Francis B. and Mary E. Woodruff , Sterling



In 1850 Floyd County, Indiana, Hezekiah Johnson is 37, Hannah Johnson 30, Archibald Johnson 18, Sarah J. Johnson 17, Mary E. Johnson 10, and Rebecca Johnson 1 .



Mary's brother Hezekiah P. Johnson BIRTH 1855 DEATH 1898 Kansas, BURIAL Lenape Cemetery Lenape, Leavenworth County, Kansas, MEMORIAL ID 109882369.

Another brother George W. Johnson BIRTH 26 Jan 1853 New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana, DEATH 11 Feb 1924 Sharon, Woodward County, Oklahoma, BURIAL Fern - Mount Olive Cemetery Harper County, Oklahoma, MEMORIAL ID 66058853.

Another brother, Archibald, was in Huerfano County, Colorado in 1870 (when Huerfano took up most of the south-central part of the Territory)
A. B. Johnson is farming, 39, Lucy Ann Johnson 28, born in Wisconsin and John E. Crawford 17 born in Ohio.

FRANCES AND MARY

Mary E. Johnson and Francis B. Woodruff married on 17 May 1858 in Marion County, Illinois.

In 1870 Huron County, Ohio, John Gregory is a laborer, 24, Frank B. Woodruff 37, an engine builder, both born in New York, Mary Woodruff 30, Indiana, Annie Woodruff 11, New York, Ellen Woodruff 9, Illinois Minnie Woodruff 7, and Edwin Woodruff .

In 1880 Marshalltown, Iowa, Francis B. Woodruff 47 is superintendent of an oil mill, Mary E. Woodruff 40 Wife, Ella A. Woodruff 18 Daughter, Edward F. Woodruff 11 Son, and Julia M. Woodruff 3 Daughter.

Mary E. Woodruff BIRTH 11 Feb 1840 DEATH 11 Apr 1907 BURIAL Greenwood Cemetery Chadron, Dawes County, Nebraska, MEMORIAL ID 88955816.

May 11, 1916 "The Princess theater has been sold by J. E. Dahlberg to Mrs. Anna Washburn from Lincoln, Neb. The house is now being operated by the F. B. Woodruff company, consisting of Mrs. Washburn and her father, Mr. Woodruff. Mrs. Washburn arrived in Sterling Tuesday and on Wednesday she purchased the house, paying cash and at Mr. Dahlberg's figure. One night's glance at the large patronage of the house was sufficient to convince her that the Princess was a paying proposition.
Mr. Dahlberg has been making good money with the place in less than a year's time he has owned it and the fact that Mrs. Dahlberg's health is not the best in this altitude alone induced him to give it up. During the regime of Mr. Dahlberg, the Princess has won an enviable reputation for the high class and clean character of the pictures produced, and friends therefore have crowded around him in large numbers."

April 1917 " Mrs. Ella Mack of Miles City, Mont.,; who has spent several months in Los Angeles, Cal., is the guest of her sisters, Mrs. Anna Ashburn and Mrs. Hamilton. "

March 1919 "Julia Hamilton has sold her one-third interest in the Princess theater in Sterling to her father, R B. Woodruff, and her sister, Mrs. Anna M. Ashburn. Mrs. Hamilton will go to Chadron, Nebraska, where she will operate a moving picture theatre. Mrs. Hamilton lived at Chadron before coming to Sterling two years ago."

March 1919 "F. B. Woodruff, one of the proprietors of the Princean theatre in Sterling, has received a letter from his son, Kdwin F. Woodruff, who has been stationed at Hoboken, New Jersey, with the Y. M. C. A. The letter states that he will soon sail for France on the ship Calumares, which has a crew of 300, and which on its return trip will bring home 2,000 American soldiers.
Mr. Woodruff was one among nine Y. M. C. A. workers to be chosen for overseas duty. He was first located ai Douglas, Arizona. He has traveled over 10,000 miles in his work of entertaining the soldiers wiih music and motion pictures.
Mr. F. B. Woodruff has also a grandson in the service, statiound at Port Au Prince, Haiti, with the submarine forces. He is at the head of the radio department, and it is stated, is expecting to be promoted to chief of this branch." June 5, 1919, Sterling " Francis Butler Woodruff, age eighty-six years, died in his sleep at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna M. Ashburn, 324 North Second street Friday. Mrs. Ashburn entered the room about 7 o'clock to find that he had died peacefully some time early in the morning. Mr. Woodruff and Mrs. Ashburn have been proprietors of the Princess theater for the past three years, and the kind, energetic old gentleman was a familiar figure to the people of the business distrlct of Sterling.
Mr. Woodruff was born in Chenango county, New York, April 19, 1833. He was married May 16, 1858 to Mary E. Johnson of New Albany, Indiana.
To this union five children were born. They are Mrs. Anna M. Ashburn of Sterling; Mrs. Ella A. Mack of Miles City. Montana; Mrs. Minnie O. Place., of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Edwin F. Woodruff of Fort Stockton, Texas, and Mrs. Julia Hamilton of Chadron, Nebraska. In 1872 he moved with his family from Ohio to Marshalltown, Iowa, where for many years he was general master mechanic of shops for the Iowa Central railroad. Later they moved to Dawes county, Nebraska, at which place Mrs. Woodruff passed away about twelve years ago.
After the death of his wife. Mr. Woodruff made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Ashburn, who was associated with him in business. On May 1, 1916, they purchased the Princess theatre, which has been under their management since that time.
The body was sent to Chadron, Nebraska, for burial beside his wife, and left Sterling Sunday morning at 7. Funeral services were held at the Congregational church at Chadron Monday morning. Three daughters accompanied the body to its last resting place.
His son is now on his way home from France.


ANNA

July 1916 "Mrs. Ashburn is in receipt of a postcard this morning from her only daughter, who says she is enjoying her second honeymoon. The daughter lives in Morristown, N. J., and she and her husband had considered coining to Colorado to spend a vacation with her mother, but because of lack of time, are touring the White mountains."

November 1918 "Mrs. A. Ella Black of Miles City, Montana, is a guest of her sisters, Mrs. Anna Ashburn and Mrs. Julia M. Hamilton in Sterling. She will probably spend the winter months here."

June 1919 "Mrs. C.W. Michner of Llanerch, Pennsylvania arrived Saturday for a visit with her mother, Mrs. Anna M. Ashburn."

October 1922 "Mrs. Anna M. Ashburn of Los Angeles, Calif., arrived in Sterling Sunday and will remain here indefinitely at the home of Mrs. Anna McCormick on North Second Street. Mrs. Ashburn will attend to business matters while here."

Return to Biography index