Contributed by William T. Woolfolk, Denton, TX , grandson of Dr. Ernest Woolfolk

The following is from a handwritten account by Dr. Ernest Woolfolk about 
his father, Dr. William Thomas Woolfolk, and what he knew of when the 
Woolfolks came to America.

The first Woolfolks to come to America settled in Gloucester County, 
Virginia sometime between the year 1607 and the year 1700. This I learned 
from a Mrs. Pollard, who was descended on her mother's side from the 
Woolfolks. She was employed in the Virginia Historical Society office
and had established these facts from an examination of the record

According to Mrs. Pollard and my mother, Mrs. Sallie Minor Woolfolk,
the Woolfolks came to America from Wales. The first Woolfolk of whom 
I have any knowledge was Joseph Woolfolk. He or his father moved from
Gloucester County to Caroline County. When I was a boy, my mother had
a copy of his will, and my recollection is that she gave it to my
father's brother John who lived in Mississippi. This will has been
much sought for. The original recording of it was burned when the 
Clerk's Office of Caroline County was destroyed by fire.

Joseph Woolfolk received a grant of land from the King of England
for a large tract of land on the "north bank of the North Anna River"
in Orange County, then included in Spotsylvania County. Joseph Woolfolk
had a number of children, but we will only write of one, Thomas Woolfolk,
known as Capt. Tom, who inherited the land on the north bank of the
North Anna River, and from whom all of the Woolfolks in Orange and
Louisa Counties are descended. Capt. Tom was married three times, 
first to a Mrs. Ware, second to the Widow Ellis, and third to one 
Sallie Oaks. He had four sons and one daughter by the first marriage, 
namely Thomas, William, Robert, and John. I do not know who William
and Robert married. Their descendents live in Louisa, Madison, and
Spotsylvania Counties. John was an eminent lawyer. He represented
Orange County in the House of Delegates, Orange and Greene Counties 
in the State Senate, and was a member of the Virginia Constitutional 
Convention of 1850. He married first a Miss Anderson, and second Mary
Stanard of Greene County. He had no children. Thomas Woolfolk
(my grandfather) married Frances Thompson of Louisa County. There 
children were William Thomas (my father), John, Joseph, Alfred James,
and Mary. Capt. Tom's daughter Mary married a Herndon and lived in
Shreveport, Louisiana. William Thomas (my father) known as Dr. Tom,
married Sallie Minor Goodwin. His brother John married Nannie Bowie 
of Caroline County, and moved to Tate County, Mississippi. Alfred went
west and was never heard from. James married Lalla Moore. They had one
daughter Mary who married first Dr. C. B. Mason, and second 
Dr. W L Crittendon. She had one son, Dr. James Tate Mason. My father's 
sister Mary lived in Alabama and married a man named Peebles and had
a daughter Adelaide.

The Goodwin side (Dr. Ernest's mother)
Harwood Goodwin married Sallie Minor. They had two children:
Dr. John Minor Goodwin and Elizabeth Goodwin. Dr. John Minor Goodwin,
born in 1799, married Eliza Stevens. Their children were: John Woolfolk,
married Caroline Decker. No children. Margaret Mills married Dr. David
Pannill. No children. Sallie Minor married Dr. William Thomas Woolfolk.
Their children:
Dr. Ernest Woolfolk, married Ella Daniel
Charles Woolfolk married Ida Cave
Sallie Minor Woolfolk, married Joseph Estes
Eugene Woolfolk, married Maude Coleman
Lilly Woolfolk, died in childhood
Lucy Perin Woolfolk married P.M Gibbs
Helen Littleton Woolfolk, died at age of 16
Belle Clarence Woolfolk, married Garret T. Foster
Bertelle Woolfolk, married Nannie Terrill

home

Addendum:

Additions and corrections to above history contributed by Anne Baker 2/19/2001

Not dated but Dr. Ernest Woolfolk died about 1908 in Orange Co

The first Woolfolks to come to America settled in Gloucester County, Virginia sometime between the year 1607 and the year 1700. This I learned from a Mrs. Pollard, who was descended on her mother's side from the Woolfolks. She was employed in the Virginia Historical Society office and had established these facts from an examination of the record

According to Mrs. Pollard and my mother, Mrs. Sallie Minor Woolfolk, the Woolfolks came to America from Wales.

The first Woolfolk of whom I have any knowledge was Joseph Woolfolk. He or his father moved from Gloucester County to Caroline County. When I was a boy, my mother had a copy of his will, and my recollection is that she gave it to my father's brother John who lived in Mississippi. This will has been much sought for.

The original recording of it was burned when the Clerk's Office of Caroline County was destroyed by fire.

 Joseph Woolfolk received a grant of land from the King of England for a large tract of land on the "north bank of the North Anna River" in Orange County, then included in Spotsylvania County. Joseph Woolfolk had a number of children, but we will only write of one, Thomas Woolfolk, known as Capt. Tom, who inherited the land on the north bank of the North Anna River, and from whom all of the Woolfolks in Orange and Louisa Counties are descended.

 NOTE: These is a missing generation here - Joseph Woolfolk of Caroline had Thomas who was the father of Capt. Thomas Woolfolk (also known as Judge & Capt. Thomas Woolfolk) - there is a wonderful deed in Orange Co where Thomas deeds by gift to his son Thomas (Capt. or Judge Thomas) 500 acres which had been given to him by his father Joseph -   Joseph also deeded 500 acres to his other son - Joseph Jr (m Christian Bibb) -  & I have those deeds.

 Capt. Tom was married three times, first to a Mrs. Ware, second to the Widow Ellis, and third to one Sallie Oaks. He had four sons and one daughter by the first marriage, namely Thomas, William, Robert, and John. 

NOTE: The Mrs Ware isn't right - can't document the surname of the last wife Sallie - but she is mentioned in the Will of Thomas & in 1850 was living in the household of John Woolfolk (son of Thomas)

  I do not know who William and Robert married. Their descendents live in Louisa, Madison, and Spotsylvania Counties.

John was an eminent lawyer. He represented Orange County in the House of Delegates, Orange and Greene Counties in the State Senate, and was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850. He married first a Miss Anderson, and second Mary Stanard of Greene County. He had no children.

NOTE: Miss Anderson was Mary Anderson - his 1st cousin, dtr of Susan Cole & Jasper Anderson.  Susan Cole being his mother's sister.

 Thomas Woolfolk (my grandfather) married Frances Thompson of Louisa County. Their children were William Thomas (my father), John, Joseph, Alfred, James, and Mary.

Capt. Tom's daughter Mary married a Herndon and lived in Shreveport, Louisiana.

 NOTE: Capt Thomas 's daughter was Susan Cole Woolfolk who had daughter Mary m Herndon & lived in Shreveport.   

William Thomas (my father) known as Dr. Tom, married Sallie Minor Goodwin.

His brother John married Nannie Bowie of Caroline County, and moved to Tate County, Mississippi.

 Alfred went west and was never heard from.

 James married Lalla Moore. They had one daughter Mary who married first Dr. C. B. Mason, and second Dr. W L Crittendon. She had one son, Dr. James Tate Mason.

My father's sister Mary lived in Alabama and married a man named Peebles and had a daughter Adelaide.

 NOTE: Peebles was John Vester Peebles b in Tenn - married in Pickens Co., Ala - they had several children but not one named Adelaide that we know of.  Mary died in 1861 at or about the birth of son Joseph Peebles who also died..   In 1860 Mary's brother, Joseph Woolfolk was living in her household in Pickens Co., Ala.

The Goodwin side 

Harwood Goodwin married Sallie Minor. They had two children: Dr. John Minor Goodwin and Elizabeth Goodwin. Dr. John Minor Goodwin, born in 1799, married Eliza Stevens. Their children were: John Woolfolk, married Caroline Decker. No children. Margaret Mills married Dr. David Pannill. No children.

Sallie Minor married Dr. William Thomas Woolfolk.  Their children:

Dr. Ernest Woolfolk, married Ella Daniel  (This is the author of this article)

Charles Woolfolk married Ida Cave

Sallie Minor Woolfolk, married Joseph Estes

Eugene Woolfolk, married Maude Coleman

Lilly Woolfolk, died in childhood

Lucy Perin Woolfolk married P.M Gibbs

Helen Littleton Woolfolk, died at age of 16

Belle Clarence Woolfolk, married Garret T. Foster

Bertelle Woolfolk, married Nannie Terrill  - Widow Sallie lived with them after the death of Thomas