency of office, and as an appreciation of his faithful performance of duty his youngest son, Benjamin J. Woodman, was appointed his successor ; and the son is now postmaster of the city. In 1863 Charles Babb Woodman married Clydemena Spears, of Waterville, Maine, and by her had six children: Charles Harold, now dead; Alice Louise, now dead ; Guy Perley, a business man of Brunswick, Maine; George M., a physician of Westbrook ; Benjamin J., postmaster of Westbrook ; Philip Everett, now dead.
(IX) George M., third son of Charles Babb and Clydemena ( Spears) Woodman, was born in Westbrook, Maine, June 20, 1872, and acquired his earlier literary education in the public schools of that city, graduating from the high school in 1890. He then took the scientific course at the Maine Wesleyan Semi- nary, Kent's Hill, and was graduated from that institution in 1892. After spending one year as clerk in his father's drug store and a like time as reporter on the staff of the Port- land Evening Express, he determined to enter
the profession of medicine; and to that end he matriculated at the medical department of Bowdoin College, completed the course of that institution, and graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1897, cum laude, and with the honors of the valedictory. After graduating he re- ceived the appointment of house surgeon to the Maine General Hospital and remained there one year. He began his professional career at South Windham, Maine, remained there for five years, and has since practiced in his native city of Westbrook. He holds mem- bership in the American Medical Association, the Maine State Medical Society, the Port- land and the Westbrook Medical Clubs. He at present holds a commission from the governor as contract surgeon of the National Guard of the State of Maine.
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