CHAPTER 1.
My parentage, Birth, (The The misfortunes which befel me in early life,) And occupation. My Fathers family
I Willford Woodruff was the son of Aphek Woodruff, who was the son of Capt Eldad Woodruff, who was the son of Josiah Woodruff. My Mother Bulah Thompson was the daughter of Lot Thompson All of which were born in the town
of Farmington, Hartford Co, Connecticut. My Fathers family consisted of eight sons & one daughter vizAzmon Thompson & myself by his first wife, who Died ^with the spotted fever^ June 11th , Aged 26. And married Azubah Hart for his second
wiffe who was the mother of Philo, Asahel Hart, Franklin, Newton, Julius, And Eunice, three of which
died in infancy viz Franklin, Newton, & Julius. New^ton^ was drowned at two years of age. Philo Died
being 17 years of age. Asahel Hart, Died at Terre Haute Ia Oct 18th, , Being 24 years of age, leaving
but four of us among the living.
My life commenced with the spring. I was born in the North part of the
town of Farmington, now called Avon, . Tho occupation of my Father was a miller from his youth up
which occupation I followed untill AD . Variant &and divers are the lives & fortunes of men in evry age of the
world, while the path of some are strewed with flowers & ease from the cradle to the grave, with naught to disturd their
peace, others Apparrently are marked victims, of variated misfortunes, accident & dangers, the last named class is
the one in whose ranks I have stood through my infancy, childhood, youth & manhood nearly to the present time
so much so that it has seemed at times as though some invisible power or fate was watching my footsteps in order
to find some opportunity to take my life from the earth, But I can ownly attribut the continuation of my life on earth to the
present time to a merciful Providence whose hand has ben stretched out & rescued me from death in the midst of the
many dangers & hair bredths escapes which I have passed through in life, some of which I will here mention. When three years
of age, I fell into a caldron of scalding water, was instantly caught out, &and so badly scalded, that it was nine nine months
before the[y] considerd me out of danger of the effects of the accident. My fifth & sixth years was interwoven with many acci-
dents. On a certain day in company with my elder Brothers I entered the Barn & chose the top of a hay mow for a place
of diversion. We had not been there long before I fell from the great beam upon my face upon the bear floor, which ended
our sport for that day at least, however I shortly recoverd from the fall & a few weeks afterwords was again to play
in the chamber of my Fathers House on Sunday with my Brothers Azmon & Thompson, and father reproved us for so
doing, but we were so busy we could not spend time to obey our fathers ^command^ advise, And whether we disturded him or
whether he thought of Solomons advise I know not but at all events he spared not the rod of correction, and began
to flog us. we started to go below, & as we came to the stairs I was behind & hence the blows fell on me and while making
an effort to get before my brothers I made a misstep & fell to the bottom of the stairs & broke one of my arms in the fall,
so much for disobediance. It was not long before I recoverd from this misfortune & was about the streets again
It was but a short time before I narrowly escaped with my life. My father owned a stock of horned cattle
THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
WILLFORD WOODRUFF
CHAPTER 1.
My parentage, Birth, ( The misfortunes which befel me in early life,) And occupation. My Fathers family
I Willford Woodruff was the son of Aphek Woodruff, who was the son of Capt Eldad Woodruff, who was the son of
Josiah Woodruff. My Mother Bulah Thompson was the daughter of Lot Thompson All of which were born in the town
of Farmington, Hartford Co, Connecticut. My Fathers family consisted of eight sons & one daughter vizAzmonThompson & myself by his first wife, who Died with the spotted fever June 11th 1808, Aged 26. And married Azubah Hart for his second
wife who was the mother of Philo, Asahel Hart, Franklin, Newton, Julius, And Eunice, three of which
died in infancy viz Franklin, Newton, & Julius. Newton was drowned at two years of age. Philo Died Nov. 25, 1827
being 17 years of age. Asahel Hart, Died at Terre Haute Ia Oct 18th, 1838, Being 24 years of age, leaving
but four of us among the living.
My life commenced with the spring. I was born in the North part of the
town of Farmington, now called Avon, March 1st 1807. Tho occupation of my Father was a miller from his youth up
which occupation I followed untill AD 1831. Variantand divers are the lives & fortunes of men in evry age of the
world, while the path of some are strewed with flowers & ease from the cradle to the grave, with naught to disturd their
peace, others Apparrently are marked victims, of variated misfortunes, accident & dangers, the last named class is
the one in whose ranks I have stood through my infancy, childhood, youth & manhood nearly to the present time
so much so that it has seemed at times as though some invisible power or fate was watching my footsteps in order
to find some opportunity to take my life from the earth, But I can ownly attribut the continuation of my life on earth to the
present time to a merciful Providence whose hand has ben stretched out & rescued me from death in the midst of the
many dangers & hair bredths escapes which I have passed through in life, some of which I will here mention. When three years
of age, I fell into a caldron of scalding water, was instantly caught out,and so badly scalded, that it was nine months
before they considerd me out of danger My fifth & sixth years was interwoven with many accidents. On a certain day in company with my elder Brothers I entered the Barn & chose the top of a hay mow for a place
of diversion. We had not been there long before I fell from the great beam upon my face upon the bear floor, which ended
our sport for that day at least, however I shortly recoverd from the fall & a few weeks afterwords was again to play
in the chamber of my Fathers House on Sunday with my Brothers Azmon & Thompson, and father reproved us for so
doing, but we were so busy we could not spend time to obey our fathers command, And whether we disturded him or
whether he thought of Solomons advise I know not but at all events he spared not the rod of correction, and began
to flog us. we started to go below, & as we came to the stairs I was behind & hence the blows fell on me and while making
an effort to get before my brothers I made a misstep & fell to the bottom of the stairs & broke one of my arms in the fall,
so much for disobediance. It was not long before I recoverd from this misfortune & was about the streets again
It was but a short time before I narrowly escaped with my life. My father owned a stock of horned cattle
