San Joaquin County
Biographies
BENJAMIN ALLEN WOODSON
BENJAMIN ALLEN WOODSON, a
successful farmer, is a native of old Virginia, born in Pittsylvania County,
December 9, 1824, son of Stephen Daniel and Salina (Posey) Woodson, natives of
Virginia. Both grandfather Bob Posey and one uncle, Joseph, and grandfather
Drury Woodson, of Scotch and Dutch descent, were in the Revolutionary war; the
latter lived but a year after the termination of the war; the former was
wounded through the hips and knees, but lived for several years. Stephen Daniel
Woodson emigrated with his family to Missouri about the year 1832, and settled
in Pike County, twelve miles from Bowling Green, the county seat. There he made
a home for his family, and there he died. His wife survived him some three or
four years. They were the parents of eight children, seven sons and one
daughter, of whom five are now living.
B. A. Woodson, the subject of this sketch,
made his home with his parents till the year 1842. When the family moved to
Missouri, they went to an uncle who had been there a year and had a little log
cabin about 30 x 16 feet, with one door, no windows, and a fire-place that took
up about six feet. Our party arrived there on Christmas day, and remained in
that cabin till the latter part of March, when Stephen moved out, living in a
hut till he had another cabin completed. Their bedding consisted of deer-skins
spread over a dirt floor, and their clothing over them to keep them from
freezing. Corn was considered to be a luxury, their principal food being
venison and wild honey. Wild game was plentiful, but ammunition was hard to
obtain. This is a fair sample of what people had to contend with on going to
Missouri in the early days.
When our subject was in his twenty-first
year he began to work for wages, the most of which was given to his parents to
help them along. In 1853 he decided to come to California, bringing with him
his wife and child. He started April 2, 1853, with a wagon drawn by four yoke
of oxen and one horse; the provisions and clothing in the wagon completed the
outfit. After a long and weary journey across the plains, which occupied nearly
five months, they landed at Diamond Spring, in El Dorado County, September 2,
1853. Mr. Woodson went to mining, which occupation he followed till the latter
part of October. He then went to hauling freight, May 1, 1854, from Sacramento
to the mines at Diamond Spring, Mud Springs, Placerville and Coloma. At this he
made considerable money, and continued it and mining up to 1858. He then came
down to this valley, and purchased his ranch in November, paying $450 for a
quit-claim deed. In 1863 he paid $375 for another quit-claim deed to another
quarter-section adjoining his land on the north. The railroad was then trying
to make trouble over the right to this land, and in order to avoid any trouble
with them. Mr. Woodson told his wife’s father, John Bounds, who was there living
with him, to go and locate on it, but before he could enter the land he took
sick and died. Mr. Woodson then had to enter the land in the name of the heirs.
Then in order to get a deed from all the heirs, he wrote to them and explained
the circumstances, which has occupied the last twenty years, and it was only a
few days ago that he got the deed from the last heir. Besides this, Mr. Woodson
has since purchased 166 acres near the home place, and 320 acres in Sacramento
County, all of which is farmed by himself and sons. His life has been one of
constant toil, which has at last received some reward, and we can safely call
him one of the most successful farmers.
Mr. Woodson has been a member of the
Christian church since 1856, and we can safely say that he has lived the life
of a Christian since that time up to the present day. For the past twenty years
he has acted as an Elder in the church.
His first wife, to whom he was married in
Pike County, Missouri, in 1848, was Polly Van Noy, a native of North Carolina,
who died April 11, 1852, the mother of two sons, William Gilford, born July 16,
1849, residing in Fresno County, and Nathaniel Franklin, born December 13, 1850,
died October 22, 1851. Mr. Woodson was married to his present wife, Mary Ann
Bounds, in Pike County, Missouri, October 14, 1852. She was born in Scott
County, Virginia. They have had six children: John Canyon, born August 4, 1853,
on the Humboldt; James Gordon, June 6, 1856; Benjamin Franklin, November 19,
1858; George Washington and Martha Jane, born May 27, 1862, and Cordelia
Frances, born March 10, 1867, died May 12, 1867.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 438-439. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
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