Nelson Woodruff (1814 - 1874)

Born 29 Mar 1814 in Pickering, Upper Canada

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 14 Aug 1874 at age 60 in Pickering, Ontario, Canada

Biography

Nelson was born in 1814 to Noadiah Woodruff and Charity Powell. He died in 1874. ^[1] Nelson owned the Brougham Hotel in 1850.

"Woodruff. A family of this name settled in Pickering very soon after if not before the opening of the century. In a record of marriages of Clarke township there is the following entry: 'Twenty-first April, 1807. Married John Carr of Darlington to Betsy Woodruff of Pickering with the written consent of her father. Present Morris Carr and wife and Mr. Woodruff's son.' One of the pathmasters appointed at the town meeting held in 1811 was Noadiah Woodruff. In all probability the Betsy above mentioned was his sister. Another sister, Melinda, was Mrs. Jordan Post and a third Mrs. Jabez Lynde of Whitby. Noadiah was born in Pennsylvania about 1783 and came to Pickering with the Friends settlement. His home was in the second concession almost directly north of where the Spink's Mill now stands. His parents and several brothers were also pioneers of that time, but the old people and one brother, Harvey, died very early in the century and the other brothers left the township within a few years. It is said that the soldiers passing between Toronto and Kingston at the time of the war of 1812 were entertained at the home of Noadiah Woodruff. In 1813 he purchased 200 acres of Lot 17, Con. 2, for £250. His wife was Charity Powell and their family: Powell, Hawkins, Zelotes Harvey, Elizabeth, Nelson, James, Henry, Lois and Charity. Powell Woodruff lived in Brougham, where he kept a tavern. His daughter, Mrs. James Lamareaux, still lives in Dunbarton. Hawkins Woodruff married Mary Tool and settled on Lot 18, Con. 4, but later lived south along the Brock Road in the 2nd Con. His children were Elizabeth, John, Jemima, Zelotes Harvey, Jerusha, Noahdiah, Mary Maria, Catherine Lois, Hawkins Warren, Emeline (Mrs. Wm. Allaway) and Emmet Emsley. Zelotes Harvey Woodruff died when about twenty-seven years of age, leaving a widow and three children. His widow afterwards married Stephen Gardiner and is still living. Elizabeth Woodruff married William Bentley and lived and died at Brougham. Nelson Woodruff lived in Brougham. He was a member of the firm of Bentley and Woodruff, who controlled a patent medicine factory for some time. Three of his children — Washington, Lafayette and Lottie — live in Assotin, Washington, U. S. A. James Woodruff lived for a time on the Brock Road, but later moved to Rockport, where he died. Henry Woodruff went to Michigan. Lois died in early life. Charity Woodruff (Mrs. Kester) lived in Markham. She died in 1878." ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JFQ7-722
2. ↑ Past Years in Pickering: Sketches of the History of the Community, William R. Wood, 1911

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149244512/nelson-woodruff
• Canada Census, 1871: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4Q8-VWM
• The Ontario Village of Brougham - Past! Present! Future?, Robert A. Miller, 1973
• http://woodruffgenealogy.org/