Finding aid of the Woodworth Family Genealogy C058794.C058795.C058796.C058797
Finding aid prepared by Catherine Coffman
Society of California Pioneers
06/25/2007
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA, 94107-1272
(415) 959-1849
pkeats@californiapioneers.org
Title: Woodworth Family Genealogy
Identifier/Call Number: C058794.C058795.C058796.C058797
Contributing Institution:
Society of California Pioneers
Language of Material:
English
Container: B001651
Physical Description:
4.0 folders
(4 bound volumes)
Date: ca. 1888
Abstract: These four books are all copies of the same content and trace the ancestry of the Woodworth family from Walter Woodworth who
emigrated with the first settlers of Plymouth to Selim Woodworth. The ancestry begins in 1633 and ends in 1883. This ancestry
includes a detailed and elegant print of a family tree, includes names of all family members, their place of residence, and
other basic information on each family member. It is entitled “The Woodworth Family in America”. Two of the copies clearly
belong to Selim Woodworth and Lydia Woodworth. Lydia’s copy has notes in the margins about each family member.
Conditions Governing Access note
Collection open for research.
There are no restrictions on access.
Woodworth Family Genealogy. The Society of California Pioneers.
Gift of Selim E. Woodworth, date unknown.
Walter Woodworth was the first member of the Woodworth family to immigrate to America in 1633. He is the ancestor of Samuel
Woodworth (1784-1842), a poet and literary journalist, who was best known for the popular poem “The Old Oaken Bucket,” which
was later set to music and became a popular song for schoolchildren. He was born in Massachusetts and died in New York City,
but his ashes were moved by his sons to Laurel Hill Cemetery (in Philadelphia) to be in the Woodworth Mausoleum. Frederick
Woodworth was one of his sons and a member of the state senate. His second son was Selim E. Woodworth (1815-1871), who left
for San Francisco in 1847. Soon after arriving and hearing the plight on the Donner Party he tried to bring support to the
group, but missed rescue groups and was criticized by members of the Party who believed him a braggart. He took a prominent
role in the development of the State of California alongside his brother. At the outbreak of the Civil War he returned to
the Navy where he had spent much of his youth and was given the title of Lieutenant Commander. In 1941 the boat USS Woodworth
was named for him, sponsored by Mrs. Selim E. Woodworth, the daughter-in-law of the commander.
These four books are all copies of the same content and trace the ancestry of the Woodworth family from Walter Woodworth who
emigrated with the first settlers of Plymouth to Selim Woodworth. The ancestry begins in 1633 and ends in 1883. This ancestry
includes a detailed and elegant print of a family tree, includes names of all family members, their place of residence, and
other basic information on each family member. It is entitled “The Woodworth Family in America”. Two of the copies clearly
belong to Selim Woodworth and Lydia Woodworth. Lydia’s copy has notes in the margins about each family member.
The title page reads: "Dear Abby, I have made some enquiries lately into the origin of our ancestors, and finding that not
one of them was ever hanged or disgraced I have concluded to let you enjoy the result of my investigation. - "
C058794: Copy 1. Leather bound, embossed front "Woodworth", belonged to Selim E. Woodworth ca. 1888. Loose paper removed from
diary. C058795: Copy 2. Handwritten notes in margin. Belonged to Lydia Woodworth ca. 1884. C058796: Copy 3. Physically smaller
than the other 3 copies. Entitled "The Woodworth Family in America" C058797: Copy 4. Leather bound. Color ink used. Illustration
of family tree inside.
Existence and Location of Originals note
The Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA, 94107.
Related Archival Materials note
Biographical Files: John Joseph Woodworth, Samuel Woodworth- Author of the “Old Oaken Bucket”, Woodworth Genealogy- Book 1855,
Selim Woodworth- Lieutenant Commander of Navy (2 folders).
C004530 - Woodworth Family Papers. C005036 - Silhouette portrait of Selim E. Woodworth.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Woodworth, Frederick Augustus, 1818-1865
Woodworth, Selim Edwin, 1815-1871
Woodworth, Walter, approximately 1612-1686
Donner Party
Genealogy
Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia, Pa.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
Society of California Pioneers
Woodworth (Ship)