WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
JOHN STILLMAN & MARTHA ALICE PARKER WOODBURY
(early St. George settler, missionary, patriarch)
BIOGRAPHY
John Stillman Woodbury was born in New Salem, Franklin County, Massachusetts on November 20, 1825.Martha "Alice" Parker was born in Accrington, Lancaster, England on May 22, 1846. She sailed across the sea at
age 9 on the ship "Enoch Train", came across the plains by foot in the Daniel McArthur Handcart Company, and
arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 26, 1856. She grew up in Beaver, Utah.
John married Elvira Stevens on December 23, 1850. He was then called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands
(Hawaii) in March or April of 1851 and arrived there in August. Elvira accompanied him as far as San Francisco
and then later joined him in Hawaii, but stayed less than a year. John was released in 1855 and arrived home on
May 7, 1856.
John & Elvira met with Brigham Young on May 20, 1856 and Elvira asked for a divorce. President Young
granted the request the next day and they were divorced on May 21. Elvira went on to marry Oliver Boardman
Huntington on December 28, 1856 and Royal Barney Jr. on January 6, 1866.
John was called on a second mission to the Sandwich Islands on March 1, 1857 and was set apart on April 21.
His mission was cut short when he returned to Utah because of the Utah War. He arrived home on October 27,
1858.
John was called to help settle St. George in 1861.
John married Martha "Alice" Parker in Beaver, Utah on December 27, 1864. Alice's father, Robert Parker,
performed the ceremony. They settled in St. George where Alice bore 11 children and raised 10 of them
to adulthood.
John was called on a third mission to the Sandwich Islands and was set apart on January 1, 1877.
He returned home on October 13, 1879.
John was ordained a Patriarch for the St. George Stake in 1896.
John died in St. George on December 21, 1914 and was buried in Plot B_9_17_3 of the
St. George City Cemetery.
On October 23, 1925, Alice was involved in a car accident and received a neck injury. Her son, John S.
Woodbury, Jr. was driving the car. Alice died in St. George on December 17, 1925 as a result of two broken
vertebrates. Her death certificate was signed by her grandson, Dr. Howard Woodbury. She was buried on
December 19 in Plot B_9_17_2 of the St. George City Cemetery.
FAMILY
|
John's Parents and Siblings:
Jeremiah Woodbury Elizabeth Bartlett Woodbury William Hamilton Woodbury Joseph Jeremiah Woodbury Thomas Hobart Woodbury John Stillman Woodbury Orin Nelson Woodbury Susan Elizabeth Woodbury Hannah Maria Woodbury |
(3/9/1791-10/8/1883) (married 6/30/1813) (4/24/1794-5/18/1851) (8/28/1816-11/16/1907) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (9/26/1819-4/21/1885) (married Mary Ann Lindsey) (7/4/1822-6/6/1899) (married Harriet Miller and Catherine Rebecca Haskell) (11/20/1825-12/21/1914) (married Martha Alice Parker) (8/10/1828-8/25/1890) (married Ann Cannon and Frances Goddard) (4/11/1831-2/16/1845) (1/14/1834-6/23/1857) (married Thales Hasting Haskell) |
|
Martha's Parents and Siblings: Robert Parker Ann Ruth Hartley Parker Maximillian Parker Martha Alice Parker Margaret Ann Parker Arthur Hartley Parker Emily Parker Ada Parker Robert Parker Ellen Parker Ruth Caroline Parker |
(3/19/1820-2/24/1901) (married 5/24/1843) (3/22/1819-1/25/1899or1901) (6/8/1844-7/28/1938) (married Ann Campbell Gillies) (5/22/1846-12/17/1925) (married John Stillman Woodbury) (3/8/1848-7/28/1848) (4/18/1850-7/16/1869) (6/16/1852-6/16/1852) (5/29/1855-5/7/1930) (married Brigham Young McMullin) (1/12/1858-2/xx/1859) (2/5/1860-10/22/1939) (married Charles Westover, Jr.) (4/5/1862-9/2/1945) (married David McMullin) |
|
John & Martha's Family: John Stillman Woodbury Martha Alice Parker Woodbury John Stillman Woodbury, Jr. Martha Alice Woodbury Franklin Jeremiah Woodbury Arthur Hartley Woodbury Robert Parker Woodbury Ada Elizabeth Woodbury Max William Woodbury Nellie Woodbury Charles Thomas Woodbury Ruth Ann Woodbury Susan "Camilla" Woodbury |
(11/20/1825-12/21/1914) (married 12/27/1864) (5/22/1846-12/17/1925) (11/16/1865-12/17/1949) (married May Higbee) (8/16/1867-8/16/1867) (10/9/1868-7/2/1923) (married Melissa V. Watson) (1/5/1871-12/14/1960) (married Harriet Pickett) (1/7/1873-5/29/1973) (married Caroline P. Thompson) (4/21/1875-8/15/1957) (married George Robertson Scott) (6/13/1877-12/29/1973) (married Katz Forsha) (1/16/1881-8/9/1947) (married Lorenzo Brighurst) (10/7/1883-10/20/1976) (married Elizabeth Cusworth) (2/8/1886-11/13/1957) (married Ruger Amundsen) (12/28/1887-2/15/1984) (married Susan "Camilla" Woodbury) |
PHOTOS
 John Woodbury |
 John Woodbury |
 Alice Woodbury |
 John & Alice Woodbury Family |
 Alice Woodbury and children about 1868 |
REFERENCES
John Stillman Woodbury history on the Stay Family History websiteFamilySearch entry for John Stillman Woodbury
Newspaper obituary for John S. Woodbury
Washington County News, December 24, 1914, Pages 1 and 4
Find-A-Grave entry for John Stillman Woodbury
FamilySearch entry for Dr Elvira Stevens
Find-A-Grave entry for Dr Elvira Stevens Barney
FamilySearch entry for Martha Alice Parker
Article about the accident that preciptated Alice's death
Iron County Record, October 23, 1925, Page 1
Death certificate for Martha Alice Parker Woodbury
Find-A-Grave entry for Martha Alice Parker Woodbury
Newspaper obituary for John S. Woodbury, Jr.
Iron County Record, December 22, 1949, Pages 1 and 11