Woodford, Darius & Bethia Bass

Darius Woodford was one of three brothers (Isaac and Sylvester) who settled in Vienna in the first years of the nineteenth century.

Darius Woodford married Bethia Bass in October 1803, after he walked from Connecticut to Vienna to purchase 800 acres now known as Woodford's Corners and returned to his native state. They returned the next year, living with Isaac Woodford until their own log dwelling was constructed.

Darius Woodford's name appears on the 1804 Ohio Tax List as the owner of 350 acres of land in Vienna Township.

Military Service: Isaac Woodford served in the 3rd Regiment (Hayes'), Ohio Militia.

Published Biographies

From Historical Collections of the Mahoning Valley: Containing an Account of the Two Pioneer Reunions: Together with a Selection of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes, Etc., Relating to the Sale and Settlement of the Lands Belonging to the Connecticut Land Company, and History and Reminiscences, Both General and Local (Youngstown: Mahoning Valley Historical Society, 1876), Volume 1, p. 464:

Darius Woodford, Dennis C. Palmer, Isaac Flowers [Flower], Samuel Clinton, and Isaac Woodford moved into the township about the year 1799.* Darius Woodford settled on the farm on which his widow now resides, she being about ninety-six years of age, and the oldest person in the township at the present time (1875).

*NOTE.—A little too early.

From History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches (Cleveland, Ohio: H. Z. Williams & Bros., 1882), Volume 2, p. 449:

Darius Woodford, who located on lot ten, a younger brother of Isaac Woodford, came to the township about the year 1804, and lived until he attained the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. He was among those who came in those very early days from Connecticut to Vienna, and by whose industry and energy the forests were converted into fruitful fields and comfortable homes, and a foundation laid for the present prosperity we find in all parts of the township. Mr. Woodford was one of the earliest temperance advocates in the township, and certainly this fact is worthy of record, for he lived when the times demanded for every half day of log-rolling or barn-raising a good quantity of whiskey.

From Harriet Taylor Upton, A Twentieth Century History of Trumbull County, Ohio: A Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People, and Its Principal Interests (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Volume 1, pp. 593-94:

Darius Woodford, who came in 1804, possibly 1803, married Bertha [Bethia] Bass, and together they made the trip from their Connecticut home. They stayed in the log cabin of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Woodford until their own house was erected. Their frame house, which replaced the log one, was built in 1812. One night during the early years of their marriage, when Mr. Woodford had gone to Warren for salt and other provisions, and was overtaken by a panther, he stopped at Mr. Lewis’ for the night. His wife, standing outside of her cabin waiting for him to come, saw that the roof was afire. She got a ladder, began carrying water, doing all she possible [sic] could to quench the flames, which were getting sadly ahead of her. Then happened the thing which usually happens only in books. In that wild country where houses were far apart, where people seldom went out at night, some men who happened to have business in that direction, appeared upon the scene at the right moment, and helped her to save her home. Her oldest daughter was one of the early school teachers of Hartford. She was a splendid student. She attended school in Warren, and afterwards the school at Hartford, Connecticut, which Catherine Beecher and her famous sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe, taught. This daughter, Eliza, married J. J. Humison [Humason], and thus were united two of the early families. Eliza lived to be eighty years old, dying in 1890. The second daughter married Nathaniel Hayes, the first practicing physician in Vienna. Sophrona [Sophronia] married Adam McClurg. The youngest [Mary] married Mr. [Samuel] Strain, and lived upon the old homestead.

Isaac Woodford Jr. married Phoebe Merritt. She had a rather unusual education for the girls of her time and was the first person to sign a temperance pledge in the township. Her husband’s uncle, Darius, was one of the earliest temperance advocates among men.