1892 Biography - Mrs. A. M. Woodward

Mrs. A. M. Woodward, widow of William Woodward, of East Feliciana parish, La., belongs to one of that parish's most respected families. Her late husband was born in New London, Conn., March 16. 1798, and lived in his native state until he was fourteen years old, at which time he removed to Bellevue, Ohio, where he completed a thorough education, and became a carpenter and cabinet maker, and was employed as such until he came South, when about twenty-five years of age, having previously married, in Ohio, Miss Sparrow. He settled on the place in this parish where the family now live, and engaged in planting, became one of the leading planters of the parish, and accumulated considerable property, for he was a thorough business man and was very successful in all of his enterprises. He took great pride in improving his homestead, and his buildings, which he erected himself, were among the best in the vicinity, and some of them are still standing as an evidence of his skill. In politics he was a stanch democrat, always ready to aid the interests of his party or of the people, but he was never an office seeker. A man of good judgment, his opinions were sought by his townsmen on many matters of importance. He may be said to have been a self-made man, as his parents died when he was but a boy, and from first to last his success was due solely to his own efforts. Everything he undertook he prosecuted with a strong will and a determination to succeed, which brought him ample success. He died October 10, 1860, a devout member of the Baptist church, of Clinton. La., of which he had been one of the most liberal supporters. He also took great interest in educational affairs, and his support of schools is a matter of some note. He took a scholarship in the Clinton academy, of Clinton, Miss, for which he paid $500, and gave liberally to all schools. He was an affectionate and indulgent husband and father, and was known as a great benefactor of the poor and needy, who found in him a friend in their troubles. His life was one of usefulness, and the announcement of his death was the occasion of great sorrow to his many friends and the people in the parish generally, as they realized the loss of a good and beloved man from their midst. To him by his first marriage was born one daughter, who died when about a year old. Its mother died some few years later, and Mr. Woodward married Mrs. Chapman, widow of McDonald Chapman. by whom ho had three children--two daughters and a son--named as follows: Willie E. Woodward, ex-sheriff of this parish; Mary E., the wife of J. P. Monahan, of this parish, and Susie Woodward, who is unmarried and a member of Mrs. Monahan's family. After the death of the second wife, Mr. Woodward married the subject of this notice, Mrs. Amanda M. Woodward (nee Ratcliff), who was born in Amite county, Miss., the daughter of Charles and Catherine (Huff) Ratcliff, also natives of Amite county, where they were both reared. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Woodward came from North Carolina to Amite county. Miss., where they were among the first settlers. They became very prosperous and accumulated considerable property. The father of our subject was born in 1802, and died February 9, 1886, in Franklin county, Miss., where he had moved shortly before. He was a strong democrat, who took a great interest in the political affairs at the time, a well-to do planter, and altogether a prominent man in his county. His wife, the mother of Mrs. Woodward, was born in May. 1804, and died in April, 1846. She bore her husband three sons and three daughters. The sons all gave their lives for their country in the late war: Alfred S. M., who was born May 11, 1834, died July 9, l862, of camp fever, while in camp at Grenada, Miss.; Charles P., who was born in 1836, was unfortunately killed at Mississippi City, October 21, 1861, by the accidental discharge of a pistol in the hands of a companion soldier, who was in the act of cleaning it; William, born November 8, 1839, died September 14, 1862, from a gunshot wound over the left eye, received at the battle of Fort Craig, near Mumfordsville, Ky. All the sons were unmarried. Mrs. Woodward's sisters were Mrs. A L. Jenkins, wife of Silas Jenkins, of Amite county, Miss., who died in 1848, and Frances C., wife Seymour Taylor, who lives near Bayou Sara, in West Feliciana parish. The father of our subject was married, after the death of his first wife, to Eliza Dye, who is yet living. To this union were born: Eugenia A., now the wife of Burt Henderson, who lives in North Cambridge, Mass., and has one child. Mrs. Ratcliff is living at present in Franklin county, Miss. Mrs. Woodward, the second child in order of birth, was educated in Amite county, Miss., and has resided in this parish since she was sixteen years of age. After her marriage to Mr. Woodward she became the mother of three children named as follows: Alexander C. Woodward, who lives on the home place; Ada K., the wife of Dr. F. Wood, of this parish, and Anna A., who was born August 26, 1839, and died November 4, 1863. Mrs. Woodward has a pleasant plantation home, about eight miles north of Clinton, where she has a sightly brick residence in the midst of a tine grove of beech trees and magnolias, and is surrounded with every comfort that this world's wealth affords. She has been a member of the Baptist church for twenty-five years, and is known as an amiable, refined and highly cultured lady. Her son devotes some attention to the raising of fine stock, and takes much pride in the way in which his mother's place is managed. There were three brothers of the Woodward family who settled in this vicinity, hence the name "Woodland" is given to their home. Eben Woodward settled on the place where H. M. Poole now lives. Abisha Woodward located near there, and later on a place near Port Hudson, where he died. They have one brother of Bellevue, Ohio, Gordon Woodward. The Woodwards are all well regarded, and are among the prominent families wherever they are found. Those of this family who survive are all well-to-do, and are held in high respect as reputable citizens. Some of them, from boys without any means, have become men of great wealth, and all have displayed great energy and good business qualifications. Mrs. Woodward is descended from one of the best and most reputable families of the parish, and is worthy of the esteem in which she is held by all who know her. She takes a deep interest in all the affairs of the church and of the parish, contributing liberally whenever her means are needed to help worthy enterprises tending to the public benefit.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892, volume 2, pages 464-465.