Brief Life History of Wilford
When Wilford Woodruff was born on 1 March 1807, in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut, United States, his father, Aphek Woodruff, was 27 and his mother, Beulah Thompson, was 24. He married Phebe Whittemore Carter on 13 April 1837, in Kirtland, Geauga, Ohio, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 5 daughters. He immigrated to Utah, United States in 1850 and lived in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States for about 10 years and Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1880. He died on 2 September 1898, in San Francisco, California, United States, at the age of 91, and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.
Photos and Memories (26)
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Family Time Line
Sources (64)
- Wilfored Woodruff, "United States Census, 1870"
- Wilford Woodruff, "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016" Marriage Intention - Phebe W. Carter
- Wilford Woodruff, "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849-1949"
Spouse and Children
Children (9)
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Parents and Siblings
World Events (8)
1808
Atlantic slave trade abolished.
1829 · Farmington Canal Opened
Farmington Canal spans 2,476 acres, starting from New Haven, Connecticut, and on to Northampton, Massachusetts. The groundbreaking for the canal was in 1825 and opened in 1829.
1832 · The Black Hawk War
Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.
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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