Joseph W. (Woodfield) Woodfill (1730 - 1779)

Born 1730 in England

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Woodfill — married before 1750 in England

Husband of Mary (Holsten) Woodfill — married 5 May 1767 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Husband of Mary Rambo — married 16 Jun 1772 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Husband of Mary Heathen — married 25 Sep 1779 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 1779 at about age 49 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biography

Joseph Woodfill, sometimes seen written as Woodfield, a butcher by occupation, and his first wife Mary, surname unknown, probably lived in Hertfordshire, England, where they had their first three children:

Mary, born 1750

Nancy, born 1752

Joseph Jr., born 17 Sept. 1754

In 1755, Joseph and his family emigrated from Wales to Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA Colony, where they had three more children:

John, born 1756

and twins: Daniel & Gabriel born 9 Jan. 1758.

John Joseph had been a Moravian minister before he emigrated to the American colonies. He was converted to Methodism by John Wesley and became a minister. All three of his sons became Methodist ministers, as did the six sons of their sister, Mary (Woodfield) Brenton, who was known as "the mother of Methodism" in Kentucky and Indiana.

There is some confusion about his spouses as follows: 1. Mary (last name unknown) apparently died of the plague about 1764 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA Colony.

Children: Mary 1750 b. Wales/England, d. 1782 Marion County, Indiana

Nancy b. 1752, Wales/England, d. Oct 1856

Joseph B. (Rev) b. 17 Sep 1754 Wales/England, d. 20 Sep 1798 Washington County, Pennsylvania

John b. 1756, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania d. 1777 about, Point Marion, Pennsylvania

John was killed by Indians in Western Pennsylvania. He had gone to Morgantown, VA about 25 miles away on business and just before he got home he was killed. An account of his death can be found in a book called 'Border Warfare'. John's surname was spelled 'Woodfin' in the book.

Daniel W. (Rev) b. 9 Jan 1758, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, d. 2 Dec 1825, near Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana

Gabriel (Rev), twin to Daniel, b. 9 Jan 1758 d. 24 Oct 1830, Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana.

2. Mary Martha Holston/Holsten 5 May 1767 in Christ Church, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA Colony.

3. Mary Rambo, married 16 May 1772 in Christ Church, Philadelphia, PA.

Child: Thomas b. 23 May 1773, m. Sarah Van Dyke 28 Oct 1796, Philadelphia, PA Colony

4. Mary Heathen, married 25 Sep 1779 in Swedes Church, Philadelphia, PA.

Joseph and his second wife are BOTH said by some family researchers to have died in Chester Co., PA Colony, in the late 1760's.

Mary Rambo on 16 May 1772 at Christ Church in Philadelphia cannot be the same person who immigrated in 1755.

Joseph Wodfill and his wife died of Yellow Fever and the children were orphaned.

John Joseph Woodfield/Woodfill died not long after his fourth marriage, probably between 1779 and 1780. His Find-a-Grave listing states he was buried at the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA Colony, but there is no marker. ^[1]

According to the Gudgel family genealogy, three of the Woodfield children were given to Andrew and Barbary (Hoch or Koch) Gudgel to foster. They were Mary, Nancy, and John (ages 12, 10 and 8).

The three younger boys--Joseph Jr., Gabriel and Daniel--were bound out to a man named Medsker and taken to Virginia. Not being satisfied with their home, they ran away, "taking with them all of their property, which consisted of a rooster and a hatchet." C. F. Brenton of Spokane, WA, says: "They walked all the way to Fayette County, PA, where the Gudshalls took them in."

Sources

1. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #142773060 (accessed 30 August 2022)
   Memorial page for Joseph Woodfill (1730-1779), citing Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA.

• Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 @ Ancestry.com - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8802/images/005872187_00362?pId=2477925

• Marriage: "Pennsylvania, U.S., Compiled Marriage Records, 1700-1821"
  Pennsylvania Marriage Records. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Archives Printed Series, 1876. Series 2, Series 6
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2383 #12943 (accessed 3 February 2023)
  Joseph Woodfield marriage to Mary Rambo on 16 Jun 1772 in Pennsylvania.

• Family History Or Pedigree: "Swedish Holsteins in America from 1644 to 1892"
  Holstein, Anna M.. Swedish Holsteins in America from 1644 to 1892 : comprising many letters and biographical matter relating to John Hughes, the "stamp officer", and friend of Franklin, with papers not before published relating to his brother of revolutionary fame, Colonel Hugh Hughes of New York. Norristown, Pa.: unknown, 1892
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 14901 #294 (accessed 3 February 2023)