JAMES R. WOODBURN, a well-known business man and successful farmer of East Finley township, is the second surviving son of Joseph and Ruth (Garrett) Woodburn. He was born January 17, 1834, near Taylorstown, Buffalo township, Washington Co., Penn., and his boyhood and early youth were passed, partly in labor on his father's place, and partly at school. He received a fair common-school education, and attended a normal academy at Millersville (Penn.) one form, after which he was engaged in teaching nine or ten terms. He made his home with his parents until the breaking out of the Civil war, when, August 18, 1862, he enlisted in the Ringgold Battalion, an independent troop, which afterward became the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was composed almost exclusively of Washington county men. The duty of this body of horsemen was, during the early part of the struggle, to guard railroads and do "scouting" duty through West Virginia. Mr. Woodburn also participated in the engagements at Cedar Creek, Fisher's Hill, Manchester, besides many others of minor importance; was wounded in the shoulder in 1863, and was sent to the hospital, but afterward served till the close of the war, and was mustered out as sergeant. After his return home to resume the vocations of peace, he was married, on March 14, 1867, to Lizzie McClelland, who was born September 14, 1841, a daughter of Thomas McClelland, of East Finley township, and to this union three children were born: Joseph L., born March 30, 1871; Jennie B., born March 25, 1874; and Fannie A., born April 11, 1878, all now at home. After his marriage Mr. Woodburn located on his present place, a well- improved, valuable piece of farm property, lying about a mile and a half southeast of Claysville, where he has since conducted a general farm business, including stock raising. In 1874 he built a large modern barn, and in 1882 erected a dwelling that has for elegance and convenience no superior and few equals in his township. Mr. Woodburn is regarded as an enterprising farmer, and one of the intelligent and influential men in the community in which he lives. He is a great lover of home and its attractions, and takes pride in keeping up with the times in everything pertaining to agriculture. He is interested in several enterprises outside of farming, and has been a director in the First National Bank of Claysville since its organization. In politics he is a solid Republican, taking a lively interest in the affairs of the party. He and his wife are esteemed members of the U. P. Church at Claysville, of which he is a trustee.

Text taken from page 1441 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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