Carroll Co., AR - Biographies - Benjamin E. Woodruff

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Benjamin E. Woodruff, of the firm of Benjamin E. Woodruff & Son, 
dealers in lumber at Eureka Springs, Ark., was born in 1824, in 
Lincoln County, Tenn., He is a son of William R. and Matilda 
(Ferguson) Woodruff. William R. Woodruff was a Georgian, who, when a 
young man, went to Lincoln County, Tenn., where he was married. In 
1835 he removed to Washington County, Ark., and located on a farm, on 
which he resided until his death, in 1853. Prior to his removal to 
Arkansas he was engaged in milling. His wife was a Virginian. She died 
in Washington County, Ark., in 1863. Benjamin E. Woodruff was reared 
on his father's farm, and when a young man engaged in the saw-mill 
business. He built the first circular saw-mill and the second steam 
flour-mill in Northwest Arkansas. These mills were near Fayetteville. 
He continued in both the lumber and flour milling business until the 
Civil War broke out. Since the war he has been engaged exclusively in 
the lumber business. Besides his farm of 647 acres, near Fayetteville, 
he owns considerable property in Eureka Springs, also 2,580 acres in 
Carroll and Madison Counties. His marriage with Sarah J. Pearse, of 
Arkansas, was celebrated on November 26, 1846, and to them have been 
born fourteen children, four of whom are dead. Those living are Mary 
M., Mrs. William Atwood, of Washington Territory, who has four sons 
and one daughter; John W.; Martha J.; Margaret, Mrs. Norman Van 
Winkle, who has three sons and three daughters, and lives at Eureka 
Springs, Ark.; Katie; William R., married, and has one daughter, now 
(1888) five years old-he lives at Granby, Mo., and is engaged in 
mining; Van, Minta, Lee and Alice. John W. is in partnership with his 
father in the lumber business, and has an interest in the large part 
of his landed estate. John W. was born in Washington County, Ark., on 
March 31, 1850, and was reared and educated in his native county. 
Since 1885 he has been connected with his father in business. On 
November 9, 1886, he was united in marriage with Rhoda E. Means, a 
daughter of James Means, formerly from Missouri. They have one son. 
The firm owns two large saw-mills, one at Eureka Springs and the other 
eight miles southwest. The former mill is a large three-story 
structure, and contains machinery for planing, grooving and moulding, 
and turning lathes. They ship largely to Kansas, and do the most 
extensive business in the county. Both father and son are stanch 
Democrats.