My Grandfather
SHADRACH JACKSON WOODSON

Born 100 years to the month before me and having passed away 13 1/2 years before my birth, I never knew him, or him, me.

All I have ever known was he was born in Jennings County, Indiana.

Recently I became aware of a book, “Woodson Collection” compiled by Virginia Otto Paul, released in 2001. This book credits yet another book, “Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and their Connections”, compiled by Henry Morton Woodson and published in 1915.

These sources trace the Woodson family history to England. The immigrant ancestor was Dr. John Woodson, born in 1586 in Devonshire, England and presumable came to this county to administer to the British Troops.

In April 1619, aboard the ship “George”, John Woodson with his wife, Sarah Winston Woodson and others landed at Jamestown, Virginia. They settled on a plantation named Fluer de Hundred about 15 miles from Jamestown where they produced two sons, John, born about 1632 and Robert, born about 1634.

Dr. John was killed in an Indian attack on the 18th of April 1644. Dr. John was my 7th Great Grandfather. His son, Robert was my 6th Great Grandfather.

Robert and his wife, Elizabeth Ferris Woodson had a total of 9 children. The 5th child, Benjamin Woodson, was my 5th Great Grandfather.

Benjamin and his wife, Sarah Porter Woodson had a total of 7 children, the first being William Woodson who was my 4th Great Grandfather.

William Woodson and his wife, Sarah Allen Woodson had a total of 5 children, the fourth being Shadrack Woodson, Sr., my 3rd Great Grandfather.

Shadrack Woodson, Sr. and his wife, Susannah Walker Woodson had a total of 10 children, the fourth being my 2nd. Great Grandfather William Walker Woodson.

William Walker Woodson and his wife, Tabitha Nowlin Woodson had a total of 10 children, the first being my Great Grandfather David Woodson.

David Woodson and his wife, Sarah (Sally) Baker had a total of five children, the third being my Grandfather Shadrach Jackson Woodson.

Land and other records indicate the Woodsons migrated into other areas of Virginia as well as into Kentucky. When or who migrated to Indiana is not known. However my grandfather was born May 30, 1830 in Jennings County, Indiana.

Nothing is known of his childhood or early manhood however he and his family moved from Indiana to Iowa, arriving on January 1, 1850 and settling in Davis County. On May 7, 1852 he purchased 89 acres in Davis County.

On December 21, 1854 he married Martha Ann Coffin. In September 1855 their first son, William Henry, was born. Their daughter, Ella Orinda, followed in August of 1857 followed by their second son, Decora Oscar in 1859.

In January 1861, South Carolina voted to secede from the union. Eventually a total of 11 southern states joined together to form the Confederate States of America. The first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, South Carolina.

On August 13, 1862 Grandpa enlisted into Company F of the 30th Iowa Infantry. The enlistment was for a period of three years or the term of war. The companies composing the Thirtieth Regiment of Iowa Infantry were ordered into quarters at Camp Lincoln, near Keokuk, Iowa, between the dates August 15 and September 2, 1862. The regiment was mustered into the service of the United States on September 23, 1862.

It is my understanding there exists mustering-in reports for the individual soldier. To date I have not been able to locate these. The information following therefore is for the Thirtieth and I can only assume Grandpa participated.
On October 25, 1862 they left Keokuk by steamer which took them to St. Louis where they were issued guns, ammunition and other needed supplies. They then proceeded by steamer to Helena, Arkansas where they joined a Brigade commanded by General John M. Thayer.

Their first activity came with the Siege of Vicksburg May 18 – July 4, 1863. By this time they had joined with a larger union force commanded by General Sherman. Apparently due to a mix up in orders they did not join the final assault. This turned out to be fortunate as the position was impregnable and the attacking force suffered very heavy losses.

Grandpa was promoted the 6th Corporal, in April, 1863 after 2nd Corporal Eric Swan received a sick discharge.

Military travel vouchers show he traveled on January 18, 1864 from Nashville, TN to Louisville, KY on furlough. No other travel information is available for this period of time but since this is westward bound, we may presume he was enroute to Iowa.

On June 1, 1864 he was promoted to 5th Sergeant.

On October 3, 1864 travel vouchers again show him westbound from Nashville, TN to Louisville, KY. This time however there is also a travel voucher for travel on October 24, 1864 from Hamilton, IL to Jeffersenville, IN. It would appear he took 4 weeks of leave time to visit Iowa.

His final promotion was to Captain on December 17, 1864 replacing Captain Bence who had been killed by a group of outlaws consisting of Quantrell, one of the Younger brothers and Jesse James. Captain Bence had been home on leave and the gang had heard he had considerable cash with him. Grandpa followed him home on leave and having heard of Captain Bence’s demise, reported such fact when he returned to his unit. He was selected for promotion to replace Captain Bence.

He was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa on June 20, 1865 and returned to Davis County, Iowa where Martha and his two sons awaited him.

Martha passed away on January 11, 1866.

Grandpa then married Elizabeth Abigail Ford on September 30, 1867. To this marriage were born two sons, Charles Edmond in 1869 and Whitfield in 1871. While rumors abound, the only fact we know is this marriage ended in divorce.

It is not known what induced Grandpa to leave Davis County and migrate to Henry County. It is known he paid taxes in Davis County on March 25, 1867. Presumable he lived there when Whitfield was born in 1871.

November 3, 1876 he married my Grandmother, Manerva Jane Hogeland Hester in Lowell, Henry County, Iowa. They had five children: My Uncles; John Earl: Walter Arthur: and Frank. My mother Myrtle Woodson Collins and my Aunt Rocksie.

My mother was born November 28, 1886 in Beloit, Mitchell Co., Kansas.

April 20, 1888 my Grandfather purchased 80 acres of land at Catalpa, Gove County, Kansas. At one time there was a picture of the “Soddy” which I presume he built on this land. A “Soddy” being a house made of Sod.

Apparently by 1899 they had moved back to Henry County, Iowa as there are records showing taxes paid on New London Real Estate and Personal Property on April 17, 1899.

I believe they continued to live in New London until Grandpa’s death on December 13, 1916.

My parents were married there on May 29, 1907.

My Grandmother, Manerva Jane Hogeland Hester Woodson passed away January 6, 1944 having born a total of 7 children. Two daughters, Nancy Ann and Clara, having been born with first husband, John Hester who passed away March 9, 1876.

My Grandparents are both buried in Burge Cemetery, just west of New London, Iowa
 

Addendum – 30th Iowa Infantry – Regiment Participation

Organized at Keokuk and mustered in September 20, 1862.
Moved to St. Louis, Mo., October 25, 1862; thence to Helena, Ark.
Expedition from Helena, Ark., to Arkansas Post November 16-21, 1862.
Attached to District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division,
District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Tennessee, December, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 11th Division,
Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of Tennessee, to December, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division,
Hovey's Expedition to Grenada, Miss., November 27-December 5, 1862. Mitchell's Cross Roads December 1.
Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps,
Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 22, 1862, to January 2, 1863.
Chickasaw Bayou December 26-28, 1862.
Chickasaw Bluffs December 29.
Expedition to Arkansas Post, Ark., January 3-10, 1863.
Assault on and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, January 10-11.
Moved to Young's Point, La., January 17-23, and duty there till April.
Expedition to Greenville, Black Bayou and Deer Creek April 2-14.
Demonstration on Haines and Snyder's Bluffs April 28-May 2.
Moved to join army in rear of Vicksburg, Miss., via Richmond and Grand Gulf May 2-14.
Jackson, Miss., May 14.
Siege of Vicksburg May 18-July 4. 1863
Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22.
Advance on Jackson July 5-10.
Siege of Jackson July 10-17.
Brandon Station July 17-19.
Duty at Big Black till September 22.
Moved to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 22-November 21.
Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20-29.
Cherokee Station October 21 and 29.
Cane Creek October 26.
Tuscumbia October 26-27.
Battles of Chattanooga November 23-27;
Lookout Mountain November 23-24;
Mission Ridge November 25;
Ringgold Gap, Taylor's Ridge, November 27.
March to relief of Knoxville November 28-December 8. 1863
Garrison duty in Alabama till April, 1864.
Dept. of Tennessee, to September, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Corps, to December, 1863.
1st Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Corps, to September, 1864.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Corps, to July, 1865.
Atlanta Campaign May 1 to September 8. 1864
Demonstration on Resaca May 8-13.
Snake Creek Gap May 10-12.
Battle of Resaca May 14-15.
Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5.
Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2.
Bushy Mountain June 15-17.
Assault on Kenesaw June 27.
Nickajack Creek July 2-5.
Chattahoochie River July 6-17.
Battle of Atlanta July 22.
Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25.
Ezra Chapel, Hood's second sortie, July 28.
Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30.
Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1.
Lovejoy Station September 2-6.
Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 1-26.
March to the sea November 15-December 10.
Griswoldsville November 23.
Siege of Savannah December 10-21, 1964
Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865.
Reconnaissance to Salkehatchie River, S. C, January 25.
Salkehatchie Swamps, S. C, February 3-5.
South Edisto River February 9.
North Edisto River February 12-13.
Columbia February 15-17.
Lynch's Creek February 25-26.
Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21.
Occupation of Goldsborg March 24.
Advance on Raleigh April 9-13.
Occupation of Raleigh April 14.
Bennett's House April 26.
Surrender of Johnston and his army.
March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond April 29-May 20.
Grand Review May 24.
Mustered out June 5, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 65 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 241 Enlisted men by disease. Total 317.

REPORT OF CAPTAIN BENCE'S DEATH

This guerrilla band, presumably under the command of Quantrell, entered the State near the Southeast corner of Davis County and made their way thence across the southern border of the county to a point near the Southwest corner.  They then retreated into Missouri from whence they had come, leaving a trail marked with blood.

At Springville, near the southwest corner of the county, they came to the home of Captain Philip H. Bence of Company F, Thirtieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, who was then at home on a furlough.  They ordered Captain Bence to come out of the house, which order he obeyed.  Probably divining the character of the individuals confronting him, he requested them not to kill him in the presence of his wife and two little boys.  They ordered him to mount a horse, and continuing their march, they arrived at the home of Mr. David Sanderson, whom they also forced to accompany them, and ordered him to mount the same horse upon which Captain Bence was riding. ¹⁵

The guerrillas then proceeded along the public highway in a southerly direction, their prisoners riding in advance as they had been ordered to do.  While they were ascending a small hill some two or three miles south of Springville, Captain Bence in a low voice proposed to Mr. Sanderson that they should both quickly dismount from the horse, and endeavor to make their escape through the timber and underbrush extending from the roadside over the hill.  Mr. Sanderson, believing that such a course would be fraught with grave danger and would probably result in the death of both, whereas by awaiting developments they might effect an escape by some other less hazardous method, declined to accede to Captain Bence's proposal.  They had traveled but a short distance further when the leader of the guerrillas rode up close behind the horse on which Captain Bence and Mr. Sanderson were mounted, drew a revolver from its holster, and without a word of warning, pointed the weapon directly over Mr. Sanderson's shoulder and pulled the trigger.  The ball from the revolver penetrated the back of Captain Bence's head and he fell to the ground.

The suddenness of the act and the shock caused by the report of the gun also caused Mr. Sanderson to fall from the horse, and his first impression was that he himself had been shot.  This he soon discovered was erroneous and he rose to his feet.  The leader of the guerrilla band then dismounted from his horse and approached Captain Bence where he lay writhing in the dust.  After Bence had fallen to the ground, he raised himself on his right elbow and turned partly over, in an attempt to rise.  The next moment the guerrilla leader placed the muzzle of his revolver close to the top of Captain Bence's head and again pulled the trigger.  The ball crashed into the brain of the wounded man, the struggling immdiately ceased, and Captain Bence lay dead before his half bewildered companion.

The guerrilla then turned to Mr. Sanderson, and coldly ordered him to face about.  Fully believing that he himself was next to be the victim of the assassin's bullet, Mr. Sanderson with palpitating heart faced about.  To his great surprise, he was ordered to depart immediately, "and not look back;" an order which he obeyed literally and with great alacrity.  The guerrilla band then made its way as rapidly as possible out of Iowa and back into Missouri.

The death of Captain Bence, who was a gallant and efficient officer, was greatly deplored by all who knew him.  He had enlisted on the 13th day of August, 1862, was pormoted to First Lieutenant on March 29, 1863, and to Captian on April 3, 1864, was slightly wounded at Atlanta, Georgia, on July 28, 1864, and was killed by guerrillas on October 12, 1864. ¹⁶