The Woodworths

Daniel Murdock Woodworth was born April 15, 1845 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His mother died when he was young, so Daniel was raised by his aunt and uncle, Sarah and Tom Thompson, who lived near Leavenworth, Kansas. While living with his aunt and uncle they went to California with a covered wagon train, after hearing about gold being discovered there. During their return, the wagon party split up at Salt Lake City, Utah. The Thompsons, having a considerable amount of gold with them, hid it in a churn, covered it with eggs, and put it in the wagon Daniel was riding in. He was eleven at the time and took his turn driving the wagon team.

D.M. (Daniel) Woodworth enlisted as a ‘drummer boy’ in Company E of the 1st U.S. Infantry in the early days of the Civil War. He served under General Grant when the Union Army took Vicksburg. He served six years, receiving a medical discharge two years into his reenlistment. He returned to Leavenworth and married Elizabeth E. Melvin (b. May, 1852 in Licking, Ohio). While still in Leavenworth, D.M. and Elizabeth had Josanah (Josie) b. 1872 and Brother Woodworth, b. 1872.

In 1873 the family moved to Farmersburg, a small town in Lafayette township in northeast Chautauqua County. They lived on top of Crum Hill, near Farmersburg. Daniel farmed and worked as a village blacksmith. In 1880 Elizabeth’s fater Daniel Melvin (70) was listed as a grocer; Hatty E. Melvin (22) was a housekeeper; and Willie D. Melvin (10-12) all lived with the Woodworth family. Mr. Melvin died in 1906, preceded by two wives, Elvira (1813-77) and Harriet (1857-82). They are buried together in the Woodworth’s family plot at Crum Cemetery (north and east of QSR about 5.5 miles).

Elizabeth (Lizzie) was postmistress at Farmersburg until her death from typhoid fever in October 1882. Daniel and Lizzie had six children. As was often the case in those times 5 of those children preceded Daniel into death in 1932.

In 1883 D.M. remarried to a Farmersburg girl, Mattie Pyles. On April 15, 1882 they moved to an unimproved farm on the north side of the North Caney River, where the Scout Ranch is today. Daniel bought the land in Section 27 from Margaret C. Peterson for $400.

D.M. and Mattie built a log house, a barn, and sheds here from the native timber. They lived in the log house until a more suitable house could be built. Much of their time was spent hauling limestone rocks and building rock fences, which still stand today.

Daniel and Mattie had four children; Charles E. (1884), Lizzie B. (1887), Sadie R. (1889), and another who did not survive childhood. D.M. engaged in farming, raising livestock, and neighborhood blacksmithing. The Woodworths were postmasters of Center Post Office from April 9, 1889 to March 1, 1892. The post office was located in their home and consisted of a small wooden desk with files. They also sold grocery staples to neighbors who patronized the post office. For many years D.M. was the Justice of the Peace, performing marriages and doing legal work for many of his friends.

In 1895 in addition to D.M. and Mattie the household consisted of five children, the three Melvins (family of his first wife), and a boarder named Will Jenkins. Jenkins was a 26 year old school teacher from Iowa. D.M. owned 880 acres, 150 of which was cultivated. In 1897 Mattie died of tuberculosis.

D.M. was a religous man and professed faith in the Methodist Church. He was one of the leaders in the movement to provide religous facilities for the people of the Center community. It was through his efforts, along with his neighbors, that Union Chapel was built. He served as trustee in 1897 and a worker in his church.

In 1900 D.M. remarried again. This time to Susan Dabney Christenson, the daughter of A.K. Christenson, another area pioneer. D.M. served a two year term as county accessor, during which he and Susie lived in Sedan. Around 1910 they returned to the farm on the North Caney for about a year before buying a farm a few miles north of Sedan. They lived there until Daniel retired from farming in 1919 and moved back to Sedan. D.M. never owned a car. He passed away February 16, 1932. Susie followed in 1937. They are buried in Greenwood Cemetary in Sedan.

The homestead, house, and farm that the Woodworths had developed was kept by their son Charles until 1960 when the property was sold to Quivira Council, becoming part of the Quivira Scout Ranch.

Brother Woodworth married Cora M. Holstin (1872-1931) and they bought land in Section 27 on April 25 1896. Eventually they would own much of the land where Murray Gill dam is today. Brother and his family lived on the first farm east of D.M. on the North Caney River. Brother was a stockman, county commissioner and director fo the First National Bank in Sedan for a number of years. He died in 1955. His son, Roy Woodworth, and his family lived in a house that was below the cliffs of Inspiration Point. The chimney is still visible from a canoe when the lake is low and clear. Roy’s son, Woody, lived in the house for seven years. Wood visited QSR in 2017 to celebrate his 80th birthday.