BIO: Richard S. WOODWARD, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 340, 343. __________________________________________________________________ REV. R. S. WOODWARD, Mapleton, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in Chester county, Pa., February 18, 1830. He is the son of Moses and Ellen (Supplee) Woodward. His grandfather, Jesse Woodward, was born in Chester county, Pa., near West Chester, on the Brandywine. His whole life was spent in the cultivation of the soil. While a child he went with his uncle to visit the battlefield on the Sunday after the battle of Brandywine. Jesse Woodward was a man of magnificent physique. The children of Jesse Woodward and his wife, Elizabeth, were eight in number, five sons and three daughters. He died on his farm near West Chester, about 1838, aged eighty-six. Moses Woodward, father of R. S. Woodward, was born in 1789 on the homestead near West Chester. He received his education in subscription schools, and was a farmer all his life. At his father's death he succeeded to the homestead. Mr. Woodward was married in Chester county, to Ellen Supplee. In 1851, he took his wife and family to Juniata county, Pa., and bought a farm situated near Salem, consisting of 150 acres, most of it cleared. This place he improved and cultivated until his death. Like his father, he was a man of fine proportions, being six feet five inches in height, and weighing two hundred and twenty-five pounds. In early life he was a Quaker, but after marriage he became a Methodist, of which denomination his wife was a member for over eighty years. Mrs. Woodward was born in 1800, in Germantown, Pa., and died in 1890, in Lancaster county, Pa., while visiting her youngest daughter. Moses Woodard was an old line Whig. Their children are: John, deceased; Jesse, died in Florida, in the Union army; Moses, deceased; Amos, had married in Alexandria, Va., and was living there when the war broke out, remained in the Confederacy, and served until the close of the war as an engineer; Sarah, died young; Rev. R. S.; Annie (Mrs. J. M. Gelbo), of Philadelphia, Pa.; Lewis, lived at Alexandria before the war, enlisted in the Union army, and was lost on the Wabash; Elihu Parish, after being in the Union army for three months, was promoted lieutenant colonel under General Crawford, was in the war from the beginning to the close, died in Philadelphia, where his widow and one son reside; and E. Christina, widow of Wesley Cross, who died in the army, leaving two daughters. Mr. Cross had carried the pictures of his wife and daughters through all the perils of army life, and when dying, gave his treasure to a comrade to bear it to his wife. R. S. Woodward grew up on the homestead, and received his education in the public schools and in Guthriesville Academy. When he was twenty- one, his parents moved to Juniata county, Pa. Here he taught school for eleven winter terms, living on the farm and assisting in its cultivation until his father's death. In 1867, he sold the farm and moved to Three Springs, where he taught school and preached. Mr. Woodward has occupied many charges in the United Brethren church. He was stationed at Three Springs for three years; at Richmond, Jefferson county, Pa., for two years; at Wilmore, Cambria county, Pa., for four years; at Mt. Union, for one year, and at Orbisonia for seven years. In February, 1877, Mr. Woodward bought a farm, which he cultivated for four years, at the same time preaching in Orbisonia. After this, he had several charges, returning at intervals to his farm. He preached at Tyrone two years; at Wollarton, Clearfield, Pa., seven years; at Morrellville, one year; at Madison, Westmoreland county, Pa., five years, and again at Three Springs. In the spring of 1893, Mr. Woodward returned to the farm, and in the same year he was elected presiding elder. From that year until 1896, he traveled through Altoona district, embracing, Huntingdon, Blair, Bedford, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry counties. He now has charge of the United Brethren congregations at Mapleton and Huntingdon. Mr. Woodward is a Republican. In 1866, Rev. R. S. Woodward was married to Catharine A. Freet, of Juniata county. Their children are: Maurice F., died at the age of nineteen; Sarah (Mrs. Jacob Ehrenfield); John, deceased; Maggie (Mrs. David Kelly), of Tyrone, deceased; Emma C.; Parish D.; Ida M.; and Harry R., married and lives in Pittsburg; he is engaged in a telephone supply store. Most of the family are on the farm, but Mr. and Mrs. Woodward reside at present in Mapleton. Note: First name is Richard, according to census.