Notes:
Data source is Anna Lou Mack Martin, 308 W. 12th St., Trenton, MO 64683. E-mail annaloum2003@yahoo.com
Woodford was the son of Rodham and Elizabeth Lawrence. He moved with them to Barren County, Kentucky in 1810. In 1823 he went back to Virginia where he met and married on 17 Dec 1826 Mary MUMA/MEWMAW, daughter of David MUMA. Immediately after their marriage, Woodford and Mary migrated to southern Indiana. In the spring of 1831 they moved to Adams Co., IL: where Woodford taught the first school in Payson Township, beginning in June 1831. Woodford and Mary were the parents of eight children: Maria Louisa, Susan, Alpha, Bluford, Alfred, Rodham, Chichester S. and Woodford Marion.
In May of 1838 the first ferry began service in the Quincy area. Woodford Lawrence's ferry consisted of two canoes connected by a platform with a protective railing. The ferry provided transportation across the Mississippi.
According to his son Bluford's obituary in 1920: Woodford Lawrence, taught the first school in Payson township in 1831, in a log stable with the cracks between logs for windows, and with a bark floor. It stood three miles southwest of Payson.
Anna Lou (Mack) Martin wrote:
" In the 1830 Crawford County, IN census, my ancestor, Woodford, was listed with his three oldest daughters. It also appears that Alfred was living with him as there are two males between 30 - 39. There are also two females between 30-39, one of which I cannot account for. A year later, in 1831, Woodford moved to Adams Co., IL:. There was a notice in the local Adams Co. newspaper of the death of Alfred in 1843, so it appears he moved with the Woodford Lawrence family to Illinois.
Woodford b. 8 Jan 1800 d.28 Dec. 1879 Adams Co. Ind. m. Mary Mewmaw 17 Dec. 1826, Shenandoah Co. Va. (It seems that his father, Rodham, appointed him as his agent to recover a negro man, or the money, from Marcus Russel in Fauquier Co. Va. who had hire of the negro for some time. This power of attorney was dated 24 Oct. 1823, which is when the bio. says he went back to Va. Whether Woodford was able to complete the task I have not learned. At least while in Virginia, he met and married Mary. They immediately set off for Crawford Co. Indiana where they lived for about five years before moving on to Adams Co. Ill. If Woodford was ever back in Ky. I have found no record of it. "
Capt. Woodford LAWRENCE, one of the oldest and most highly respected residents of this county, died at his late residence, on Sunday, December 28th, (1879) at the advanced age of seventy-nine years, eleven months and twenty days. Our neighbor, Mr. Lawrence was a native of Virginia went to Kentucky (Barren Co.) in 1810 came to this place (Adams Co. IL) in 1831 October 9th, the same year, he commenced to improve his farm, upon which he resided until the day of his death.
His children were Mrs. Maria L. Holman, Mrs. Susan Ellington, Mrs. Alpha J. Mack, Bluford, Alfred, Rodham, Chester S., and Woodford M.
[Source: Adams County News and Central Recorder, Payson, Adams Co. IL, Jan. 15, 1880]