PHILEMON WOODWARD

PHILEMON WOODWARD

        The life story of Philemon Woodward is, here, reconstructed from source material outlined in the Appendix [Not available]. He was born probably some years after George and Lancelot Woodward were added to the vestry of Blisland Parish, in 1725. Lancelot Woodward, we surmise - subject to further investigation, was his father. Lancelot is alleged to have had at least four sons(1st) William, named after his maternal grandfather William Cocke; (2nd) Lancelot, his namesake; (3rd) Philemon, origin of the name, at present, unknown; (4th) George, named after his paternal uncle. Lines of descent have been traced in other genealogies from William and Lancelot. Of George, it is interesting to note that, in St. Peter's Parish Register, there is the record:

     "Philemon, son of George & Susannah Woodward, born August 24, 1758."
     "George Woodward died April 1st, 1764."

This Philemon, in his adult life, appears sometimes as "Junr." and owns a hundred acre farm in St. Peter's Parish. He is, doubtless, nephew and namesake of the Philemon Woodward of our line, who sometimes is contrasted with him as "Sr."

        Philemon Woodward married Rebecca Henley, whose birth is given as June 2nd, 1735. Leonard Henley, her father, was born in 1690 and lived at "Merry Oaks," until his death in 1752. He was a life long neighbor and, over many years, a fellow vestryman of Lancelot Woodward. His wife was Elizabeth Richardson, daughter of Robert Richardson, owner of "Lower Brandon," on the James River, until he moved, in 1720, to Goochland County. Leonard Henley had eight children, four sons and four daughters, the youngest child being Rebecca. He was the only son of Reginald Henley, the immigrant, who, in 1661, patented 360 acres in Wilmington Parish, James City County. "Merry Oaks," his seat, was conveyed by deed to his four year old son- Leonard, in 1694. Leonard Henley succeeds George Woodward, in 1739, on the latter's retirement from the vestry; he, then, becomes Churchwarden and is succeeded, as such, by Lancelot Woodward, two years later. They remain together on the vestry, until Lancelot's death, whom he survives by a couple of years only. What more natural than that the youngest daughter of Leonard Henley should wed a younger son of Lancelot Woodward?

        Philemon Woodward's 350 acre plantation, along the eastern side of the Diascund Creek and south of the Warrenigh road, was the largest and best stocked among the twelve neighboring Woodward plantations of the Revolutionary War period. He owned a score or more of Negro slaves, four horses, and 25 cattle, and his wife had "a chair," a conveyance of the day for social visits in the neighborhood and for church attendance; at times, no doubt, he would go on horseback. We may imagine the said young married couple so attending the Upper Church on thd beautiful Sunday morning, May 8th, 1768, when their rector, the Rev. Price Davies, conducted the services and Col. Burwell Bassett, vestryman, brought a distinquished guest from "Eltham," his home nearby, to church. This guest, no doubt, mingled with the congregation and exchanged civilities with the gentry and their ladies. That night, he entered in his Diary- "Went to Church and returned to Colo. Bassett's to dinner." The guest of Col. Bassett was none other than George Washington, whose interesting blood connection with our family is set forth in the Appendix [Not available].

        In the Revolutionary War, Philemon Woodward was beyond normal military age, but expressed his patriotism by supplying for public use of the Militia- "one gun and bayonet, beef and corn."

        The children of Philemon and Rebecca Woodward were: (1) Henley, born in 1769; (2) Rebecca, born in 1772; Philemon, born in 1778; and Richard, born about 1780. Philemon Senior departed this life in the winter of 1784/5 and was buried in the family graveyard, within sight of his home- "Locust Grove." His widow, Rebecca, lived on, at home, supervising the plantation and the Negroes thereon, rearing and educating her children to adult life, until her death in 1797, when, no doubt, she was buried beside her beloved husband.