El
Dorado County
Biographies
JAMES GARFIELD WOODWARD
James Garfield Woodward, the
proprietor of the Placerville Garage at Placerville, California is rated as one
of the successful businessmen of El Dorado County. He was born in Sacramento County, this state,
June 9, 1881, a son of John and Alice (Welch) Woodward. The father was born in England in 1837, and
in that country was educated. At the age
of nineteen years, he came to the United States, first going to Wisconsin, and
later coming to California. With his
brother William he engaged extensively in the stock business, resided most of
the time at Sacramento, and at other periods in El Dorado. John Woodward was killed by an employee on
August 7, 1884, and the murderer was afterward hanged for the crime at Donnerville. John
Woodward was one of the best known cattlemen of his day, especially in the
Folsom section. His wife, who survives
him, and who came to El Dorado when she was six and a half years of age, is a
daughter of William and Rebecca J. (Yocun) Welch. There were three children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Woodward, namely: James G., of this
review; Alice Maude, who is the wife of J. E. Fox; and John, of Woodland, California. There are now six grandchildren. John Woodward was a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and his wife is now a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist.
James G. Woodward attended rural
schools, and also Howe’s Academy in Sacramento.
In 1898 he moved to Placerville, where he was in the livery stable
business for a time, then worked at gold dredging for a period of seventeen
years. In 1923 he established a garage,
and has been very successful in this, doing a general repair business, and handling
a complete stock of gasoline, oils, tools, and other automobile accessories.
Mr. Woodward has been twice
married. He married Miss Eleanor Sanchez
of Monterey, California, a descendant of an old Spanish family, who died in
1918. Two children, Alice and James S.,
were born to this union. In 1921 Mr.
Woodward married Miss June Yost, a daughter of an old California family, and
they have three children, Robert, June and John. Mr. Woodward is a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Native Sons of the
Golden West.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3, Pages 406-407. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden
Nugget Library's El Dorado County Biographies