Whatever happened to Peter Woodward of Bradford, Maine

 

In genealogy, when compiling information of your ancestor’s siblings or children, you may have missing information from vital records or family knowledge.  One of these relatives was my Peter F. Woodward or Woodard, brother to my ancestor Benjamin Woodward.  I could trace him through census records until 1870 and then he seemed to disappear.  I knew he had married Frances Myra Curtis on January 18, 1862, in Orneville, Maine.  They had three sons, and a daughter, who with their mother were buried in Riverside Cemetery in Newport, Maine.  Peter was missing from the gravestone and there was no evidence he had ever lived in Newport. 

Gravestone, Riverside Cemetery, newport, Maine

What had become of Peter Woodward?   Peter was born about 1827, based on his age on census records (age 23 in 1850; age 33 in 1860; and age 43 in 1870).   According to the first two census records, Peter was living at home with his parents, and he seemed to have waited late in his life for that time to marry at age 35 and his wife, age 19 years.  In 1870, he was living Bradford, Maine with his wife and two eldest sons.

1870 census of Bradford,Maine

Peter and his wife and children have not been found on the 1880 census under any spelling of Woodward or Woodard.  In 1896, when Peter’s daughter Ella Woodard married George Reed, she listed her parents as Peter and “Sophrona” Woodard, both living Bradford, Maine, proving neither of her parents were deceased at the time.

Reviewing the death Records under the surname of Woodard, revealed a death certificate for a Peter Woodard who died February 29, 1903, in Bradford, Maine, aged 79 years (making his birth year about 1824).  It listed his father as Benjamin Woodard.  As no informant was listed, it may have been a guess or that someone knew he had both a son named Benjamin or even a brother, Benjamin and confused that name as his father.  

As there were no other Peter Woodards known to be living Bradford, Maine, this would likely be him, but why wasn’t he buried with his family in Newport, or they buried with him?

The newspaper provided little information on his life other than what had occurred before his death.  His death certificate listed the cause as Cerebral Apoplexy or a stroke.

Bangor Daily News, Dec 2, 1903

Town Reports were a big help in piecing together the years before his death.  Starting in 1890, Peter Woodard began to appear on the Town Reports of Bradford needing town assistance for 22 weeks of that year.  The following in 1891, he only needed help for 4 weeks.  No reason for why he needed help from the town either lack of finding work or being unable to work.

In 1895, Peter reappeared in the Town Reports of being in the Almshouse for 49 weeks of that period.  There was also a line in the report for a bill that was paid by the town for the cost of getting P Woodard from Belfast of $22.50.   Why was Peter in Belfast, Maine.   A newspaper search revealed much about Peter and his condition.

From The Commercial, April 9, 1895

Then Commercial, April 22, 1895

Why Peter had run away to Belfast or where he may have been intending to go, is not known.  How insane was Peter?  If Peter was a danger to himself and especially others as he was in Belfast, he could easily have been placed in the State Mental Hospital in Augusta, Maine, by the authorities or the town selectman.   But Peter remained in Bradford despite being placed in Almshouse of Bradford every year afterwards.  The Reports were published after the annual Town Meeting held in March for the previous year’s accounting period from March to February. 

1897 & 1898, Peter Woodward in Almshouse for 52 weeks

1899 Peter Woodard in the Almshouse for 52 weeks

1900 Peter Woodard was only in the Almshouse for 31 weeks

1901 Peter Woodard does not appear in the Town Report which covered the year 1900 nor does Peter Woodard appear on the 1900 census in Bradford or elsewhere.  He again returns the Reports for the year ending in March 1902, being in Almshouse for 37 weeks.

1903 Peter Woodard was in the Almshouse for 52 weeks He died in November 1903, so his final appearance in Town Reports was the 1904 report.  The town paid Dr. A.K.P. Smith for his professional services for P. Woodard of $1.25 and paid L. R. Lassell $5.00 for burial.  Again, Peter had been in the Almshouse for 52 weeks.

Being a pauper and having no family to claim him, he was buried without a gravestone in a local cemetery.  His wife never divorced him, but they do not appear to have remained together in Bradford.  She probably deserted him due to his sanity and possibly her own safety.  In 1900, Frances and her sons were already residing in Newport, Maine.

1900 Census of Newport, Maine

None of his surviving siblings took him off the town’s hands either because of being unable to support him financially or provide with the care he needed with mental conditions. 

It was a sad ending to his life, but now we know what became of Peter Woodard.