Brief Life History of Rufus Ricker
When Rufus Ricker Woodruff was born on 10 January 1876, in Cedar Rapids, Linn, Iowa, United States, his father, James Sylvester Woodruff, was 24 and his mother, Lydia Ann Gillilan, was 22. He married Anna Pataska on 14 January 1903, in Wood, Wisconsin, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. He lived in Hillsborough, Florida, United States in 1920 and Josephine, Oregon, United States in 1930. He died on 13 October 1958, in Alameda, California, United States, at the age of 82.
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Family Time Line
Sources (13)
- Rufus Woodruff, "United States Census, 1940"
- Rufus Ricker Woodruff, "Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939"
- Ruphus Woodruff, "Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911"
Spouse and Children
1876–1958 Male
1884–before 1946 Female
Children (2)
1904– Male
1906–1978 Female
Parents and Siblings
1851–1922 Male
1853–1933 Female
Siblings (2)
1876–1958 Male
1880–1961 Male
World Events (8)
1877 · Nicodemus is Founded
Age 1
1878 · St. Mary's Episcopal Church is Built
Age 2
1898 · War with the Spanish
Age 22
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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