The life of

WILFORD WOODRUFF

New York V

Born in Avon, Connecticut on March 1, 1807

Baptized in Richland Township, New York on December 29, 1833

Home where Wilford Woodruff was born and raised. 1892 photo by Junius F. Wells

Farmington Mill of Cowles, Deming & Camp where Wilford worked in the 1820s.

Palmyra Richland

Fayette

Toronto, Canada

Mendon Spafford

Why did the Woodruff brothers leave Connecticut to buy a mill and farm in New York? 200 years of family roots in Connecticut where generations of Woodruffs had owned mills

The spiritual answer is evident in the towns surrounding Richland and the events that took place in the area in the 1820s-1830s.

John Taylor Toronto Wilford Woodruff Joseph Smith Richland Palmyra Martin Harris Mendon Spafford Brigham Young Zerah Pulsipher Fayette Peter Whitmer

The physical evidence of their path begins with Ozem Thompson Woodruff leaving CT In 1819 to help build the Erie Canal (1817-1825). Then settling in the Daysville area in Richland Township, NY and inviting his brothers to join him.

Daysville Station on the NY Central Railroad (photo taken 2009)

1829 Map of Oswego County showing townships, roads and mills! Richland Township

May 3, 1832 Willford Woodruff paid $1,000 to Constant and Lucene Soul for 50 acres of Lot #57

Note: The words Azmon Woodruff and Ozem Woodruff erased on the 4th line.

June 15, 1832 Willford, Azmon, and Ozem T. Woodruff purchased 67 acres of Lot #70 from Rudolph and Elizabeth Bunner. Lot 70 included the mill shown on the 1829 map.

Purchase price $264. 57

Dated June 15th, 1832

67 and 34/100 acres

Enlarged portion of 1829 map showing Richland Township with lots 57 and 70 outlined in red. The Woodruffs purchased portions of lots 57 and 70, where the x marks the spot of their mill on Grindstone Creek.

In the 1832 deeds the Woodruffs bought: 50 acres of Lot 57 (a rectangle) covering 5/8 of the lot starting at the SW corner 27 chains and 27 links x 18 chains and 31 links x 27 chains and 27 links to S edge x 18 chains and 31 links along S edge back to beginning at SW corner

and 67 1/3 acres of Lot 70 (an Idaho shaped piece) starting at the NW corner 36 chains to the SW corner x 36 chains and 75 links to the SE corner x 2 chains and 88 links up the E edge x 4 chains and 52 links to the Hiway x 16 chains along the Hiway x 9 chains and 50 links N x 1 chain and 18 links W to center of Grindstone Creek x follow the windings and turnings of the Creek x ? chains 10 links to N edge x 1 chain 7 links to beginning at NW corner

X X

The portions of Lots 57 and 70 which the Woodruffs purchased outlined on the 1829 map 2012 map

Current NY Dept of Ecology map of the same area along Grindstone Creek Outlining both Lot 57 and 70 and the junction of County Route 28 and Salisbury Road where their Home and the mill were Located.

Mary Brown and Zerah Pulsipher Spafford, Onondaga County, New York

In December 1833, when Zerah announced God wanted him to preach the gospel, his wife Mary asked where he was going and when he would return. He answered, I am going to preach the Gospel. The Lord will show me where to go. I am going where He guides me Zerah and his friend Elijah walked over 60 miles before Zerah felt impressed to stop at the Woodruffs home.

August 2012 route retracing the December 1833 path of missionaries Zerah Pulsipher and Elijah Cheney A Spafford (home of Zerah Pulsipher) B Fabius (home of Elijah Cheney C Daysville (home of Woodruff brothers)

A

C

B

Grindstone Creek/Richland area 2012 180 years later

Junction of County Rt 28 and Salisbury Road

Creasys portion of Lot 70

Looking East - Grindstone Creek is across the road behind the car

Municipality of Richland Property Records Legal Property Description: 9 acres of Lot 70 111-001-000 Deed Book: 2009 Page: 7754 New owners building their new house on the portion of Lot 70 once owned by Wilford, Thompson, and Azmon Woodruff

New owner with Richard Lambert standing in front of pieces of the foundation of the building on Lot 70 discovered when they began constructing their house.

Looking north on Grindstone Creek at the spot where Wilford and Azmon Woodruff were baptized December 31, 1833.

Looking south on Grindstone Creek at what might have been the millpond

Example of another mill on Grindstone Creek with the mill pond.

Baptism of Wilford Woodruff as pictured in the movie The Great Apostasy.

Of his baptism Wilford Woodruff wrote, "The snow was about three feet deep, the day was cold, and the water was mixed with ice and snow, yet I did not feel the cold."

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