Charles Levi Woodbury
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......~o u Z t.l GENEALOGICAL SKETCHES OF THE WOODBURY FAMILY ITS INTERMARRIAGES AND CONNECTIONS BY CHARLES LEVI WOODBURY " I Edited by his sister, E. C. D. Q. WOODBURY MANCHESTER, N. H. PRINTED BY THE JOHN B. CLARKE COMPANY 1904 Copyright, 1904. PREFACE. The sketches which are embodied in this book were not meant for the eye of the general public, but for that portion of the Woodbury family directly interested in the one who first un dertook their compilation. They are the result of much labor and study, diligent search ing out of obscure facts, all done in order that others may have a reference which has been verified if the more important work of writing a thorough family pedigree is attempted. My excuse in thus making known the labor of my brother, Charles Levi Woodbury, is an urgent request for its completion and, also, a natural reluctance to permit such material to remain inaccessible. ' During the many months of Mr. Woodbury's illness, these papers were lying loose upon his writing table, and some of them were unavoidably lost. Despite my endeavor, I have been unable to fill those omissions. E. C. D. Q. WOODBURY. WASHINGTON, D. C. 3 CONTENTS. Chapter. Page. Prefure 3 Sketch of Charles Levi Woodbury 9 I. Genealogy 17 II • Woodbury Court . 30 John Woodbury . 33 III. Contributary Clauses 41 Education 42 Indians 47 IV. Maypole in New England 50 V. Peter Woodbury (first) 52 Martha W. Brown's Descendants (Brooks, Gray, Chipman) 63 VI. Nicholas Woodbury's Decendants (Hall, Langdon) 64 Pete:c Woodbury (secQnd) 66 VII. Peter Woodbury (third) (Governor Woodbury of Vermont, 71) 67 VIII. James Woodbury (Governor Straw, 79) 72 IX. Josiah Woodbury (first) 82 X. Roger Conant 88 XI. Josiah Woodbury (second) 94 XII. Peter Woodbury, of Antrim, N. H. (Luke Woodbury, 99; Levi \Voodbury, 101; Mark Woodbury, 106; Jesse Woodbury, 106) . 97 Richard Dodge 106 XIII. Peter Woodbury, of Francestown (Levi Woodbury, II 0; Dr. Peter Perkins Woodbury, I II; James Trask Woodbury, III; Jesse Woodbury, III j George Wood bury, I I I; Franklin Pierce, 112; Dr. Howe, 110; Mr. Grimes, 110; Col. I. O. Barnes, 110; Mr. Dodge, 110; Mr. Bunnell, 110; Mr. Eastman, 110) 108 Descendants 117 Children and Grandchildren I 17 XIV. Military Records. 119 In Narragansett War . 122 5 6 CONTENTS. Chapter. Page. XV. List of Soldiers 128 In French Wars 13 1 Soldiers of N ew York (mother's side) 132 Colonial OffiCials 133 THE WIVES OF THE WOODBURYS. XVI. Agnes, wife of John Woodbury . 135 Abigail Batchelder 137 Mary Dodge (Haskell, 139; Tybbotts, 139) 138 Hannah Batchelder 140 Hannah Traske 141 Sarah Dodge (Martha Brown, 145; Peter Brooks, 145; Bishop Brooks, 145; Judge Gray, 145; Raymond, 145) 144 Lydia Herrick (Dodge, 148; Conant, 148; Laskins, 149) 147 XVII. Perkins Pedigree- the Perkins Family 15 0 Esther Burnham 15 1 Martha Rogers (Appleton) 152 XVIII. Wade Family 154 Elizabeth Dodge . 155 Nicholas Woodbury (Woodbury, 156; Langdon; John Lang don, 156; Levi Woodbury, 156) 156 Ann Palgrave 156 Palgrave Family 158 XIX. William Woodbury 162 XX. Mary Woodbury. 164 XXI. Elizabeth Williams Clapp 167 Asa G. Clapp 167 XXII. Clapp Pedigree (Fisher, 173; Deane, 174; Caswell, 175 ; White, 175; Hall, 175; King, 176) XXIII. Various Other Pedigrees (Williams, 177; Pope, 177; Rob inson, 178; Hawkins, 178) 177 XXIV. Elizabeth W. Quincy Clapp's Pedigree Chart 179 XXV. Edmund Quincy (fourth) 187 Dr. Jacob Quincy, His Descendants 189 XXVI. Elizabeth Wendell (Oliver Wendell Holmes, 200; Wendell Phillips, 200; Judge Sewell, 200) Elizabeth Staats (Cuyler; 200; Schuyler, 201; Morris, 201 ; Gouverneur, 20 I) . 200 XXVII. De Kay 205 Johannes Pieterse Van Brugh 206 Anneka Jans 210 Susannah De Trieux 212 CONTENTS. 7 Chapter. Page. XXVIII. Edmund Quincy (third); Josiah Flynt, 216 213 XXIX. Thomas Willett . 218 XXX. John Brown. 221 The Commission, 224; The Narragansett Purchase, 230. XXXI. Henry Flynt; Margery Hoare XXXII. Edmund Quincy (second) XXXIII. Elizabeth Gookin XXXIV. Edmund Quincy (first) CHARLES LEVI WOODBURY. SHORT sketch of Charles Levi Woodbury may fittingly A prelude this expression of his love and thought for his kin. Certainly, it will endow his work with additional interest to his sister's children, for whom it was originally written. Nu merous sketches and lives of him have been written, but the char acteristics which reveal the inner man have been only partially portrayed. Mr. Woodbury was brought up in Washington by a father whose nature was an admirable mixture of justice and generosity, strong in intellect, even in temper, punctilious, setting the highest example of morality and integrity, and also under the influence of a highly educated and accomplished mother, fond of books, and thoroughly sympathetic with her children. With such forebears and in such a home, the natural family affection was deepened in Mr. Woodbury, who possessed a nature full of sentiment without degenerating into the sentimental. After passing his examination at eighteen, he went to Ala bama to study law, but in a few years returned north and settled in Boston, where his excellence as a lawyer in time gave him a large income from his practice. The soul of generosity, no appeal was ever made to him with out response, and as he never paused to investigate before alle viating distress, he was frequently the victim of imposition. He was amiable without weakness, rarely making a criticism even on those whose conduct laid them open to censure, preferring the charity of silence. If he had enemies, they were not of his making, for his dom inant thought was for others. He was a bachelor not through 9 10 CHARLES LEVI WOODBURY. dislike to women, but because the hours passed in the companion ship of his books yielded him as much pleasure as the society of woman. Mr. Woodbury had his peculiarities. He never carried a watch, which resulted in his occasionally missing a train; this did not disturb him; there were others to follow. His quaint hats, made in one model all through his life, broad of brim to protect his eyes, afforded squibs to the press, but these only furnished him amusement. Indifferent in his way of treating his own money affairs, he was almost over-particular in the interests of others confided to his care. His personal property was looked after if the bank ac count was low, and then he would make a fifty-mile trip to his native town to cut off coupons. His dividends· accumulated at times until the treasurers of the company would write him to please withdraw them. Mr. Woodbury lived in bachelor apartments in Boston, taking his meals at Parker's from the time that famous hostelry was first opened. He was a profound student, and the more knotty and in volved a question the greater his absorption and determination to conquer; nevertheless, he found time for comradery, bright, ap preciative, and loved a circle of kindred souls. He enjoyed a good story, possessing a fund of anecdote, and was hospitable to a remarkable degree, seldom dining alone, and, an epicure in tastes, delighted in serving choice dishes to his friends. H is table was distinctive from others in the room: when in vited guests were not present, there were seated a group of bright men, whose wit sparkled as the champagne which was nightly served. Topics, grave and gay, light and sober, pointed anecdote and scintillating story, made time pass speedily. These alternated with nights when the savant unfolded his lore and abstruse dis cussion held the board. This little" Round Table" was known in Boston and outside of that city, and those who had once been there often found it agreeable to return. N or were these the only CHARLES LEVI WOODBURY. 11 guests. Women of talent, of beauty and agreeability were not excluded; and children, too, were often in the number, for they loved him and counted it high pleasure to be of the convives. Mothers looked in alarm at the ice cream put before their progeny, also injudicious champagne and the plethora of candies that fol lowed a mysterious whisper to waiter or bell boy. J recall one morning when, while breakfasting with Mr. Woodbury, a shrill juvenile shriek of delight filled the dining room, and as the startled guests looked up, they saw a lithe, Titian-haired child rush from the open door, bound down the room, and throw her arms around Mr. Woodbury's neck The father followed. They had just arrived, and the pretty sprite who espied my brother had never forgotten the giver of good things. Charles Levi Woodbury was born May 22, 1820. His mother was Elizabeth Williams Clapp of the New England family of that name. Mr. Woodbury was a staunch Democrat and ardent pol itician; never virulent towards those of opposite views. He had no political ambition for office, though he gave up much time stumping for presidential candidates, among whom were Polk, in 1844, Cass, in 1848; he attended, also, the convention at Balti more which nominated Franklin Pierce for President, and went on the stump in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecti cut, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. President Pierce offered him a foreign mission, which he de clined. He was president of the Granite Club, No. I, Boston, and formed a confederacy of clubs throughout the state. Boston went Democratic for the first time in history. He was a delegate to the convention of 1856 which nominated James Buchanan, and made speeches in several states in favor of the nominee. President Buchanan appointed him district attorney for Mass achusetts, which, being in the line of his profession, he accepted.