Biographical Sketch of William Marshall Woodward (1820-1868): Chester Co., PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . ****************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file 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 to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ****************************************************************** From the 'Biographical and Portrait Cycopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania, comprising A Historical Sketch of the County' by Samuel T. Wiley, revised and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, published by the Gresham Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1893, pp. 830-831: "William Marshall Woodward, a prosperous farmer and liveryman of the borough of West Chester, and a representative of one of the oldest families in the Commonwealth, is a son of Thomas S. and Mary B. (Worth) Woodward, and was born August 4, 1820, in West Bradford township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The Woodwards are of English descent, and trace their American ancestry back to Richard and Robert Woodward, brothers, who were prominent citizens of Chester county as early as 1687. From a genealogy of the family compiled by Lewis Woodward, M.D., of Carroll county, Maryland, it is learned that in 1888 the descendants of these brothers numbered nine hundred and seventy-four, extending through eight generations and scattered over several States. The line of descent from (1) Richard Woodward to the subject of this sketch is traced through (2) Richard, the son of Richard, who married Esther Davis in 1695, by whom he had twelve children, among whom was (3) William (great- grandfather), who wedded Eliza Marshall and reared a family of four sons and two daughters, one of the sons being (4) William (grandfather), who was born August 8, 1743. After attaining manhood he became a country storekeeper, and later in life purchased a farm in West Bradford township, near Marshallton, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying in October, 1825. He was successful and prosperous, both as a merchant and a farmer, and was twice married, first to Lydia Lewis and after her death to Elizabeth Stalker, by whom he had one son, (5) Thomas S. (father), who was born February 9, 1795, in Chester county, and who on January 23, 1817, married Mary B. Worth, a daughter of Samuel Worth, a prosperous farmer of this county, who was of English descent and a representative of one of the oldest families in this section. To them were born nine children, the second being (6) William Marshall Woodward, the subject of this sketch. Thomas S. Woodward, being an only child, inherited all his father's estate, including the homestead in West Bradford township. Here he passed most of his life, owning some three hundred acres of fine land and being a highly prosperous farmer. He died March 20, 1868 in his seventy-fifth year, his wife surviving until August 25, 1877. He was a whig and republican in politics, and a member of the orthodox Society of Friends, as was his wife. He served in several township offices during the course of his life, and occupied a high place in the esteem of his neighbors and all who knew him. William Marshall Woodward was reared on the old homestead near Marshallton, receiving his early education in the common schools and supplementing that by a course of instruction at a well known boarding school. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits exclusively until his forty-fourth year, and came to be numbered among the most prosperous farmers in East Bradford township. In 1864 he sold his farm, and removing to West Chester, engaged in the livery business. For a period of four years, he conducted this enterprise successfully, and then purchased a large farm in Pennsburg township, this county, and once more devoted his attention to the cultivation of the soil. He continued his farming operations until 1875, when he returned to the borough of West Chester and again embarked in the livery business, which he has continued ever since. He has the largest and most completely equipped stables in the borough, with fine horses and a large number of elegant buggies and carriages. In 1852, Mr. Woodward was united in marriage to Esther P., daughter of John and Hannah James, of East Bradford township. The have no children, but a step-son, Alvin Garrett. Mr. Woodward is a regular attendant of the Friends' church in this city, and a member of the Goodwill Fire Company. He has been a life-long republican and has been called to fill a number of the township offices. He is an intelligent gentleman and keeps well posted on current events."