Grand Rapids township, LaSalle county, Illinois, includes among its leading citizens the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. On his present farm, which comprises two hundred and five acres, Mr. Woodward has resided since 1871, when he purchased it of George Mills, and he is thoroughly identified with the best interests of this locality. Some personal mention of him is appropriate in this work, and we take pleasure in presenting to our readers the following review:
C. W. Woodward was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1847, the son of Caleb Woodward, also a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. Joseph Woodward, the grandfather of our subject, was likewise born in the Keystone state. He was of Scotch and English descent and was a man of honest industry, by occupation a farmer. Caleb Woodward grew up on his father's farm in Fayette county, and there married Miss Rebecca Lynn, a native of that county and a daughter of Samuel Lynn and wife, nee McCormick, both of whom died in Pennsylvania. Caleb Woodward died in Pennsylvania, in 1847, when our subject was six months old, and his widow later became the wife of Elias Jeffries. She died in Delaware county, Iowa, in 1859.
After his father's death the subject of our sketch found a home with his paternal grandfather, with whom he lived for nine years. From his ninth year until he reached maturity he was a member of the household of his uncle, Taylor Woodward. His youth was passed in farm work, and a portion of each year he attended the public schools. On reaching manhood he engaged in farming on his own account, remaining in Fayette county until 1871, in which year he came west to Illinois and purchased the farm he now occupies, as stated in the beginning of this sketch. This place is nicely improved with first-class buildings, etc., the residence being located on a natural building site, and everything conveniently arranged and well kept.
Mr. Woodward was married October 24, 1867, to Miss Martha J. Leckey, a native of the same county in which he was born, and a daughter of William and Mary A. (Moore) Leckey, also natives of Fayette county. Mrs. Leckey died in middle life, leaving two children - Mrs. Woodward and Mrs. Louisa Rice, of Fayette county. Mr. Leckey lived to the age of sixty years, and he likewise died in Pennsylvania. By a second marriage he had other children. By trade he was a millwright, in politics was a Republican, and in religion a Lutheran. To Mr. and Mrs. Woodward have been born eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, namely: Anna Alice, wife of Charles Palmer of Grand Ridge, Illinois; Charles Lynn, a bookkeeper of Ottawa, Illinois; William A., of Webster county, Iowa; I. Lewis, a bridge-builder of LaSalle county; Etta M., at home; Arthur E., of Webster county, Iowa; Chester R., at home; Clayton, a student of Lake Forest, Illinois; and Samuel C, Kent L. and Floyd Wayne. Mr. and Mrs. Woodward are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically he is a Republican.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 134-135.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
