A collection that chronicles a family’s involvement in the War of 1812, the construction of the second Welland Canal, the Upper Canada Rebellions and more was donated yesterday to Brock University’s Special Collections and Archives in St. Catharines, Ontario. The Woodruff Family Collection consists of 14 boxes of records that chronicle the family from 1783 to 1984.
It was also announced that The Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University will fund the digitization of the collection, allowing it to be viewed online.
Writings in the collection include some by William Woodruff, who fought in the War of 1812 with his father Ezekiel and brother Richard.
The Brock News reported, “This collection touches on every major aspect of life in Upper Canada/Ontario particularly during the nineteenth century and often in fine detail.
“It contains a land document signed by Isaac Brock, letters from William Hamilton Merritt, engineering plans for the second Welland Canal, and the records of one of the earliest environmental conservation efforts in Ontario.”
According to the St. Catharines Standard, “The 〈Woodruff〉 family first came to Niagara after the American Revolution and became a prominent political, social and economic force in the area and Upper Canada.”
Much of the collection focuses on Samuel DeVeaux Woodruff who was principally a businessman. His dedication to his work is shown through his numerous undertakings. He made his mark on the Niagara Peninsula through his work on the railways, roads, marsh land revisions, canals and the paper industry.
The people who married into the Woodruff Family also possessed key social, political and business ties. Anne and Margaret Clement were from a staunch Loyalist background. Samuel Zimmerman was instrumental to the founding of Niagara Falls and Judge Samuel DeVeaux left behind a legacy for poor and homeless boys in Niagara Falls, New York.
The historic documents, appraised at $325,000, were donated to Brock University from the family of Robert DeVeaux Woodruff Band.
Chris Taylor, Band’s nephew and executor of his estate, said, “We’re delighted to know in our hearts that this is what Bob would have wanted.”
More about the collection and the Woodruff family is available in Brock University’s 182-page Woodruff Family fonds that provides a detailed description of the contents and a family history.
Some of the names mentioned in the fonds are Nelles, Clement, Dickson, DeVeaux, Band, Price, Cleveland, Zimmerman, Sanderson, Claus, Canby, Wallis, Ogden, Palling, Collier, and Bradley.
Thanks to Frederick H. Hayward for bringing this story to my attention on Facebook.
