When Seth Woodruff was born in 1744, in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut, United States, his father, Robert Woodruff, was 34 and his mother, Ruth Clark, was 28. He married MRS Seth Woodruff about 1760, in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons. He died on 31 January 1828, in his hometown, at the age of 84.
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1744–1828 Male
1739– Female
1761–1844 Male
1763–1830 Male
1710–1782 Male
1716– Female
1744–1828 Male
1745–1828 Male
1749–1789 Female
1751–1794 Female
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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