Brief Life History of Elizabeth
When Elizabeth Woodruff was born on 9 June 1796, in Woodruff, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States, her father, Joseph Woodruff, was 45 and her mother, Anne Lindsey, was 41. She married Caleb Allen on 26 December 1816, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Spartanburg, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States for about 10 years. She died on 29 October 1875, in Woodruff, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States, at the age of 79, and was buried in Woodruff, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States.
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Family Time Line
Sources (2)
- Eliza Allen in household of Caleb Allen, "United States Census, 1850"
- Elizabeth Woodruff Allen, "Find A Grave Index"
Spouse and Children
1792–1850 Male
1796–1875 Female
Children (7)
1818–1928 Female
1819–1847 Female
1820–1880 Male
1825–1845 Female
1827–1893 Male
+2 More Children
Parents and Siblings
1751–1817 Male
1755–1826 Female
Siblings (11)
1767–1849 Female
1775–1855 Male
1776–1844 Male
1777–1841 Female
1780–1868 Male
+6 More Children
World Events (7)
1800 · Movement to Washington D.C.
Age 4
1803
Age 7
1819 · Panic! of 1819
Age 23
Name Meaning
English: from Middle English woderove ‘woodruff, sweet woodruff’ (Old English wudurofe), a sweet-scented plant. The leaves of the plant have a sweet smell and the surname may also have been a nickname for one who used it as a perfume, or perhaps an ironical nickname for a malodorous person. Alternatively, perhaps a topographic name for someone who lived at or near a place where woodruff grew. There may have been some confusion with Woodrow .
History: Two English families brought the name Woodruff to the American colonies: those of Matthew Woodruff and of John and Ann Woodruffe. The latter migrated to Lynn, MA, from Kent, and moved to Southampton, Long Island, NY, before 1640. John and Ann's many descendants were established in NJ, NC, and SC by 1790. The city of Woodruff, SC, is named for this family. The name is variously spelled Woodrove, Woodroffe, Woodruffe, Woodrough, and Woodruff in colonial records.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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