Altha A Woodruff

Female22 January 1869–12 November 1945

Brief Life History of Altha A

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.

Photos and Memories (5)

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Family Time Line

James Elmer Blackburn
1865–1926
Altha A Woodruff
1869–1945
Marriage: about 1888
Laurel Madge Blackburn
1889–1890
Mabel Blackburn
1892–1970
Lura Madeline Blackburn
1894–1920
Eva Marjorie Blackburn
1901–1968
Jeanette Gladys Blackburn
1903–1919
Fred Elmer Blackburn
1907–1980

Sources (19)

  • Altha A Blackburn, "United States Census, 1930"
  • Altha Althea Blackburn, "Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Death Records, 1864-1967"
  • Altha A Woodruff in entry for Jeanette Blackburn, "Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Death Records, 1864-1967"

Spouse and Children

  • Marriage
    about 1888Washington, Ohio, United States
  • Children (6)

    +1 More Child

    Parents and Siblings

    Siblings (5)

    World Events (8)

    1870 · The Fifteenth Amendment

    Age 1

    Prohibits the federal government and each state from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was the last of the Reconstruction Amendments.

    1880 · The Great Gale of 1880

    Age 11

    The Great Gale of 1880 was a severe snow and wind storm that devastated parts of Oregon and Washington on January 9, 1880. The extratropical cyclone caused tides to rise seven feet, gale force winds, and snow accumulations of up to 18 inches.  

    1889 · Washington Becomes a State

    Age 20

    On November 11, 1889, Washington Territory became Washington State the 42nd state to enter the Union. The state was named in honor of George Washington.

    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.

    Possible Related Names

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