Descendants of Captain Henry WOODWARD

Notes

1. Henry WOODWARD Captain

Page 1
!ID CODE (1)
   Capt. Henry WOODWARD
BORN in England about 1730
DIED in Stafford Co. Virginia, in late 1700's, sometime after 1758,
     Parent's names unknown
MARRIED Sarah (Sally) SHELTON, born in England, Died in Stafford Co., Virginia, Parent's names unknown (Most Stafford County records destroyed in both the Rev. & Civil Wars) Capt. Henry is said to have married a second time but there are no facts available on second marriage.  So far no factual information has been located on Capt. Henry after 1758.

Page ii About this publication;
    "This publication covers the arrival in Virginia in 1755 of Our First Known Ancestor, Henry WOODWARD, BORN in England about 1730, his association with George WASHINGTON as a neighbor, his appointment as a Lieutenant in the Virginia Militia, and later his promotion to Captain of 10th Company of the Virginia Regiment by Governor. DINWIDDIE, and his military career during the French and Indian Wars, for which
he received L105, and large land grants in Stafford and Cumberland Counties in Virginia, in recognition of his services (substantiated by references from "Letters of Governor DINWIDDIE" and "Writings of Washington" on ensuing pages III, IV, V), and his marriage to "Sally" Sarah SHELTON, and all available  information on their three Sons James, Jesse, and William Presley WOODWARD, and their descendants."

Compiled and published through the efforts of
P. 133 Naomi (Anderson) SMITH, 430 N. Iowa St. Lawrence, Kansas 66044
P. 99, 99A Warren D. WOODWARD, Route 6 Box 406-c, Hertwood, Virginia 22471

Explanation of Code used by Warren D. WOODWARD

1  Capt. Henry WOODWARD, first Known Ancestor
1A James WOODWARD, First child of Capt. Henry
1B Jesse WOODWARD, second child of Capt. Henry
1C William Presley WOODWARD, Third Child of Capt. Henry

The code alternates numbers and letters, the system placing a name in it's respective generation. For instance, Warren D. being of the seventh generation, is coded as follows
1  Capt. Henry WOODWARD, First Known Ancestor
1A  James WOODWARD, First Child of Capt. Henry
1A1  Henry Hyden WOODWARD, first child of James
1A1L  Alexander Fletcher WOODWARD, twelfth child of Henry HYDEN
1A1L6  Robert Lee WOODWARD, sixth child of Alexander Fletcher
1A1L6C  William Alexander WOODWARD, third child of Robert Lee
1A1L6C1  Warren DeWayne WOODWARD, first child of William Alexander



                         OUR FIRST KNOWN ANCESTOR

                           Capt. Henry Woodward


Henry Woodward, born in England about 1730, first appears in Virginia records when he presents a letter of introduction, written by James Abercrombie, the London agent, to Governor Robert Dinwiddie.

The account books of George Washington show that  "On Monday, January 6, 1755, Henry Woodward lost at cards to George Washington".

Henry Woodward was appointed a Lieutenant in the Virginia Militia immediately after his arrival, and soon promoted to Captain.


Excerpts from Volume 2 of "Writings of Washington"


"ORDERS   -     Fort Cumberland       17 Sept. 1755

Lieutenants John Savage, John Mercer, Joshua Lewis and Henry Woodward, are promoted as Captains in the Virginia Regiment"


"ORDERS   -                           5 Oct. 1755

A detachment of one Lieutenant, one Ensign, three Sergeants, three Corporals, a drummer, and fifty private men, under the command of Capt. Woodward, are to march on Monday next, for Fort Cumberland"

That Capt. Henry Woodward's Mother was living in England is evidenced by a letter written by Governor Diwiddie to James Abercrombie, which in part said

"Feb'y 24th, 1756

Sir

Upon your recommendation I took Mr. Woodward by the hand, and have promoted him (tho' a young man) Capt. of a Co. in the pay of y's Colony.  He wanted mo. (ney) to equip him for the service.  I let him have L30 st'r, for w'ch you can have his bill on his Mother and a l'r enclos'd for her.  W'n you rec., the mo. please pay it to Mr, J. Buchanan, in Mark Lane.

Y'r Aff, H'ble Serv't"

Reference Virginia Historical Collections, Vol. IV, Dinwiddie Papers, Vol. II, 1755-1758, Page 359.

                                      III


               Letter from Governor Dinwiddie to Washington


"16, May, 1757

The Assembly "having considered the great expense the Virginia Regt. has cost the country from the numbers of companies it has consisted of, and these companies not half complete in proportion to the vast charge of Officers", remodeled it in form, and made it consist of 10 companies of 100 men each, reducing all Captains but 7.  The force was distributed as follows At Fort Loudon, 100 men, commanded by Washington; at Maidstone, 70 men, commanded by Capt. Stewart; at Edwards, 25 men, commanded by Subaltern; at Pearsall's, 45 men, commanded by Capt. McKenzie; in the neighborhood of Buttermilk Fort, 70 men, commanded by Capt. Waggener; at Dickenson's, 70 men, commanded by Major Lewis; at Voss's, 70 men, commanded by Capt. Woodward.


Memo     "To Robert Dinwiddie,         June 10, 1757

1 shall order Capt. Woodward to march his company to Voss's and relieve Capt. Hogg"


Memo     "To Robert Dinwiddie,         July 12, 1757

Capt. Woodward's company, nor any of the companies on the branch' were brought to this place"


Memo     "To Capt. Waggener,            July 29, 1757

You are to dispatch a messenger to Capt. Woodward, that he may hold himself in readiness to march immediately upon your arrival"


                  Letter from Washington to Capt. Woodward
"Fort Loudon, 29 July 1757

Sir You are ordered, immediately upon receipt hereof, to march with your own company (which by regulation has the one that was Capt. Bronaughs added to it) to the plantation of Capt. Dickensen on the Cow-Pasture; and to pursue the following rout, vist.  First you are to go up the south fork; thence to the head of the Cow-Pasture River, and thence down the same to Dickenson's, where you are to halt `till joined by Major Lewis, and Draughts sent by him to strengthen your company; or till you receive orders from the Major, what to do, if he shou'd not be there himself.

That he may have timely notice of your coming to Dickensons; you are to despatch an express to him at Agusta Courthouse, so soon as you begin your march.  I expect you will make but little halt at Dickensons, as your place of destination is Voss's, on Roanoake, to relieve the company that is posted there.  Not knowing what may intervene at this distance, to render other orders necessary  You are as above, to receive directions from the Major, who is ordered to command the detachment of the regiment in that quarter.  And to him you are, till further orders, to apply for instructions in anything you may require.

                                   IV

              Letter from Washington to Capt. Henry Woodward cont.

You are also to send your returns (agreeably to my general instructions herewith sent you) to him; who is to send them with his own and Capt. Spotswoods, to me.

As you will receive new kettles from the public stores (to be delivered by Major Lewis) I have desired Capt. Waggener to call in all the old ones, pots, etc., which were made use of in yours and Bronaugh's late company; and to send them to this place, and I desire you will be punctual in seeing this done, as well as in seeing that great care is taken of the kettles.

As the Fort which Capt. Hogg is building, and to which you are going, has, either thro' bad conduct in the director, idleness in the workman, or thro' some other cause which I can not comprehend, been of infinitely more expense to the country. and much longer about, than was ever expected, you are required to finish it with the utmost dispatch; and that in any manner, however rough, if it will secure you upon attack.  You are for further instructions referred to the general instructions herewith delivered to you.

                                           (Signed) Geo. Washington


Memo       "To Robert Dinwiddie,      Sept. 17, 1757>

The monthly returns for July I find so unintelligible by reasons of some mistake in Captn's Spottswood's and Woodward's return, that I am ashamed to send them; 'till the mistakes are rectified."

"To Major Francis Halkett,   May 11, 1758

If you please to observe that Capt. Woodward's return is made out from his last, as his great distance from hence puts it out of his power to send it in due time.

Memo        "To John Blair,             May 28, 1758

Capt. McKenzie, Lt. Gist, Mr. Woodward, with many others have adventured far into enemy's country.

Memo       "To Sir John St.- Clair,     June 23, 1758

I expect to march tomorrow, agreeably to my orders; Woodward's Company of the first Regiment, covered the Artificers of the 2nd, and left the 22nd, to open the road from hence to Pearsalls, which, by information, is almost impassable".

Memo        "To Henry Boquet,         Aug. 24, 1758

Capt. Woodward of the First Regiment, 3 subs and rank and file, marches tomorrow with 12 days provn's to way lay the road".

Memo        "Sept. 2, 1758

I have heard nothing from Capt. Woodward's party"

Reference Writings of Washington, Vol. 2, 1757-1769

                                    V

(I) Captain Henry Woodward, our first known ancestor, commanded the 10th Company, Virginia, Regiment, during the French and Indian Wars. (Map at right shows area)


(Footnote on Page 401, Vol. IV, Virginia Historical Collections, is the following)

"Henry Woodward, it appears, was an Englishman, who was first appointed Lieutenant upon the recommendation of James Aberoromby, and subsequently promoted.  He was voted thanks and a gratuity of L30 by the Assembly for gallantry at Fort Necessity.  He was present at the defeat of Braddock.  The Assembly granted Capt, Woodward L75 as "A, reward and compensation for his gallant behavior and losses" in the battle near Fort Duquesne".


Captain Woodward was placed in command of Voss's Fort on the frontier, 10 June 1757, and served in the Cherokee Expedition, and remained in the service until 1762.

Large, land grants in Stafford and Cumberland, Counties of Virginia, were assigned him in recognition of his service.

At the close of the French and Indian Wars, Captain Henry Woodward and his wife, the former Sarah Shelton, who came of the noble family of Shelton who trace their ancestry to Charlemagne and the Magna Charta Barons, settled in Stafford Co., Virginia, a short distance from Aquia Church, located on Aquia Creek, in Overwharton Parish, Stafford, Virginia. (Map of area at right above)

Here their three sons (1A) James, (1B) Jesse and (1C) William Presley Woodward were born.

Supported by records in the Congressional Library, the original portion of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., was built from stone quarried on Captain Woodward's land.  The southeast cornerstone was laid by President Washington with Masonic ceremonies 18 September 1793.

                                    VI

Page 56A     "Additional Information from other's Ancestral Charts"

A fascinating story kept alive by the telling of it from generation to generation.

   "Captain Henry Woodward had just boarded a ship at England to come to America when he saw officers coming on board to search the ship to see that no able bodied man left England.  A young, but very large woman standing near-by, over-heard him, addressing no one but the sea and himself, remark "I have served seven years in the War, and now I suppose I will have to end my life in the army."
   Sarah "Sally" Shelton, the young woman standing near-by, looked at him and noticing he was a small man, told him "Squat down under this stool." Then she sat upon the stool, out-spreading her skirt so as to completely obscure him during the search.  He jumped up and kissed her!

   Allegedly, they were married by the Captain of the ship, during the voyage."

  Henry Woodward is said to have come from England and settled first in MD. or Va. - owned a sword - silver knee and shoe buckles. (Aunt Lydia & my father).