"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY,
1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone.  Probably published in 1944 by Messenger 
Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 355-356.  Used by 
permission.  [Hopkins]

WILLIAM HUGHES WOODSON:  This eminent patriarch among Baptist preachers 
of the Green River country in the last half of the last century was the 
son of Hughes Woodson Jr., who came to Hopkins County, Ky., and settled 
near Hanson a few days before the birth of young Woodson.  His father 
came to this state to accept a grant of 1,000 acres of land given to his 
father Hughes Woodson, Sr., a captain in the Revolutionary War.
	W. H. Woodson's mother was formerly Miss Sarah Winfrey of 
Virginia.  The date of his birth was December 12, 1833.  Here in his 
native country he grew to manhood obtaining a fair education.  His 
parents were of the Methodist persuasion but at the age of fifteen he 
was converted and joined a Baptist Church near his home.  He was 
licensed and ordained to preach in his early twenties.  After living in 
his native county and in Webster County for some years he finally moved 
to Muhlenberg County in the year 1884 where he spent the remainder of 
his earthly life.
	Bro. Woodson was first married to Miss Isabelle Ramsey of Hopkins 
County.  He was the father of seventeen children, eleven by his first 
wife and six by his second marriage.  Three of his sons, James D., 
William Weaver, and Thomas G., became useful Baptist ministers, 
laboring successfully in their respective fields of service.  Bro. 
Woodson served Mt. Pleasant (Extinct) from 1875 to 1889 with the 
exception of the year 1876; Bethel from 1878 to 1884 and again in 1887-
1878; and Bethlehem 1884-1891; all in this Association at the time.  
Most of his labors were in Hopkins, Muhlenberg, and Webster Counties.  
Here he led in the organization of many of the churches.  He held very 
long and successful pastorates, being an excellent pastor and a very 
successful winner of souls.  He probably baptized as many persons as any 
other preacher in this section
	Besides his pastorates in the counties already mentioned he also 
served the churches at Shawneetown, III., and Uniontown, Ky.  During his 
early ministerial life he was afflicted with heart trouble and it is 
said that on many occasions while traveling horse back from Sebree to 
Bethlehem Church in Muhlenberg County he would be forced to dismount and 
lie down on the ground until an attack would pass over then he would 
mount again and proceed to his appointment.  Even though his health was 
never excellent he lived to the ripe old age of 81.  After preaching the 
Gospel for over fifty years he passed to his reward on the morning of 
June 5, 1915.
	He left behind the striking witness and example of those faithful 
men of God who had laid strong and deep the foundation of the Baptist 
cause in the lower Green River Valley.

Woodson Winfrey Ramsey
=
VA Muhlenberg-KY Webster-KY IL  

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/hopkins/woodson.wh.txt