When Altha A Woodruff was born on 22 January 1869, in Huntington Township, Gallia, Ohio, United States, her father, Mansley W Woodruff, was 27 and her mother, Prudentia J Martin, was 25. She married James Elmer Blackburn about 1888, in Washington, Ohio, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 5 daughters. She lived in Mt. Tabor, Multnomah, Oregon, United States in 1900 and American Lake, Pierce, Washington, United States in 1930. She died on 12 November 1945, in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States, at the age of 76, and was buried in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States.
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.
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.