The Woodfin Family

Edward, John and Thomas Woodfin were born in Cheshire County, England, from tradition says. They are supposed to have sailed for America in the early spring of 1718 for the new world. They landed on the shore of the old Dominion in the fall of that year after a most trying voyage of many months of hardships and privations. They were almost exhausted when they landed and practically depleted of food supplies.

From the port of entry they gradually made their way up the James River section to find new homes, which they did in what was then called Cumberland County, Va., but later as Powhatan County, Va.

After settling down to farm work there soon were sent them young women from the old country whom they married. They were not the very earliest settlers of Virginia but were among those in that western part in a measure.

The family before leaving were well to do landed gentry of England and still today are members of the Tree residing in that section.

The eldest member of descendants of the three brothers born in Virginia was Rev. Samuel Woodfin, who was born in 1722 in Cumberland County, that part later known as Powhatan County. There he reared a large family whose descendants are scattered to all parts of the South.

Rev. Woodfin was preaching at Muddy Creek Baptist Church in 1784, where he enjoyed a large assembly. This church is located in Powhatan County, twelve miles from the county seat, and is in a prosperous existence today.

Rev. Woodfin died January 18, 1882. He was, according to authorities, the father of Nicholas, Thomas III, Samuel II, James and Elisha. He was reported in the records as having nine children. He was no doubt the son of one of the original emigrants and the nestor of a very large line of descendants in Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.

Being a man of great force and prominence, his long life of over a century was a most remarkable record.

Buried at Woodfin Cemetery, Fosterville, Tenn.:

• Nicholas Woodfin — born August 2, 1759, died December 21st, 1832
• Hannah Woodfin (wife of Nicholas) — born 1766, died August 8, 1845
• Mary Woodfin (daughter) — born May 3rd, 1790, died October 26th, 1867
• Samuel Woodfin — born 1791, died April 29th, 1863
• Jane Woodfin — born April 22nd, 1803, died March 31, 1826
• Maria Barnhill Woodfin (wife of Samuel) — born December 9, 1796, died March 8, 1863

Gideon Flournoy, a native of Powhatan County, Va., was the father of Mary E. Woodfin and Martha A. Woodfin, who married Arthur and Thomas Woodfin IV, brothers, there in 1818.

His father, Samuel Flournoy, was one of the original Huguenot emigrants to America at an early period. William B. Flournoy, late of Dorset, Va., was a grandson of Gideon. Also the late Thomas J. Woodfin of Okolona, Miss., and Emmet S. Woodfin, of New Orleans, La., were his great grandsons.