William Woodward (abt. 1630 - abt. 1695)

Born about 1630 in St George The Martyr, Surrey, England

Descendants

Died about 1695 at about age 65 in Wight County, Colony of Virginia

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Due to some unsupported claims that William's wife was Native American, this profile is being tracked, co-managed and protected by Wikitree's Native Americans project.

Biography

William Woodward's origins are unknown.^[1][2] In 1657 a land grant to a Col. George Reed listed "Wm. Woodward" as one of forty headrights. It is unknown if this is the same man. ^[3]

Another source has a William Woodward landing in Virginia in 1642.^[4]

The identity of William's wife is not known,^[1][2] but an undocumented person named "Martha West" has been suggested.^[2][5] He had two daughters, Ann (m. Wm. Spencer) and Martha (m. Gideon Macon, m. Nathaniel West, m. William Bigger), ^[6] and was an ancestor of Martha Washington,^[1] a great-grandfather through his daughter Martha and her first husband. It is suggested that he had three more children but they are not named.^[2]

William was an Indian Interpreter and patentee in 1664 of 2100 acres then in New Kent (later in King William) county in Virginia.^[1] The Virginia land grant stated the land was sold to him by Queen Cockacoeske of the Pamunkey and a petition to the governor stated her desire to have him as a neighbor and translator for her people.^{[7] [2]}

He may well be the William Woolard of the following records:

• "We subscribers as a jury by order of Isle of Wight dated 9 June 1658, in difference between Maj. Nicholas Hill, plaintiff, and John Snellock, defdt., to see pat. of land which Maj. Hill bought of Col. Bernard, wholly surveyed and testify that surveyor Woodward, following lines of land belonging to Justinian Cooper, came to John Snellocks within two chains, 900 acres that Snellock lives on belongs to Major Hill according to survey. 20 July 1658. Thomas (X) Lewis, St. Mount. Wells, Edward (X) Pryme, Peter Bedford, Thos. (X) Chivers, Robert Kea, Thomas Taberer, Robert Bird, Francis (X) England, Charles Barcroft, Edmond Wickin, Edward Bechinoe.^[8]
• There was a letter of Atty of Capt. William Woolard to Mr John Cary to make publis clayme to the estate of Justinian Cooper dec. Feb.29,1666. ^[9]
• William Woolard of the Isle of Wight, mrchant. 1671. Deed of William Woolard, late of Harwitch in Essex, mari- ner, but now resident of Isle of Wight Co. Va., heir of Justinian Cooper, long since deceased, to Coll. Nathaniel Bacon Esq. 1671. ^[10]

His death date is unknown, but there is a record of the disposition of his land dated July 20, 1703. ^[11]

Research Notes

Disputed Origins

• This profile has been disconnected from unsourced parents that could not be resolved. The previously cited Millenium File is NOT accepted as a reliable source. (It has his birth as 19 May 1623 born in Arseley, Bedfordshire, England, and his father as John Woodward.)

To connect this profile to any parents, please provide and discuss source of information.

• 1. John Woodward and Eliza Woodward
  2. Christopher Woodward^[12] and Dorothy Wilkinson

Disputed Native American Mate/Spouse

Family lore suggests that William moved out into the "howling wilderness" of Virginia sometime in the 1650s as an Indian trader. He managed to learn their language and gain their trust while at the same time finding a wife.^[2]

Disputed Offspring

• Sources from familysearch have him having children in England up until 1672 see profile.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} William Woodward, Indian Interpreter, Biographical and Genealogical Notes and Queries, in The William & Mary Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr., 1934), p. 178
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Patricia Brady. Martha Washington: An American Life, Penguin, 2006. Ch. 1
3. ↑ Nugent, Nell. Cavaliers and Pioneers. 1934. reprint Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD. 1983. Vol. 1, Patent Book 6, pp. 389-390
4. ↑ Greer, George Cabel. Early Virginia Immigrants 1623-1666. Richmond, VA, USA: W. C. Hill Printing Co., 1912. transcription of book
5. ↑ Genealogy Forum: William Woodward
6. ↑ Dorman, John F. Adventurers of Purse and Person. Fourth Edition. Genealogical Publishing Co.Inc., Baltimore, Md. 2007. Vol. III, p. 491
7. ↑ Library of Virginia, Northern Neck Land Grants, record at [0Search%20Engine&tab=LibraryCatalog&query=any,contains,William%20Woodward&facet=lds04,include,LAN&offset=0 LVA]
8. ↑ John Bennett Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle Of Wight County Virginia, (publisher details sought), 1938, p. ???
9. ↑ Author? "Article Title?" In The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr., 1899), pp. 205-315 [these pages appear to be for entire issue, not the quote being cited]
10. ↑ Bond of William Luff of the City of Bristol, mariner. 21 M'ch 1663. http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/court/history.txt
11. ↑ Dorman, Adventurers, p. 391 citing King William County, VA, Record Book 1, pp. 109-110.
12. ↑ mentioned as a possible but unproven son here: http://woodardfamilytree.com/christopherwoodwardofva.html