• John A. Woodruff
  • Jane McBride

John Allen Woodruff
& Jane McBride

John Allen Woodruff son of Moses "Manassa" WOODRUFF, Sr., & Phebe MARSH, was born Apr. 28, 1766, in Westfield, Essex Co., NJ, and died May 1832 in Ashe Co., NC. He married Jane McBride, abt. 1789. She was born abt. 1769 in North Carolina and died 1888 in Alleghany Co., NC.

Children of John Allen Woodruff & Jane McBride:

  1. Young Allen Woodruff, b. 1790-1800, Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. aft. 1832.
  2. +John M. Woodruff, b. abt. 1792, Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. abt. 1857, Ashe Co., NC; m. Candace CROUSE, daughter of Jacob CROUSE & Sarah EDWARDS, abt. 1822 (b. abt. 1798; d. aft. 1880).
  3. Mary "Polly" Woodruff, b. abt. 1798, Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. 1860-1866, Wilkes Co., NC; m. Daniel HOLLOWAY, abt. 1817 (b. abt. 1795; d. 1870-1880).
  4. Moses A. Woodruff, b. Jan. 28, 1798, Wilkes (Ashe) Co., NC; d. Oct. 9, 1892, Daviess Co., IN; m. Pharazina KILGORE, Jan. 8, 1824, Lawrence Co., IN (b. 1809; d. 1876); bur. Kilgore Cemetery, Daviess Co., IN.
  5. William Woodruff, b. Mar. 25, 1807, Ashe Co., NC; d. Aug. 3, 1873, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Elizabeth THOMPSON, abt. 1834 (b. Apr. 12, 1814; d. Mar. 6, 1896); bur. William Woodruff Cemetery, Rd. 1005, Alleghany Co., NC.
  6. +Phebe Woodruff, b. abt. 1809, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1870, Grayson Co., VA; m. Thomas Jefferson BLEVINS, son of John BLEVINS & Catherine COX, abt. 1830 (b. 1800-10; d. 1834).
  7. Henry Woodruff, b. Apr. 2, 1810, Ashe Co., NC; d. June 10, 1902, Butler Co., NE; m. Elizabeth Cynthia EDWARDS, daughter of William EDWARDS & Hannah DAVIS (b. abt. 1816; d. aft. 1900).
  8. Andrew Jackson Woodruff, b. Oct. 28, 1815, Ashe Co., NC; d. 1890, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Nancy BURGESS, abt. 1838 (b. Dec. 25, 1818; d. Apr. 30, 1902); bur. Manassa Woodruff Cemetery, Glade Valley, Alleghany Co., NC.
  9. Aaron Woodruff, b. Nov. 3, 1818, Ashe Co., NC; d. Feb. 18, 1888, Alleghany Co., NC; m. (1) Cynthia or Charity COCKERHAM, abt. 1842 (b. abt. 1827; d. bef. 1860); (2) Pheraby CAUDILL, bef. 1860 (b. Nov. 13, 1826; d. Jan. 19, 1895); bur. Mountain View Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC.

Notes

John Allen Woodruff was baptised at the First Presbyterian Church of Westfield, New Jersey, on June 1, 1766.  (William K. McKinney, Commemorative History of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, New Jersey 1728-1928 (1929).)  He came to Surry County, NC, with his family in the 1770's.  He probably married his wife, Jane MCBRIDE, about 1789 based on the ages of their children.  John Allen Woodruff was one of the first settlers to move across the Blue Ridge into the area that became Ashe/Alleghany County.  He and his family lived on the crest of the Blue Ridge in the area around Bullhead Mountain.

John WOODRUFF's will was proved in the Ashe County Court, May term, 1832.  It names his wife Jane, children William, Henry, Young A., Andrew J., John M., Aaron, Moses, Mary HOLLOWAY, Phebe BLEVINS, and several slaves.  (Ashe Co., NC, Will Book B, pp.36-37.)

Records

Feb. 4, 1779. Wilkes Co., NC. Samuel HYNDS entered 100 acres between Brushey Fork and Grays Fork of Little River waters, on east end of Bald Head Mountain, including his improvement. Samuel HYNDS marked out; John Allen WOODRUFF written in. (Wilkes Land Entry Book, Entry No. 780.)

Note: The land described in the above entry was located in the part of Wilkes County that became Ashe County in 1799 and Alleghany County in 1859. John Allen Woodruff probably took over this land entry some years after 1779, since he was only born in 1766.

Nov. 9, 1787. Surry Co., NC. Moses WOODRUFF & John Allen WOODRUFF witnessed a deed from William Terrell LEWIS to John MARSH for 150 acres on Little Knob, Brushy Mountain, left hand Swan Pon Creek. (Surry Co., NC, DB D, p.387.)

Jan. 1, 1798. Wilkes Co., NC. John Allen WOODRUFF obtained a land grant for 200 acres in Wilkes County on north side of the Blue Ridge. (Land Grant No. 1554, rec. in Alleghany Co., NC, DB 9, p.303.)  This was probably the land entry he took over from Emmanuel ROSE, originally dated Mar. 9, 1780, which describes 200 acres top of Blue Ridge on dividing waters of New River and Roaring River, near a good spring. Emmanuel ROSE marked out; John Allen WOODRUFF written in. (Wilkes Land Entry Book, Entry No. 1687.)  John Allen Woodruff sold this land to John SPARKS on Sept. 15, 1830. (Alleghany DB 9:469.)

Note: The part of Wilkes County on the "north side of the Blue Ridge" became Ashe/Alleghany County.

1800 Census, Ashe Co., NC: JOHN A. WOODRUFF
3 w/m under 10 1 w/f under 10
1 w/m 26-45 1 w/f 16-26
No slaves  

Dec. 14, 1803. State of NC to John A. WOODRUFF, 200 acres in Ashe County between Brush Creek & Little Glade Creek. Entered Dec. 14, 1803. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 449, Folder No. 12.14.28.449, Grant No. 443, Book 118:24.)

Dec. 16, 1803. State of NC to John A. WOODRUFF, 100 acres in Ashe County on east side Brush Creek. Entered May 11, 1801. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 451, Folder No. 12.14.28.451, Grant No. 445, Book 118:24.)

May 1806. Allen WOODRUFF served on a jury. (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

August 1806. "A deed from Moses WOODRUFF to Allen WOODRUFF for 500 acres was duly proven in open court by the oath of J... MCBRIDE." (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

Nov. 1806. Allen WOODRUFF and others were ordered to view and lay off a road "from Happerson's road between little river and Glad creek the most convenient way by Maxwell's Mill into the road from Elk Spur to the furnace & make report &c."

May 1807. John WOODRUFF and others were ordered to view and lay off a road from Richard WILLIAMS to Joseph DAMSONS. (Ashe Co., NC, Court Minutes.)

1810 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.13: A. WOODRUF
3 w/m under 10 1 w/f 10-14
2 w/m 10-14 1 w/f 26-45
1 w/m 16-26  
1 w/m over 45  
1 slave  

Nov. 24, 1813. State of NC to John Allen WOODRUFF, 100 acres in Ashe County on waters of Lorrell [Laurel] Creek. Entered Jan. 11, 1810. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 907, Folder No. 12.14.28.907, Grant No. 798, Book 127:520.)

1820 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.18: ALLEN WOODRUFF
2 w/m under 10 1 w/f over 45
2 w/m 10-15  
1 w/m 16-18  
1 w/m 16-25  
1 w/m over 45  
2 slaves  

Dec. 11, 1829. State of NC to John WOODRUFF, 25 acres in Ashe County on Laurel Fork of Brush Creek. Entered Nov. 5, 1827. (NC Archives Land Warrants & Plats, File No. 1600, Folder No. 12.14.28.1598, Grant No. 1489, Book 138:264.)

1830 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.31: JOHN A. WOODRUFF
1 w/m 10-14 1 w/f 20-29
2 w/m 15-20 1 w/f 50-59
1 w/m 20-29  
1 w/m 60-69  

Nov. 11, 1844. John WOODRUFF, Exec'r of John Allen WOODRUFF, dec'd, of Ashe Co., NC, to Lewis HARRIS of Surry Co., NC, a tract of land on Laurel Fork [no acreage stated], for $200; pursuant to a bond given by John Allen WOODRUFF. Signed: John WOODRUFF. Wits: Thomas SMITH, Absalom SMITH. Proved Aug. 19, 1869, by A.M. SMITH. (Alleghany DB 1:285.)

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