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John Spencer Woodworth
These biographies come from History of Crawford and Clark Counties, Illinois, edited by William Henry Perrin, published in 1883 in Chicago by O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers, Lakeside Building - Biographical Sketches, pages 325-326. They were submitted by Cynthia Claytonroberts, who writes, "Here's a native Rensselaer County, N. Y., WOODWORTH that went west by way of Columbia County, N. Y.; Montgomery County, Kentucky; and finally Crawford County, Illinois. John Spencer Woodworth died 28 July 1850 and was buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Crawford Co., Ill., aged 64y 6m 3d."
Martin B. WOODWORTH, farmer, P. O. Palestine [Crawford County, Illinois], was born
August 19, 1825, in La Motte Township [Crawford County, IL], a son of J. S. WOODWORTH,
born December 29, 1785 in Rensselaer County, N. Y. His parents removed to Mount
Lebanon [Columbia County, NY], where he was brought up.
In the twenty-third year
of his age, the father left his native state and rambled for some three years
and then settled in Mount Sterling, Ky. In 1814, he removed to Illinois and
settled near Palestine, and on the 19th of June 1815, he was married to Polly GILL,
who died in August 1827. She was the mother of six children, of whom our subject
is the youngest and the only one living. Mr. J. S. Woodworth was married again in
September 1828, to Mrs. E. KINCAIDE, who survives him. She is the mother of
four children, of whom two boys are now living. He was a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, of which he was a willing and able supporter. His land joined
the old fort of La Motte; he was the second Sheriff of Crawford County, and died
July 28, 1850, aged sixty-four years.
His son, Martin B., remembers distinctly
having seen the remains of the old fort in his boyhood; he went to school in
La Motte Township and Palestine. He followed his father's vocation, that of a farmer,
and was married February 29, 1840 in La Motte Township to Miss Mary E. CREWS,
born September 1831 in La Motte Township. She is a daughter of W. J. and Emily
CREWS, who came here at an early date. Mr. Woodworth is still carrying on farming;
he is living in a nice residence, a part of which is built with bricks from the
old courthouse; he has over a thousand acres of land, which speaks for his success
as a farmer; 779 acres are in La Motte Township, and 270 acres are in other places.
The old fort stood on his present place. Mr. Woodworth is a strong Republican;
he is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
From the same source, also page 325:
John Leander WOODWORTH, merchant, and farmer, P. O. Palestine, was born March 5, 1831,
in La Motte Township, this county. He is a son of John S. WOODWORTH, one of the
old settlers of this county, who was born December 29, 1785, in Rensselaer County,
N. Y. Soon after his parents removed to New Lebanon, where he was brought up.
At the age of twenty-three, he left New York, his native state, and rambled for
some three years, and then settled in Mount Sterling, Ky. In 1814, he removed to
Illinois and settled near Palestine. On the 19th of June 1815, he was married to
Polly GILL, who died in August 1827. She was the mother of six children, of whom
only one is now living. Mr. J. S. W. was married again, in September 1828, to Mrs.
E. Kincaide, who survived him. She was the mother of four children; two boys are
living now. Mr. Woodworth's farm joined the old Fort La Motte. As a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, he was a liberal and willing supporter of that body.
He died July 28, 1850, aged sixty-four years.
Mr. J. L. Woodworth was instructed
by private teachers but finished his education in Palestine. He has been a
successful farmer. He was married, in La Motte Township, August 5, 1874 to
Miss Louisa LISMAN, born December 6, 1851 in Sullivan County, Ind. She is a
daughter of David and Nancy (WELLS) LISMAN and is the mother of three children:
Alta WOODWORTH, born January 27, 1875; Johnny WOODWORTH, born July 8, 1878, and
an infant boy born April 5, 1882. Mr Woodworth has been identified with the
Republican Party; is a trustee in the Methodist Church; and owns a large interest
in the Robinson Bank, of which he was one of the founders, and is now one of the
Directors and stockholders. Financially, Mr. Woodworth has been a success, as he is
one of the wealthiest men in the county.
ABNER B. WOODWORTH, Cashier, Robinson Bank, Robinson, whose portrait appears in
this work, was born June 20, 1829 and is a native of this county, born and reared
within its limits, and during his whole life has been closely identified with its
interests. He received a fair education in the common schools of the county
and then attended college for two years in Indiana. After leaving school, he engaged,
in 1853, in merchandising in Robinson, which he followed until 1875, when he went
into the banking business and, with others, established the Robinson Bank, of which
he is the Cashier. He was married, August 18, 1868, in Binghamton, N. Y., to Miss
Ellen KING, a daughter of Andrew L. KING. They have no children.
Mr. Woodworth was originally a Whig in politics, but upon the organization of the
Republican party, he cast his lot with it and has ever since been identified with
it politically.
Thomas GILL and family, and John S. Woodworth [portrait and signature reproduced on
page 136] came in the fall of 1814 and were from Mt. Sterling, Ky. Mr. Gill settled
on a farm some four miles northwest of Palestine, where he lived, and where he died
about 1840. He had a numerous family, but none of them are now in the township.
James GILL, the only one left, lives in Cumberland County. Mr. Gill served in the
Revolutionary War and was a highly respected citizen of the country.
John S. WOODWORTH married a daughter of GILL's and raised a large family of children.
But three of them are living, viz.: Martin WOODWORTH and Leander WOODWORTH of
Palestine and A. P. WOODWORTH, cashier of the Robinson bank. The first purchase of
land made by Mr. Woodworth was the squatter's claim of Thomas KENNEDY to 160 acres.
When it came in market, he purchased it and had to pay $6.10 per acre for it,
a heavy price for the time. Mr. Woodworth was the second sheriff of Crawford County.
He was not an office seeker but devoted his time and attention chiefly to agriculture.
He accumulated a large estate in landed property.
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