Wooddells in 1830-1910 in Arkansas and Texas

by David A. Wooddell, Sr.


Wooddells in 1830-1910 in Arkansas and Texas

Or how the name became 3

Tracing the elusive and Wiley (pardon the pun) A. WOODDELL has been a real adventure. What has been proven about him is found on our Wooddell Surname pages. I was beginning to think "found in the cabbage patch" applied to my ancestors!

Doing a search of Ancestry.com's Census Index for 1830, this "Wiley WOODDELL" turns up (according to search results) in Lawrence (which I believe was a mistake since I can't confirm it) and Saline Cos., (which I can confirm) in Arkansas in 1835-37. Having seen the name spelled every which way but correctly in my family research, seeing "Wiley Wooddell" really jumped out at me. Not only that, but James, Robert, and George Wooddell are found in the search results, with the "correct" spelling. I believe the date of this census to be 1837 as stated.

Meanwhile, we re-join Wiley back in Saline Co., Arkansas where evidently the transcriber penned him in as Willis Woodrell, along with Robert, James and George WOODRELL in the 1836 Tax Rolls. The Davis Township, Saline Co AR 1840 Census lists Wiley, James, and Robert WOODARD. Their households break down as follows:

Robert has 2 males and 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-10, 3 females 10-15, he is 30-40 and the other female is 20-30.

Wiley has a male and a female under 5, a female 5-10, a male and 3 females 10-15, a male 20-30 and one 30-40, of which either could have been him, and the other a brother.

James is 60-70 as is his presumed wife. They apparently lived by themselves in that household.

There is an elderly couple living between Robert and Wiley (John Townsend), but the fact that they are in close proximity may indicate some relationship, at least for the Wooddell/Woodard families. Even though Ancestry.com "found" Wiley in the search for Lawrence Co., Census, he turns up where the Tax Rolls are supposed to be in Saline Co.

Since the 1840 Saline Co. AR Census worked out better than the Tuscaloosa Co. AL Census for the same year, I decided to try the 1850 Saline Co. AR Census, even though I have Wiley Woodell (sic) in the 1850 Tuscaloosa Co. AL Census. This way I had hoped to find out who Robert and James or George were. Here I find no Robert, James, or Wiley. There are however several Woodel children listed as "Orphans" in the household of Wiley A. Jones and his wife Rose Ann, who according to the Saline Co. Marriage Records Book A, was Rose Ann Woodell. These are Mary A. (15), Joel (10), Lucy (8), Adeline (6), Louisiana (4), and Matthew (1). Since Wiley Jones has 2 boys aged 15 and 13 named Jones, and he and Rose Ann (aged 35) didn't marry until Apr. 21, 1850, the children could possibly be hers from a previous marriage, but to who?

Results of an LDS Search reveal Rose Ann Moore married Lewis Woodell (sp Woodle) May 26, 1839 in Marshall Co., MS. This would also place her as being old enough to be the mother of the 21 year old Walker (James Walker) Woodel listed above at the household of Nathan Workman as a laborer on his farm. According to the Saline Co. Marriage Records Book B, James first married Martha BERRY (age 17) on Dec. 31, 1854. Second he married Nancy Ann MILLER (age 16) Jul. 12, 1857.

Thus, we may conclude that Workman is a cousin, or uncle, in that he is somehow tied into our family in FTW World Family Tree #1609, which I don't have access to. However, I have not found that "proven" yet, so I may plead some help here tying "Walker Woodel" to Rose Ann, and Rose Ann and Lewis to Wiley. Any help with these "snippets" of information, would be immensely appreciated.

Meanwhile, in the process of searching ancestry.com's census files for 1850 Arkansas, I found Wiley Woodle, along with Robert and George, and their families in Hoodville, Jefferson Co. Arkansas.

Wiley was 46, a farmer, and from NC. His wife Delilah, was 32. Also found are daughter Delila 10, William H. 8, George A. (Georgiana) 5, John 3, and Wiley 2 months. The date of the census was Nov. 26, 1850.

Robert Woodle 40 (next door) was a farmer, born TN, as was his wife Rebecca 37, and their 2 older sons James 14, and William 12. Daughters Abby 10, Mary A. 8, and sons Drew 6, and Bevrally(?) 4 show to be born in Arkansas.

George Woodle 46 (next door on the other side) was a farmer, born NC, as was wife Lucinda 39. Children Lucy Ann 18, Sarah C. 15, George 12, Martha 10, and Thomas J., show to be born in Arkansas.

Two houses down from George, we find a Barby Allen (m) 38 born KY, wife Holly 38 b. IL, children Pleasant 5, and Harmon 3 also born Illinois. Another Bevrally, this one also Allen (m) 34 is from KY. Thus George's wife Lucinda could be an Allen, pending further research.

The two Allen neighbors from Kentucky, lead credence to these same people being involved in an event described in Szucs and Luebking, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, p.182.

The Commonwealth vs. Woodull & c: James, Wiley, George
Hickman County, Kentucky, 1832 Robert, William

Grand Jury Indictment

I believe that since Hickman Co., KY, is in the extreme southwest part of the state that it is likely after the ordeal that the family moved across the Mississippi River to Arkansas.

In 1860, Jefferson Co., AR Census, Delilah is found without Wiley, and with children Georgiana 15, John 13, Wiley 9, Robert 6, and Mary E 4. Her age is listed as 39, and working as a seamstress. We know better than to question a lady on her age.

To be Continued
Last updated Aug. 23, 2002