Captain John Woodman
M, (circa 1630 - 17 September 1706)
| Father-Biological* | Lt. Edward Woodman b. 27 Dec 1606, d. 11 May 1692 |
| Mother-Biological* | Joanna Salway b. 1613, d. a 23 Feb 1687/88 |
Last Edited=30 Jul 2026
Captain John Woodman was born circa 1630 at Corsham, Wiltshire, England.1,2,3 He was the son of Lt. Edward Woodman and Joanna Salway.
Captain John Woodman married Mary Field, daughter of Darby Field and Agnes ______, on 15 July 1656 at Oyster River (Dover), Colony of New Hampshire.
On 17 June 1657 John and Mary lived at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire, in that part of Dover, called Oyster River Capt. John was received as an inhabitant of Dover. The date of their reception was recorded as 17 (4) 1657.2,6,4,15,16 On 10 November 1658 Capt. John Woodman was granted 100 acres in Dover, New Hampshire. This grant was dated 10 (11) 1658. On this property, he built his home which became one of the garrison houses. This house was burnt in 1896. The hearthstone from this house is in front of the Oyster River Middle School in Durham and has a plaque reading: "Hearthstone of Woodman Garrison, 1659-1896."6,5,16,2 On 15 June 1662, John served as a Selectman for Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.17,18 He was admitted as a freeman on 23 May 1666 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.6,4,16,2 On 7 March 1670, John served as a Selectman at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire. He was elected again on 2 March 1674/75. He again served between 1686, 1687, 1694.18 He served in the militia holding a Captain's commission. His was one of the largest garrisons in Oyster River. In 1690 the commission was renewed by Massachusetts and in 1692 was renewed by the Governor of New Hampshire.6,2 John was selected to be a Representative to the New Hampshire General Court for the Town of at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire, in between 1686 and 1687.4,16 In 1690, John served as a Delegate to Convention for Dover.16 He was granted mill privilege at Oyster River Falls and Freshet on 25 March 1699.6 He wrote, on 26 July 1700, to his daughter, Mary Small at what is now Chatam, Massachusetts, the following:
Captain John Woodman married Sarah Burnham, age 45 , daughter of Robert Burnham and Frances Hills, on 7 October 1700 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.
Capt. John Woodman was ordered to muster (make a list) his company for service in the war on 27 March 1704.6 He performed a marriage as a Justice of the Peace in July 1704.17 John wrote his will on 20 December 1705 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.4 He died on 17 September 1706 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.4,5,7,2,8,11,3 John was buried at Durham, New Hampshire.2 His estate was probated on 4 February 1706/7 at Exeter, New Hampshire.4,2
Compeller's Notes:
Captain John Woodman married Mary Field, daughter of Darby Field and Agnes ______, on 15 July 1656 at Oyster River (Dover), Colony of New Hampshire.
Children:
1. John Woodman (c1658-1705)
2. Mary Woodman (c1660-____)
3. Lt. Jonathan Woodman (c1665-1750)
4. Sarah Woodman (c1669-____.)4,5,6,7,2,8,9,10,11,12,3,13,14
1. John Woodman (c1658-1705)
2. Mary Woodman (c1660-____)
3. Lt. Jonathan Woodman (c1665-1750)
4. Sarah Woodman (c1669-____.)4,5,6,7,2,8,9,10,11,12,3,13,14
On 17 June 1657 John and Mary lived at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire, in that part of Dover, called Oyster River Capt. John was received as an inhabitant of Dover. The date of their reception was recorded as 17 (4) 1657.2,6,4,15,16 On 10 November 1658 Capt. John Woodman was granted 100 acres in Dover, New Hampshire. This grant was dated 10 (11) 1658. On this property, he built his home which became one of the garrison houses. This house was burnt in 1896. The hearthstone from this house is in front of the Oyster River Middle School in Durham and has a plaque reading: "Hearthstone of Woodman Garrison, 1659-1896."6,5,16,2 On 15 June 1662, John served as a Selectman for Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.17,18 He was admitted as a freeman on 23 May 1666 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.6,4,16,2 On 7 March 1670, John served as a Selectman at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire. He was elected again on 2 March 1674/75. He again served between 1686, 1687, 1694.18 He served in the militia holding a Captain's commission. His was one of the largest garrisons in Oyster River. In 1690 the commission was renewed by Massachusetts and in 1692 was renewed by the Governor of New Hampshire.6,2 John was selected to be a Representative to the New Hampshire General Court for the Town of at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire, in between 1686 and 1687.4,16 In 1690, John served as a Delegate to Convention for Dover.16 He was granted mill privilege at Oyster River Falls and Freshet on 25 March 1699.6 He wrote, on 26 July 1700, to his daughter, Mary Small at what is now Chatam, Massachusetts, the following:
Son Edward and daughter Mery Smalle
A store of Love to you by thes you may knowe that I received yours and that we ar not without feres of further trobeles by the Indons by reson thereof I can not advyss you to macke anny preparation Homward untill wee heve further proved thay r keeping of the peace ----- wee ar all in Resonebel good haith threw gods marsy
From your Loving father
John Woodman.2
A store of Love to you by thes you may knowe that I received yours and that we ar not without feres of further trobeles by the Indons by reson thereof I can not advyss you to macke anny preparation Homward untill wee heve further proved thay r keeping of the peace ----- wee ar all in Resonebel good haith threw gods marsy
From your Loving father
John Woodman.2
Captain John Woodman married Sarah Burnham, age 45 , daughter of Robert Burnham and Frances Hills, on 7 October 1700 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.
Capt. John Woodman was ordered to muster (make a list) his company for service in the war on 27 March 1704.6 He performed a marriage as a Justice of the Peace in July 1704.17 John wrote his will on 20 December 1705 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.4 He died on 17 September 1706 at Dover, Colony of New Hampshire.4,5,7,2,8,11,3 John was buried at Durham, New Hampshire.2 His estate was probated on 4 February 1706/7 at Exeter, New Hampshire.4,2
Compeller's Notes:
Birth: There are two dates given for his birth, circa 1630 and circa 1634. The consensus seems to be 1630, but no definitive proof. I am using 1630 simply based on consensus.
First Marriage: Clemens (1926) gives their wedding as in Oyster River (Dover), New Hampshire. Many sources state it was in Newbury. Since John and Mary were both living in Oyster River, I doubt that they traveled south to get married.
First Marriage: Clemens (1926) gives their wedding as in Oyster River (Dover), New Hampshire. Many sources state it was in Newbury. Since John and Mary were both living in Oyster River, I doubt that they traveled south to get married.
Citations
- Moriarty, G. Andrews. "Genealogical Research in England - The Woodman Family", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume XCVII (1943).
- Woodman, John A.. Genealogy and History of the Descendants of Mr. Edward Woodman who settled at Ould Newbury Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1635. Ocala, Florida: by the author, 1995.
- McAllister, Ruth Brown. Ancestry and Descendants of Carlos and Belinda Eldridge Stevens. Denver, Colorado: privately published, 1930.
- Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. volume I. Providence, Rhode Island: Snow & Farnham, 1897.
- Woodman, J. H. A List of the Descendants of Mr. Joshua Woodman, who settled at Kingston, N.H., about 1736,. Brunswick, Maine: J. Griffin, 1856.
- Morse, Theoda Mears and Charles White. A Genealogical History of the Families of Morrill, Maine. Morrill, Maine: Morrill Historical Society, 1957.
- Woodman, Cyrus. The Woodmans of Buxton, Maine. Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1874.
- Canney, Robert Sayward. The Early Marriages of Strafford County, New Hampshire 1630-1860. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1995.
- Essex Institute. Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849. Volume II Marriages and Deaths. Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute, 1911.
- Pierce, Frederick C. Field Genealogy. Chicago: Hammond Press, 1901.
- Underhill, Lora Altine Woodbur. Descendants of Edward Small of New England. volume 1. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1934.
- Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration. VII. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.
- Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, 2005.
- Clemens, William Montgomery. American Marriages Before 1699. Pompton Lakes, New Jersey: Biblio Comany, 1926.
- Quint, Alonzo Hall. "Extracts from Dover Town Records", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume IV (1850).
- Quint, Alonzo Hall. "Genealogical Items Relating to the Early Settlers of Dover, N.H", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume IX (1855).
- Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. volume III. Providence, Rhode Island: Snow & Farnham, 1916.
- Scales, John. History of Dover, New Hampshire. Manchester, New Hampshire: John B. Clarke Co, 1923.
- Noyes, Sybil, Charles Thornton Libby and Walter Goddwin Davis. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976.