The Ford Family

Born	August 25, 1763 Lebanon, Connecticut
Died	January 8, 1834 West Williamsfield, Ohio
Father	Ebenezer Woodworth, Jr.

Spouse	Anna Woodworth
Married	1789 New London, CT
Children	Albigence Woodworth

Bio
Ezra was born on August the 25th, 1763 in New London, CT. He was the 8th and final child born to Ebenezer Woodworth Jr and his wife Hopestill. Ezra grew up as the Revolutionary War began all around him. The British had burned many of the towns around New London and there had been many battles in surrounding Colonies. One can think of the movie "The Patriot" and imagine an angry young man, not quite 17 years old, running off to enlist. He served in Fitches Company, 4th Connecticut Regiment, in Windsor County, Connecticut. He was discharged on December 17, 1780. He returned home and marries his wife Anna. They start their family and have many children -- Albigence, from whom the Fords are directly descended, was the first born child. Then came Diodate, Hopestill, Horacio, Lucinda, Luther, Cyril, and Ezra.

Connecticut, like several other states, gave up western land claims to the federal government in exchange for federal assumption of its American Revolutionary War debt. The deed of cession was issued on September 13, 1786. However, Connecticut retained 3 million acres in Ohio, which became the "Western Reserve". Connecticut sold title to the land in the Western Reserve to the Connecticut Land Company.

The Land Company was a group of investors who were mostly from Suffield, Connecticut. They planned to divide the land and sell it to settlers from the east, particularly land-hungry younger men from New England. In 1790, the Land Company sent surveyors led by Moses Cleaveland to the Reserve to divide the land into townships. The territory was originally named "New Connecticut", which was later discarded in favor of "Western Reserve." Over the next few years settlers trickled in. Youngstown was founded in 1796, Warren in 1798, Hudson in 1799, Ravenna in 1799, and Ashtabula in 1803.

Yes, you guessed it, the Woodworth family went west. By 1808 Ezra, Anna, and his family have gone to the land of the Western Reserve as well. They settle land into a farm in an area of Ashtabula called Williamsfield. Coming with Ezra (or who knows, perhaps bringing Ezra with THEM are, Luther, Hopestill, Horatio, Cyril, Diodate, and Albigance. Ezra was surely a farmer but was also the area's very first teacher!

On August 12, 1832 Ezra is granted a pension from the US government for his service to the country. He is now 69 years old. A year and half later (Jan 9, 1834) he is buried. Ezra is a key figure in the Ford family for serving the country in its war for independence, and for being an adventurer and traveling west for parts unknown!