Richard Woodward

Last updated 23 Dec 2021 in Spear–Johnson Family.

Individual

Born: in , , , England

Died: Bet 30 Aug 1748 and 17 Nov 1752

Father: Richard Woodward Sr. (bet 1635/1636 – 1706)

Mother: Jane Nyle (? – aft 1715)

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Miscellaneous Facts

Events

Will (signed): 30 Aug 1748

Will (proved): 17 Nov 1752

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General Notes and Anecdotes

In 1698, he was deeded 130 acres from his father in Thornbury Township, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania. [land-richard-woodward-house]

The Richard Woodward house, the main part of which was built around 1700, is recorded in the National Park Service's Historic American Buildings Survey. The house sits on the 130 acres that was deeded to his son Richard in 1698. However, it is not known if Richard (Sr.) built any part of that building. [land-richard-woodward-house]

The Richard Woodward house also has a nickname of "The Beehive" but tthe origin of that name is unknown. Local stories put it with the Brinton familiy, who owned the home late in the 1700s, and constant "buzzing" of their children in and out of the house. The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentatino also suggested it may be because the house once had a "beehive oven." [land-richard-woodward-house]

To the original 130 acres granted by his father on 10 Dec 1698, Richard later purchased another 240 acres. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

He was a member of the grand jury 27 Sep 1709 and was active in the Society of Friends. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

In 1724 he sold the Thornbury land, purchasing 1000 acres in what is now West Bradford Township, and becaming a member of Bradford Meeting. He was appointed elder [of the meeting] 3 Jun 1727, and reappointed 19 May 1737. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

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Research Notes (Conflicts/Spelling/Followup)

CONFLICTS

Birth Date: This database does not specify a date. The book Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania gives a year of 1695 but there are several problems and this year was certainly a typo. First, it would mean Richard, who was his father's first child, was born when his father was 60. Second, it would mean that Richard was married as an infant (he married his first wife, Esther Davis, in 1695 according to the same source). And third, he was probably not a member of the grand jury in 1709 (also noted in the same source) when he would have been 14 according to that birth date. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

FOLLOWUP

With respect to his birth date, he may have been born in 1670 or 1675, though these are still somewhat late for a first child of his father. A date around 1655 or 1660 would be expected.

Richard married (first) Esther Davis in 1695, (second) Deborah Stanfield in 1701, (third) Susanna Cureton, and (fourth) Martha _____ in 1743, who survived him and died in 1752. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

Richard's children were likely Esther (m. Christopher Wilson, then m. Thomas Wilson), Sarah (m. Evan Jones), Jane (m. Joseph Hayes), William (m. Eliza Marshall, d. 1769), Elizabeth (m. _____, then m. John Young), Hannah (m. James Shortlidge, then m. Joseph Underwood), Mary (m. George Entriken), James (m. Ann Pyle), Grace (m. James Millison), John (m. Sarah Barnard), Richard (m. Abigail Hayes, his niece, and was disowned by the Bradford Monthly Meeting), Deborah (mentioned in her father's will). Most of these were probably mothered by Deborah. [book-history-of-fayette-pa-v1-1912]

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Sources

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