The ranks of Onondaga county's civil war veterans were lowered to 17 yesterday by the death
of Perry F. Woodworth at his home, 13 West Elizabeth street, Skaneateles. He would have been
92 years old May 17.
A native of Spafford, Mr. Woodworth enlisted in Company F,
122d New York volunteers, at the age of 18. He was a stretcher bearer, musician and medical
officer's assistant until the end of the war. He wed Miss Martha Maria Norton on February 14,
1866.
The couple lived at Ten Mile Point, Skaneateles lake, for 48 years.
they moved to West Elizabeth street in 1914. they celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in
1934. Mrs. Woodworth died eight months later.
When in the army Mr. Woodworth wrote to his family and friends,
telling them to save all his letters. The letters were saved and now reveal some interesting
incidents of the war.
In the first letter after reaching the South, dated September 2, 1862,
he wrote: "The soldiers come into Washington so fast that cattle cars are used for troops. In
Baltimore a train load of 1,000 wounded soldiers made us feel rather down in the mouth."
Later that same month the young Spafford stretcher bearer wrote:
"If all the men in the United States could see what I have seen, the war would not last until
night."
Telling of a battle at Fort Stephenson on July 16, 1863, he wrote
that President Lincoln and Mrs. Lincoln witnessed the fight, Mrs Lincoln at a distance in her
carriage. "Lincoln left the carriage and climbed up on the fort. As he stood watching the fight, a
surgeon standing near him was wounded. The president was persuaded to climb down and watch
from a less conspicuous vantage ground."
Mr. Woodworth was one of the last two living members of
Benjamin H. Porter post of the G.A.R. at Skaneateles. The lone survivor now is John Thompson,
89, also of Skaneateles.
Mr. Woodworth [was] also a member of Skaneateles Yacht club,
which was not a nautical association, but a social club of elderly men.
Mr. Woodworth was active in the social and political life of
Skaneateles and vicinity for many years. He was assessor of the town of Spafford for two terms,
tax collector for one, and supervisor of the town of Spafford for three terms, 1884-86.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs J. J. Grout of Skaneateles; a son,
Olin of Greenloch, N.J.; a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Case of Skaneateles; four grandchildren and
several nieces and nephews. The funeral will be at the home at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon and
in Burrouws [sic] chapel of Lakeview cemetery at 2:30 o'clock. Rev. Harold E. Steer, pastor of
Skaneateles Methodist Episcopal church, will officiate.
From clipping file at Skaneateles Historical Society.
Newspaper not recorded, but it was probably the Syracuse Post-Standard.
Date of paper (not recorded either) must have been Tuesday, April 28, 1936.
Perry Woodworth died Monday, April 27, 1936, and is buried in Section 10, Lot 142 of
Lakeview Cemetery.
File created March 3, 1999 by
Kenneth Jennings Wooster.
File modified October 23, 2002.