NAAMAN WOODIN , was born near Hartford, Connecticut, of Elias and Fannie Woodin, August 17, 1839; died at his home of paralysis, Friday morning, December 9, 1910, aged 71 years, 3 months and 22 days. On Sunday, December 4th, with his wife and others, he was entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Miller of Sunnyside. He was looking and feeling unusually well. That evening about six o'clock while sitting in his chair reading the Tri-County Press, a local paper from his former home in Illinois, in the presence of his wife and daughter, the mysterious palsy began its sad work. Only a few words were spoken and Mr. Woodin was unconscious. The sons and doctors and others were summoned, and every effort to ward off a fatal result was made. On Monday and Tuesday mornings, there was evidence for a short time of consciousness, but all hope and effort failed. Naaman Woodin was the fifth child in a family of twelve. Of his brothers and sisters eight survive him: Chauncy at Red Oak, Iowa; Hiram, Polo, Illinois; Mrs. Hannah Dimon, Pasadena, California; Mrs. Sallie Reynolds, Grundy Center, Iowa; Mrs. Chloe Kinner, Sunnyside, Washington; Mrs. Mary Dimon, Lanark, Illinois; Stephen T., and Mrs. Julia Landon, Sunnyside, Washington. Those residing here and Mrs. Reynolds were present at the funeral. Three uncles and one aunt are yet living: Allen, Naaman and Isaac Spencer and Mrs. Clarinda Case. Elias and Fannie Woodin moved with their family from Connecticut to the vicinity of Elkhorn Grove, Illinois, in 1847, when Naaman was 8 years old. The country was new, with no public improvements or - necessary conveniences such as roads, bridges, flour and saw mills, markets for exchanging surplus produce for other necessities. At this period prairies were not supposed to be habitable. Settlements were made along the creeks and rivers in the timber. Northern Illinois has a severe winter climate, and those who carved out the first homes developed great energy and perseverance. The conditions were just right for developing the strongest as well as the best type of men. The conditions then required all of a man's time and strength for the real things of life, and left little for the false and artificial. Naaman Woodin, strongest and best of men, got his education in that most famous of all schools -- the "school of hard knocks." Later he attended the Mount Carroll seminary for one year. March 11, 1880, Naaman Woodin and Miss Lottie Louisa Watters of Lanark, Illinois were joined in marriage. To them were born Ella Lucena, Dennis Earl and Jason Emmett. The daughter still lives with her parents. The sons are married and living in residences of their own close to the parental roof. August 17th, this year on Naaman Woodin's 71st anniversary his first grandchild, Helen, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jason Woodin. The writer made his first acquaintance with the deceased in the Exchange Bank of Lanark, Illinois, in 1881. He well remembers the opinion of the officers and owners of the Bank that Naaman Woodin was one of the best and most reliable of its patrons. About the year 1890 he was invited and accepted a partnership with the writer in the operation of a creamery in the village near his home. From this time on whenever I had the opportunity I shared the comfort of his hospitable home. No better news was ever broken to my ears in the settlement and development of the Sunnyside country than that Naaman Woodin had sold out his large and splendid farm in Illinois and would probably locate at Sunnyside. When he came and purchased the land then is sagebrush, where he built and has since lived; we were organizing the Sunnyside Bank. He was asked to take some of the stock and to act as vice president, which he consented to do. This stock and office he held continuously until death. The sagebrush land he cleared and graded and seeded or planted to orchard. The splendid house in which he has lived was built during his first year's residence. The family camped on the premises during the period. The annoyance of the sandstorms of those times was extremely trying to all of the family. But Naaman Woodin, who had splendid training in pioneer life, never faltered, murmured or complained. Quietly, but perseveringly he applied all his resources to the developing of his farm and home. When the Sunnyside railroad scheme was taken up, Mr. Woodin was taken into every conference, and rendered assistance that was most valuable. Finally when the Northern Pacific was ready to build the Sunnyside branch and operate it if the right of way, which had not yet all been secured was provided Mr. Woodin and three others joined in a bond guaranteeing the right of way so that construction could be started at once. Otherwise the branch would have been delayed one to two years, the same as the extension of the main line has been. Although Mr. Woodin was a capable man of affairs and leaves a splendid record of achievement, he was a home man. Here he found his real joy and inspiration. Although he had reached the ripeness of three score and ten-.years he had kept up with the march of life, and was always an interested participant in the discussion of current topics. Morally, he was exceptionally clean. In all of my extensive acquaintance I never heard him use a single word that could be offensive to the tenderest conscience or the purest mind. He believed churches stood for the best in life, but did not and could not subscribe to some orthodox conditions of membership. He believed and so id:"' it is more important to be and do right, than to profess right." He said: "do right because it is right." The family has lost a wise and most companionable father; the community a generous, aggressive and most useful citizen. - S. J. Harrison Note--A rather sad coincidence with the above was the death of Mrs. Naaman Woodin's only sister, Mrs. Ella Moffet, at Wyndmere, N. D. just one month previously.
Contributed by Steve Schack - Sunnyside Washington Sun - 15 Dec 1910