Woody family

Austin Woody was born about 1826 and married Mary J. Graley in 1849 in Albemarle Co. VA. I can't find them anywhere in the 1850 census records. Other evidence indicates that they had two sons, Joel and Charles Woody, and that Mary had died before 1860.

In 1860 Austin Woody is living in Albemarle Co. with John W. Woody 28, Cary A. Woody 52, and James Woody 32. It's a reasonable supposition that Cary is the mother of Austin, James and John, but I can't prove it. I can't find Joel and Charles anywhere in 1860.

Austin enlisted in the Confederate Army, Company D, 19th Virginia Infantry, in April 1861 at the age of 35, was captured at Gettysburg (July 1863), and released in 1865.

By 1870 Austin was married again, to Polixanna Ward (spelling is variable), widow of James Bryant, and his sons are living with them, as are her Bryant children Willis, James, Celia and Albert.

Austin's army record states that he had black hair and eyes, and a sallow complexion.

First Generation

Children of Austin Woody and Mary Graley
Joel Woody (1849-1929) m. Frances Marian Layne (1851-1945)
Charles Woody (ca. 1852-?) last seen in the 1870 census

Children of Austin Woody and Polixanna Ward
Olivia Woody (ca. 1868-?)
Polixanna Woody (ca. 1872-?)
Minnie A. Woody (ca. 1875-?)
Wade Hampton Woody (ca. 1877-after 1920)

Second Generation

Children of Joel Woody and Frances Marian Layne
Absolum Edward Woody (1875-1952) m. Elizabeth Roberts
Mary Louise Woody (1877-1973) m. John Houston Lewis (1883-1971)
William Austin Woody (1879-1933) m. Roxie Kessler
Maud Elizabeth Woody (1885-?) m. 1) G. Cleveland Tucker, 2) Cornelius Arthur Coleman
Mundie Eugene Woody (1891-1953) m. 1) Frances Elizabeth Harris (1896-1917), 2) her sister Josie Belle Harris (1903-2001)
Charles Houston Woody (1893-?) m. Jane Poteat
Alfred Vivian Woody (1900-1965) m. Hilda Estelle Andrews (1906-1983)

Sources

Thanks to John Mercer and to Joe Woody for information on this family.

Other Resources

WOODY DNA project
A descendant of Joel Woody has been tested, and is a good but not a perfect match for descendants of Henry Woody and Susannah Martin of Goochland Co. VA. We suspect that the most recent common ancestor was probably back in the 1700s or even earlier.

This page was created on May 25, 2008.

 

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Elizabeth Harris, ncgen@mindspring.com