Levi Woodbury Biography from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire From: Cindy Godbout - 5ofClubs@Mediaone.net Surname: WOODBURY Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 1237 LEVI WOODBURY comes of a prominent old family of Salem, N. H., where he now resides, although his business activities have been largely in other parts of the country. He was one time proprietor of the St. James Hotel in Washington, D. C., made famous by him, and for many years he has been president of the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Company. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, October 17, 1834, and is a son of Israel and Eliza (Graham) Woodbury, and a grandson of Israel Woodbury. Israel Woodbury, the grandfather, was born December 10, 1759, and lived to the good old age of ninety-nine years and ten months. When the colonies rebelled against England, he enlisted and was stationed in Northern New York. Falling prisoner he was taken by the Indians to Canada and there detained for a long time. Finally through the aid of a half-breed he effected his escape. Crossing the St. Lawrence River in a canoe, he proceeded to walk through the wilderness to his home in Salem, N. H. Among others of his family who saw service in the Revolutionary Army, were Daniel Wood- bury, Israel Woodbury, Elisha Woodbury and his son Elisha, Jr., and Jona- than Woodbury. Israel Woodbury, father of the subject of this record, was born in Salem N. H., in 1805, and for more than thirty years was a contractor and builder in Boston, Mass. He was an enthusiastic democrat in his political affiliation, and was the leader of the party in Salem. He married Eliza Graham who was born in 1809, and they had the following children: Levi; Charles 0. of Washington, D. C. ; Milton G. who lives in Massachusetts; and Mrs. Abbie C. Forster, who lives with her brother, Levi. Levi Woodbury was reared on a farm in Salem, and his educational train- ing was obtained in the New England public schools. At the age of nine- teen years he started life work in a shoe factory, and continued that occupa- tion for seven years. In 1860 he entered railroad service as station agent on the Boston and Concord Railroad, and during this period of six years Page 1238 learned the Morse Code and became master of the key. At the same time he was engaged in the lumber business at Windham, N. H. From rail- roading he turned to hotel keeping, his first venture being at Chelsea, Mass. Here he built up a profitable business, which he sold to advantage in 1867. He then went to Washington, D. C. as steward of the St. James Hotel, and a year or two later established the St. George Cafe under the old Masonic Temple. A few years later he leased the St. James Hotel and gave it a pres- tige throughout the country during the many years he held it. He saw the advantage to be derived from good steamboat service down the Potomac to the cities at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, and was the moving spirit in the formation of the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Company, of which he has served as president for many years. Mr. Woodbury was united in marriage with Miss Nancy J. Wheeler. Fra- ternally he is prominent in Masonic Circles. He is a Knight Templar, a mem- ber of the Mystic Shrine, and has taken the Scottish Rite degree. He also belongs to the Board of Trade, the Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Club and the Columbia Golf Club. ********************************************************************** * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files t other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIORto uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * *The USgenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.