Dr. John     (The Immigrant) Woodson

• General Notes
  • In 1619, John Woodson & his wife Sarah came to Virginia, in the "George" & settled at FLOWERDEW HUNDRED.... (p 708 of Adventurers of Purse and Person). John Woodson (John1) was b. about 1632.
    
    "The first Woodson of America was Dr. John Woodson a physician to the Governor and came to VA in the very early 1600's. One day while out on a housecall Indians attacked his home with his wife and two boys. Also in the house was a shoemaker named Ligon making shoes for the family (they too made housecalls). She hid the boys, one in the potato hole and one in a tub turned upside down, then she proceeded to kill Indians by boiling them as they climbed down the chimney into the boiling pot. She killed numerous Indians this way. Meanwhile Ligon using a very long rifle killed numerous other Indians, several with each bullet, through the openings in the walls by shooting. Too many dead Indians to count but the Rifle is preserved in the VA Archives along with the story and forever after the Woodsons were divided into Potato Hole and Tub Woodsons. Unfortunately, Dr. John Woodson riding home heard the commotion and rushing to give them aid which they certainly did not need, was killed by the few Indians who got away from his wife and Ligon. Or so the story goes."
    
    "Dr. John Woodson b. 1586 Devonshire, England d. Apr. 19, 1644 Jamestown, James Co. VA. married in England - Sarah Winston b. 1590 d. Jan. 17, 1660 Henrico Co. VA. Dr. John Woodson came to America with the British Army as a surgeon, settling in Jamestown, James Co. VA in 1619. He and Sarah sailed on the ship "George" carrying 100 passengers on Jan. 19, 1619 and landed in Jamestown in Apr. 1619. The couple settled in the Fleur de Hundred settlement on the south side of the James River some thirty miles from Jamestown, in what is now Prince George Co. VA. Amongst the passengers was the Royal Governor of the VA colony, Sir George Yeardley b. 1577 Bionshaw, London, England d. Dec. 1629 VA. Dr. John Woodson was killed by Indians on his way back from visiting a patient and then they attacked his home where wife, children and his shoe maker were about the days work. Sarah (Winston) Woodson placed their two sons in a potato bend in the basement and proceeding to help the shoe maker, Ligon, with trying to stave off the Indian attack. Ligon killed seven Indians with a muzzle loading gun eight feet long, now one of the [prized possessions of the Virginia Historical Society. Sarah (Winston) Woodson killed two Indians who were coming down the chimney who met death by boiling water and a meat roasting spit. The two son's would forever carry the nickname "Potato Head," for hiding in the potato bend. The Woodson link would touch many American families to follow, namely, President James Madison through wife, Dolley Madison; President Zackary Taylor, Gen. Robert E. Lee, CSA; Col. John S. Mosby, CSA and America's most famous outlaw, Jesse Woodson James."
    
    Children:
    i John Woodson Jr. was born in 1632. He died in Sep 1684.
    ii Col. Robert Woodson was born in 1634. He died in 1716.
    iii Deborah Woodson was born about 1636.

Click here for details of The Immigrant's family with Sarah Winston

---

This page is within a frameset. View the entire genealogy report of Woodson families, or surname index of Woodson pedigrees or report summary of Woodson heritage from "Pearson Family Genealogy".
Medical Genograms.

---

© 2006 GenoPro Inc. All Rights Reserved.