S Butler and S Hibbs Family History Our Family's Journey Through Time

Jonathan Woodruff

Jonathan Woodruff

Male 1706 - 1777  (70 years)


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  • Name Jonathan Woodruff
    Birth 30 Jul 1706  Westfield, Union Co, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male
    Will 20 Jun 1772  Essex Co, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Proved 2/18/1778 
    Death 15 Jul 1777  NJ Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    DAR.org 26 Mar 2021 
    WOODRUFF, JONATHAN - Ancestor #: A128684 
    Findagrave.com 28 Mar 2021 
    See Notes 
    Burial Westfield, Union Co, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    • Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds
    Person ID I2741  Butler Family Tree
    Last Modified 6 Jun 2026

    Father Joseph Woodruff, Sr,   b. 1677, Southampton, Suffolk Co, Long Island, NY Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 02 Feb 1741, Westfield, Union Co, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 64 years)
    Relationship natural
    Mother Hannah J Ward,   b. Between 1684 and 1691, Farmington, Hartford Co, CT Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Aug 1742, Westfield, Union Co, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)
    Relationship natural
    Marriage 1699  Southampton, Suffolk Co, Long Island, NY Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F404  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Jennet Megie-xx,   b. 1707   d. 18 Apr 1750 (Age 43 years)
    Marriage 1731 
    Notes 

    • Children:

      dau Mary Woodruff (?-1771)
      - married ??? Scudder
      son Daniel Woodruff (1721-?)
      - probable infant or childhood death
      son Jonathan Woodruff 1732 - 1759
      dau Anna Wooduff 1733 - 1822
      - married Anthony Badgley
      dau Jennet Woodruff 1734 - 1762
      dau Anne Woodruff 1736 - 1820
      son Noah Woodruff 1740 - 1773
      son David Woodruff 1741-1825
      son Daniel Woodruff 1742 - 1812
      son Aaron Woodruff 1746 - 1793
      son Ephraim Woodruff 1750 - 1827
    Family ID F1890  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 6 Jun 2026

    Family 2 Prudence ???-xx,   b. 1709   d. 31 Oct 1781 (Age 72 years)
    Marriage Aft 18 Apr 1750  [3
    • Death date of 1st wife Jennet Megie
    Family ID F1891  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 6 Jun 2026

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 30 Jul 1706 - Westfield, Union Co, NJ Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsWill - Proved 2/18/1778 - 20 Jun 1772 - Essex Co, NJ Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 15 Jul 1777 - NJ Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Westfield, Union Co, NJ Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Rev-War-Patriot--Woodruff-Jonathan
    Rev-War-Patriot--Woodruff-Jonathan
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-1
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-1
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-2
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-2
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-3
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-3
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-4
    Woodruff-Jonathan-(1706-1777)-4

  • Notes 

    • - ** See marriage notes for list of children **

      - will mentions grandson Eliphalet Marsh -- parents?

      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Found at findagrave.com on 3/28/2021

      Jonathan Woodruff

      Birth: 30 Jul 1706 Westfield, Union County, New Jersey, USA
      Death: 15 Jul 1777 (aged 70)
      Burial: Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds, Westfield, Union County, New Jersey, USA
      Plot: 284
      Memorial #: 19643175
      Bio:
      Jonathan Woodruff helped capture the British supply ship "Blue Mountain Valley" near Sandy Hook, NJ and brought it to Elizabeth Port on January 22, 1776.

      The above information is found in the book, The Revolutionary Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey by Henry C. Hamilton, D.D.S. June, 1975.

      Other records indicate Jonathan Woodruff's birthdate as 15 March 1705.
      -----------------------------
      "Acting upon direction of the Committee of Safety of Elizabethtown, patriots disguised as fishermen in 4 boats came alongside the British supply ship HMS Blue Mountain Valley and captured it."
      The URL and full citation for this is here:

      Source: National Park Service Records.

      Common Name - BLUE MOUNTAIN VALLEY

      Historic Name - HMS BLUE MOUNTAIN VALLEY

      Secondary Names - off SANDY HOOK

      County - MONMOUTH

      State - NJ

      War - REVOLUTIONARY WAR

      Engagement - NAVAL ACTION

      Engagement Type - CAPTURE

      Dates - 01/22/1776 - 01/22/1776

      Location, off - SANDY HOOK

      Current Rank - C

      Notes on Event - Acting upon direction of the Committee of Safety of Elizabethtown, patriots disguised as fishermen in 4 boats came alongside the British supply ship HMS Blue Mountain Valley and captured it.

      Survey Code - NJ220

      https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002013171492;view=1up;seq=436

      Children believed to belong to Jennet Megie and Jonathan Woodruff:

      1) Mary Woodruff (?-1771)
      2) Daniel Woodruff (1721-?) - probable infant or childhood death
      3) Jonathan Woodruff (1732-1759)
      4) Jennet Woodruff (1734-1762)
      5) Anne Woodruff (1736-1820)
      6) Noah Woodruff (1740-1773)
      7) David Woodruff (1741-1825)
      8) Daniel Woodruff (1742-1812)
      9) Aaron Woodruff (1746-1793)
      10) Ephraim Woodruff (1750-1827)

      Many private records found online claim this Jonathan Woodruff had three wives, but at least one may not be his - there was a Deacon John Woodruff (1704 - 24 Sept 1768) of the same generation who also lived in Westfield, NJ. Based on the will of Thomas Donnington, husband of Thankful Donnington, an heir named Eleanor (1712-1742), was listed as "the wife of John Woodruff".

      "...if my wife and children should die without issue, then my estate is to go to Eleanor, the wife of John Woodruff."

      Whether she was an older daughter or other relative of this Thomas Donnington is not clear. The children of this Eleanor Donnington and Deacon John Woodruff are listed as:

      1) Cornelius Woodruff, husband of Mary Osborn

      2) John Woodruff, husband of Sarah Miller

      3) Moses Woodruff, husband of Phebe Marsh

      This line doesn't look anything like Jonathan Woodruff, father of Aaron (1746-1793), Ephraim Woodruff (1750-1827), and their siblings unless more data becomes available. Possibly these two John Woodruffs were cousins? Deacon John Woodruff's headstone is also different from Jonathan Woodruff's, and he was also buried in Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds in Westfield, NJ along with Jennet MeGee and many other Woodruffs.

      This info comes from here: http://maxpages.com/elizawoodruffs/Joseph_of_Westfield_page_1

      In 1967, Ceylon Newton Woodruff and the Arthur H. Clark Company first published Woodruff Chronicles I (CNW I), following it in 1971 with Woodruff Chronicles II (CNW II). CNW was interested in tracing his own connections to John Woodruff and accumulated extensive research material on the many branches and lines of descent. This website is dedicated to providing the information in CNW's Chronicles and also includes data from other sources.

      The other wife listed for Jonathan Woodruff (1706-1777) was:

      Prudence Unknown, d. Oct. 31, 1781 and listed as the widow of Jonathan Woodruff.

      Sources:

      --"History of the Town of Westfield, Union County, New Jersey" by Charles A. Philhower. Pub. 1923 by Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
      From page 17: The most exciting news that first reached Westfield after the declaration of war was the capture of the "Blue Mountain Valley" by Lord Stirling, off Sandy Hook. This was an armed supply boat sent off from the warships in New York harbor to transport ships lying outside. The vessel was brought in to Elizabeth Port and put in charge of Col. Elias Dayton. This hazardous task was accomplished with three small boats, eighty volunteers and thirty militia. David Ross, Ephraim Marsh, Henry Baker and Jonathan Woodruff, of Westfield, went out on this enterprise. There was great rejoicing at Charles Clark's store when the prize was reported safe at harbor at 'The Port'."

      --U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 -- shows a John Woodruff, b. 1702, male, NJ, married Eleanor Donnington. No date or location of marriage.

      --"Inscriptions from the cemetery of the Presbyterian Church at Westfield in New Jersey from the year 1740 to the year 1899", pg. 26, shows #285 Jennet, wife of Jonathan...died April 18, 1750, age 42.

      Same page, #286, Prudence, widow of Jonathan...died Oct. 31, 1781, age 72.

      Pg. 27, #698, Aaron, died Feb. 27, 1793, age 47. #700, Ruth, widow of Aaron; wife of Joseph Cory, died Nov. 28, 1818, age 68 yrs, 10 days.

      No Eleanor Woodruff is listed in this publication.

      --"History of Union County, New Jersey, 1664-1923", Vol. 3" by Abraham Van Doren Honeyman. Pub. 1923.

      --"Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots, Vol. 4" by Patricia Law Hatcher. 1987 by Pioneer Heritage Press, Dallas, TX.

      --"History of Elizabeth, New Jersey; including the Early History of Union County" by Rev. Edwin F. Hatfield, D.D. Pub. 1868.

      --"History of the Borough of Mountainside, Union County, New Jersey, 1895-1945" by Jean Hesketh Hershey. Pub. 1976 by Westfield Press. Pg. 8..."Jonathan Woodruff lived in the valley between the highway and where the Children's County Home now is. He died in 1777."

      Gravesite Details Revolutionary War Veteran
      Family Members
      Parents
      Joseph Woodruff 1677-1741
      Hannah J. Ward Woodruff 1684-1742
      Spouse
      Jennet Megie Woodruff 1707-1750
      Siblings
      John Woodruff 1704-1768
      Abigail Woodruff Gould 1712-1766
      Nathaniel Woodruff 1719-1795
      Thomas Woodruff 1723-1804
      Hezekiah Woodruff 1725-1776
      Benjamin Woodruff 1726-1786
      Children
      Jonathan Woodruff 1732-1759
      Anna Wooduff Badgley 1733-1822
      Noah Woodruff 1740-1773
      Daniel Woodruff 1742-1812
      Aaron Woodruff 1746-1793
      Ephraim Woodruff 1750-1827
      Created by: Rich H. (46489213)
      Added: 31 May 2007
      URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19643175/jonathan-woodruff
      Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 March 2021), memorial page for Jonathan Woodruff (30 Jul 1706–15 Jul 1777), Find a Grave Memorial no. 19643175, citing Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds, Westfield, Union County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Rich H. (contributor 46489213) .
      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Found at DAR.org on 3/28/2021

      WOODRUFF, JONATHAN Ancestor #: A128684

      Service: NEW JERSEY Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE
      Birth: 1707 ESSEX CO NEW JERSEY
      Death: 7-15-1777 ELIZABETH ESSEX CO NEW JERSEY
      Service Source: NJ STATE ARCH, REV WAR DAMAGE CLAIMS, 1776-1782, ESSEX CO, WESTFIELD, CLAIM #48
      Service Description: 1) SUFFERED DEPREDATION

      RESIDENCE
      Created: 2002-03-27 23:23:55.3, Updated: , By: Conversion 1) County: ESSEX CO - State: NEW JERSEY

      SPOUSE
      Number Name

      Created: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, Updated: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, By: Conversion
      1) JANNET MEGIE
      Created: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, Updated: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, By: Conversion
      2) PRUDENCE X

      Hint: Click on the member number to see more.
      ASSOCIATED APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTALS
      Nat’l Add
      Num Vol. Docs Child [Spouse #] Spouse
      380753 630 ANNA [1] ANTHONY BADGELY PURCHASE
      958164 1172 ANN [1] ANTHONY BADGELEY PURCHASE
      = Supporting documentation available
      = Descendants list available for this member and this ancestor
      = Descendants list available for this member but not this ancestor
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Sources 
    1. [S25] Findagrave.com.

    2. [S43] Military documents.

    3. [S21] DAR.org.