John R. Woodward, (deceased), born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Dec. 5, 1835; was a son of William and Ann (Lee) Woodward; she was a native of Virginia, born July 2,1804, and came to this county in 1808, with her parents, Benjamin and Sarah Lee, who were among the first settlers of Elizabeth Township, of this county. William Woodward was born in Pennsylvania Dec. 9, 1780, and came to Ohio at a very early day; he entered a farm in Sec. 29, Bethel Township, Miami Co., where he spent the remainder of his life; his death occurred Jan 14, 1848; his wife, now the Widow Reyburn, still makes her home on the old place; they were the parents of three children; W. W., of Sandusky City, is the only one living. John R., the youngest, was raised on the farm, and owned 163 acres of land long known as the Woodward farm; at the time it was entered by William Woodward, there was a small village on it at the mouth of Honey Creek, called Livingston, where there was a boat landing, and where farmers brought their produce to ship to Cincinnati; his farm was well improved and in a high state of cultivation; in connection with the oversight and management of it for about ten years, he was engaged in the oil business, as an oil producer, in Armstrong and Venango Cos., Penn.; he served as Captain and then Lieutenant Colonel in the war of the rebellion ; was a member of the 14.7th O. V. I. His marriage with Ella Bell was celebrated Oct. 14, 1856 she is a native of Springfield, Clark Co., born July 31, 1840, the daughter of Stephen and Wealthy (Boardman) Bell; she is a native of New York, born Aug. 10, 1794, and he of New Jersey, Aug. 18, 1774; his death occurred Nov. 14, 1852; his wife survived till Aug. 2, 1858. John R. Woodward departed this life Nov. 20, 1876; the father of two children; Willie B. and Ada L., who, on the 14th of October, 1874, was united in marriage with Harry Ritter, born in Pennsylvania March 29, 1849.