Daughter of Cephas Phillip Atkinson and Rebecca Dial.
Wife of CELEBRATES 85TH BIRTHDAY (Photo underneath)

A lovely birthday celebration took place lat Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Albert on West Suttenfiled Street, when the latter's mother, Mrs. Deborah Woodard, celebrated her eighty-fifth birthday anniversary. The affair was for the members of the immediate familites and among those present were: Mr. and Mrs. George Carroll and sons Harold and Lincoln, of this city, and Mrs. C. A. Leatherman, of Muncie.

Mrs. Woodard is a pioneer woman of this part of the country. Born in Clinton County, Ohio, the daughter of Cephus Atkinson and his wife she moved early from that place to Grant County, Indiana, where her father had a thousand acre farm. Of this trip, and interesting article has been written by her grand daughter Jeanette Albert, at present a student at the Kellog School of Physical Education at Battle Creeik, Mi., as follows:

"In the year 1840, my grandmother's father entered 1,000 acres in Grant County, In., nine miles east of Marion. At that time he lived in the southeastern part of Ohio, about 180 miles from Fort Wayne, In. Fort Wayne was a government land office, and it was to this place that he had to go for his deeds.

"He made the trip on horseback, and carried his money in saddle bags amounting to a thousand dollars in gold and silver. On the way he was overtaken by night and had to lay in the woods all night. He tied his horse to a sapling and gathered shell bark and dry sticks; and after tearing his dinner cloth and handkerchief, he lighted his fire. He made it so that the smoke would go in the direction of his horse to keep the mosquitos away and also the wolves which were quite by. After the fire was burning, he cut brush for his horse to eat, then put the saddle bags with the money in it and with the saddle over it made this a pillow on which he slept. He awoke later and the wolves being near and howling, he rebuilt the fire and then slept. until morning when he saddled his horse and with the aid of a compass, the only means of showing the way, he went to Fort Wayne where he and his horse swam the river. Upon arriving in Fort Wayne he paid for his lands and the deeds, which were written on sheepskin with a large red seal in the corner, and then made ready for his return trip to Ohio where his family were awaiting him."

The trip from Ohio to Indiana was made in two covered wagons, each being drawn by four horses. With his wife and six children he settled in Indiana, where he lived until his death. Here Mrs. Woodard lived until 1897. Not long after moving to Ohio she married James Henderson Woodard and to this union were born nine children, six of whom are now living. They are Mrs. W. H. Albert and Mrs. George Carroll, of this city; Mrs. John Sheron of Marion; Mrs. Ida Dusseau and Mrs. Alma Davies, of Chicago, and Mrs. George Watson, of Traverse City, Mi.

Mrs. Woodard has been spending the past several months in this city, but now has gone to Marion, to spend the winter with her daughter, Mrs. John Sheron.

COUNTY PIONEER WOMAN IS DEAD

Mrs. Deborah A. Woodard, 85 years old, died suddenly at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Sherron, at 5 o'clock this morning. Death was caused by a cerebral hemmorhage.

The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the residence. Burial will be made in the Atkinson Cemetery, about eight miles east of this city.

Surviving her are six daughters, Mrs. John Sherron of this city, Mrs. W. H.Alberts and Mrs. George Carl (Carroll) of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Ida Dusseau, Mrs. George Carl (should have been Mrs. George Watson), and Mrs. Alma Davies of Chicago.

Mrs. Woodard is a pioneer resident of Grant County and is well known. She was born in Clinton, Ohio, in 1834 and in 1840 moved to Indiana with her father who had purchased 1,000 acres nine miles east of Marion. This long journey was made in two covered wagons which were each drawn by four horses.

She spent most of the past winter at the home of a daughter in Ft. Wayne and returned to Marion but a short time ago.