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Martin B. Woodworth |
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Martin B. Woodworth |
Martin B. Woodworth, farmer, P. O. Palestine [Crawford County, Illinois], was born August 19, 1825, in La Motte Township [Crawford County, IL], a son of J. S. Woodworth, born December 29, 1785 in Rensselaer County, N. Y. His parents removed to Mount Lebanon [Columbia County, NY], where he was brought up.
In the twenty-third year of his age, the father left his native state and rambled for some three years and then settled in Mount Sterling, Ky. In 1814, he removed to Illinois and settled near Palestine, and on the 19th of June 1815, he was married to Polly GILL, who died in August 1827. She was the mother of six children, of whom our subject is the youngest and the only one living. Mr. J. S. Woodworth was married again in September 1828, to Mrs. E. KINCAIDE, who survives him. She is the mother of four children, of whom two boys are now living. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a willing and able supporter. His land joined the old fort of La Motte; he was the second Sheriff of Crawford County, and died July 28, 1850, aged sixty-four years.
His son, Martin B., remembers distinctly having seen the remains of the old fort in his boyhood; he went to school in La Motte Township and Palestine. He followed his father's vocation, that of a farmer, and was married February 29, 1840 in La Motte Township to Miss Mary E. Crews, born September 1831 in La Motte Township. She is a daughter of W. J. and Emily Crews, who came here at an early date. Mr. Woodworth is still carrying on farming; he is living in a nice residence, a part of which is built with bricks from the old courthouse; he has over a thousand acres of land, which speaks for his success as a farmer; 779 acres are in La Motte Township, and 270 acres are in other places. The old fort stood on his present place. Mr. Woodworth is a strong Republican; he is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
From the same source, also page 325:
John Leander Woodworth, merchant, and farmer, P. O. Palestine, was born March 5, 1831, in La Motte Township, this county. He is a son of John S. Woodworth, one of the old settlers of this county, who was born December 29, 1785, in Rensselaer County, N. Y. Soon after his parents removed to New Lebanon, where he was brought up. At the age of twenty-three, he left New York, his native state, and rambled for some three years, and then settled in Mount Sterling, Ky. In 1814, he removed to Illinois and settled near Palestine. On the 19th of June 1815, he was married to Polly Gill, who died in August 1827. She was the mother of six children, of whom only one is now living. Mr. J. S. W. was married again, in September 1828, to Mrs. E. Kincaide, who survived him. She was the mother of four children; two boys are living now. Mr. Woodworth's farm joined the old Fort La Motte. As a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he was a liberal and willing supporter of that body. He died July 28, 1850, aged sixty-four years.
Mr. J. L. Woodworth was instructed by private teachers but finished his education in Palestine. He has been a successful farmer. He was married, in La Motte Township, August 5, 1874 to Miss Louisa LISMAN, born December 6, 1851 in Sullivan County, Ind. She is a daughter of David and Nancy (Wells) Lisman and is the mother of three children: Alta Woodworth born January 27, 1875; Johnny Woodworth, born July 8, 1878, and an infant boy born April 5, 1882. Mr Woodworth has been identified with the Republican Party; is a trustee in the Methodist Church; and owns a large interest in the Robinson Bank, of which he was one of the founders, and is now one of the Directors and stockholders. Financially, Mr. Woodworth has been a success, as he is one of the wealthiest men in the county.
From the same source, page 326:
Abner B. Woodworth, Cashier, Robinson Bank, Robinson, whose portrait appears in this work, was born June 20, 1829 and is a native of this county, born and reared within its limits, and during his whole life has been closely identified with its interests. He received a fair education in the common schools of the county and then attended college for two years in Indiana. After leaving school, he engaged, in 1853, in merchandising in Robinson, which he followed until 1875, when he went into the banking business and, with others, established the Robinson Bank, of which he is the Cashier. He was married, August 18, 1868, in Binghamton, N. Y., to Miss Ellen King, a daughter of Andrew L. KING. They have no children.
Mr. Woodworth was originally a Whig in politics, but upon the organization of the Republican party, he cast his lot with it and has ever since been identified with it politically.
From the same source, Chapter X, Settlement of Robinson Township, page 109:
Thomas GILL and family, and John S. Woodworth [portrait and signature reproduced on page 136] came in the fall of 1814 and were from Mt. Sterling, Ky. Mr. Gill settled on a farm some four miles northwest of Palestine, where he lived, and where he died about 1840. He had a numerous family, but none of them are now in the township. James Gill, the only one left, lives in Cumberland County. Mr. Gill served in the Revolutionary War and was a highly respected citizen of the country.
John S. Woodworth married a daughter of Gill's and raised a large family of children. But three of them are living, viz.: Martin Woodworth and Leander Woodworth of Palestine and A. P. Woodworth, cashier of the Robinson bank. The first purchase of land made by Mr. Woodworth was the squatter's claim of Thomas Kennedy to 160 acres. When it came in market, he purchased it and had to pay $6.10 per acre for it, a heavy price for the time. Mr. Woodworth was the second sheriff of Crawford County. He was not an office seeker but devoted his time and attention chiefly to agriculture. He accumulated a large estate in landed property.
