CENTRE LINES

The WOODS Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on WOODS. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

No books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal with the Woods family.

There are 18 different first-name entries for Woods in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are several mentions of the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898). And, now, your ancestors' Woods neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Edward, 37, clerk--43 Blanchard Sallie Mary Ellen--over 13 W. Bishop James, 45, laborer--130 E. Logan Tillie William W., 30, laborer--212 E. Bishop

In HARRIS Township:

Catharine--Boalsburg John, 53, laborer Mary E. Ada F. John 15 Harriet Emma Joshua 8 Margaret John F., 50, laborer--Boalsburg Mary A. Annie C. Laura M. Samuel 14 Helen E. Alice William

In HUSTON Township:

James, 51, laborer--Julian Elizabeth Robert E. 54 Miles, 35, laborer--Julian Clair 4 Miles W., 4--Julian

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Charles J. Wood, 25, bookkeeper--Front St. Harry Wood, 32, hotel keeper--Front St. Julia Bessie F. Lillie M.

In RUSH Township:

Anna M. Wood--Sandy Ridge George Wood, 23--Sandy Ridge Emily Alice James Wood, 30, laborer--Sandy Ridge Mary E.

In SPRING Township:

John A., 13, laborer--Bellefonte John W., 40, farmer--Bellefonte