Charles Leandrew Woodall
Prominent among the captains of industry of North Carolina's capital is Charles Leandrew Woodall, a native of Raleigh, where he is largely identified with the city's industrial welfare and recognized as a generous contributor to its material interests. For a number of years past he has been prominently known as a leading concrete contractor.
The subject of this sketch was born in Raleigh, August 8, 1866, and is the fifth son of A. L. and Sallie (Williams) Woodall. Paternally, he is of English descent; maternally, of Welsh lineage. His earliest American ancestors emigrated to America in colonial times and settled in Virginia. Subsequently the branches of the Woodall and Williams families from which Charles L. Woodall descended removed to North Carolina and settled in Wake. These families have been identified with this county and its interests since its organization, in 1771.
The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was a well-known and highly respected citizen of Wake. He was a tiller of the soil, and, aside from his industry in making good crops, his only ambition was to be crier of the County and Superior courts. And a crier he was, say the oldest inhabitants, for when he cried, "0 yes, 0 yes, come into court!" those for whom his voice was intended heard him and, though in remote parts of the city, hearkened to his cry.
Mr. Woodall's maternal grandfather was Mark Williams, a man of great determination, and one who, when he had made up his mind to accomplish an object, permitted nothing to swerve him from his purpose. He was a man of but limited education, though endowed with much common sense, and in local politics was something of a leader among the Democrats.
The valuable qualities of native sense, energy, industry and perseverance possessed by the grandfathers, the grandson, the subject of this sketch, has inherited in a high degree.
Mr. Woodall's education, like that of the greater portion of those who constitute the backbone and muscle of society's material welfare—the foundation of a nation's true wealth—was confined to the public school. This he attended until eleven years of age, when, recognizing the importance of learning some useful trade, he became a baker's apprentice. After serving his term he continued at his trade for several years, both in Raleigh and in Virginia. Subsequently he became the proprietor of a bakery in Raleigh, and later, in 1908, with E. H. Plummer, he was extensively interested in the livery business, on East Morgan Street, where he conducted the largest and best-equipped livery in the South. Selling out his interest at a later period to Mr. Plummer, for some time he was engaged in the automobile business. In all of these activities he met with a large measure of success.
Since 1909 Mr. Woodall's business energies have been exclusively devoted to concrete work; and since Raleigh awoke from her long slumber and has been truly wide-awake, Mr. Woodall has been in the front rank of those active spirits who are keeping the city alive to greater prosperity than it has ever before enjoyed. This he has done, and is doing, by impressing the city and its owners of residences with the superiority of concrete work over other material heretofore used in its stead. His prominence as an authority on concrete work was recognized by the county commissioners recently when they awarded him the contract for constructing a one-mile concrete county road with asphalt binder—an experiment to show the superiority of concrete in road-building over other material. This award was a merited recognition, too, of Mr. Woodall's ability in his new sphere of usefulness.
Public-spirited, broad-minded and outspoke'n concerning matters affecting the general welfare of the county and State, Mr. Woodall says with emphasis that the people should never stop agitating until an appropriation is made by the General Assembly adequate to construct all the public roads with concrete—the best and most durable of all known material for that' purpose. "And," he adds, emphatically, "the time is not far distant when this will be done."
On the question of home training of children Mr. Woodall is an enthusiast, and would impress upon parents the vital importance of educating their children to habits of industry and instilling into their impressionable minds the priceless value of high integrity and right living.
Mr. Woodall has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Fannie V., daughter of Capt. Elias Lawton, a prominent citizen of Staunton, Va. She died in 1902. In 1911 he was united in marriage to Miss Alice, daughter of James and Caroline Ford, of Wake County.
Mr. Woodall is identified with the fraternal orders of Royal Arcanum, Knights of the Maccabees, and during the existence of the Fox Hunting Club was a prominent member.
Unassuming in manner, of liberal and kind disposition, Mr. Woodall has a large circle of friends. No man is more constant in his friendships or more unselfish in his devotion to his friends, among whom he numbers many of the most prominent citizens of the capital and the County of Wake, as well as throughout the State.
(Source: Historical Raleigh With Sketches of Wake County (From 1771) and its Important Towns (Moses Amis, 1913) Submitted by Amy Robbins)

CARLE AUGUSTUS WOODRUFF;, brigadier general of the United States Army, now retired after forty-two years of active service, was born in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, August 8, 1841, but having married in Raleigh, has become a citizen of North Carolina.
His ancestors were not only among the earliest settlers in this country, but have for generations been distinguished in the military and civil affairs of the States in which they lived. His mother, Caroline Augusta Mayhew, was a descendant of Thomas Mayhew, the patentee and first governor of Martha's Vineyard, his commission bearing date 1671. On his paternal side he is a descendant of John Woodruff, who came to Massachusetts from Southampton, England, in 1638.
His father, General Israel Carle Woodruff, was an officer of Engineer Corps U. S. A., graduating at the Military Academy at West Point with distinguished honors and was regarded as one of the most accomplished officers of the army. Three of his ancestors were zealous officers in the army of the Revolution; Elias Woodruff was commissary in the New Jersey Troops; Israel Carle was captain of the Hunterdon Troop of Light Horse in 1777, and Thomas Lowrey was colonel of the Third Regiment of Hunterdon County, and was also a member of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1775, and was one of the most esteemed patriots of his day.
Aaron Dickenson Woodruff, his great-grandfather, graduated as valedictorian of his class at Princeton in 1779. In 1793 he became attorney-general of New Jersey, and with the exception of one year, he was annually re-elected to that office until his death in 1817. He was one of the influential statesmen of that State, was largely instrumental in having Trenton selected for the State Capital, and bore a distinguished part in public affairs throughout his life. With such an ancestry, an inclination toward military life naturally became a recognized family characteristic, and from childhood General Woodruff earnestly desired to follow the profession of his father.
He attended the public schools and high schools of Buffalo, and also Smith's Academy in the same city, finding time amid the varied duties of school life and the pleasures of the social circle to pursue his favorite recreations, which were yachting and gymnastics, and by these healthy exercises the robust health with which he had ever been blessed was still further strengthened.
In 1858 he entered Emerson Institute at Washington City, and the next year, being already well educated, he began the active duties of life as clerk of the Topographical Engineer Corps, with headquarters at Washington. Soon after the outbreak of the Civil War in October, 1861, he was appointed second lieutenant of the Second Artillery, United States Army, and, assigned to Battery B, entered at once upon his active duties as an officer of the army. In July, 1862, he was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to Horse Battery M, Second Artillery, and began a distinguished career. His battery was attached to the Cavalry Corps, and he was constantly engaged during the entire period of the war, operating with the cavalry of the army of the Potomac, undergoing all the vicissitudes and sharing in all the exciting experiences of that branch of the service. And thus it fell to his lot also to serve under all the prominent generals of cavalry, including General Sheridan, and to be brought into close relations with them. During this arduous and severe service, he participated in more than fifty battles, and was at the final engagement at Appomattox Court-House. In the Fall of 1864 and Spring of 1865, in addition to commanding his horse battery, he was chief of artillery for General Custer, who commanded the Third Division of cavalry of the army of the Potomac. Of the gallant officers who led the soldiers of the United States Army during the war few gained higher honors than General Woodruff. His career throughout the four years' struggle was one of marked distinction, and that his ability and merit were recognized by his superiors is attested by the honors conferred upon him. Three times was he brevetted, first as captain, July 3, 1863, for gallant and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg.
He was at that time serving with the Cavalry Corps as second in command to Lieutenant A. C. M. Pennington's horse battery. A personal witness said:
"It is to be doubted if in the whole war there was an example of clear headed direction, skillful handling and gallant bearing of officers and men more brilliant than that of Battery M in this action."
On June II, 1864, he received a second brevet commission as major "for gallant and meritorious services at Trevilian Station, Virginia." And again he was brevetted as lieutenant-colonel, March 13, 1865, "for good conduct and gallant services during the war." In addition to these well-merited distinctions, a medal of honor was accorded him "for distinguished gallantry in action at Newby's Cross Roads, Virginia, July 24, 1863, while serving as first lieutenant, commanding a section of Horse Battery M, Second Artillery, saving his guns when twice ordered to abandon them."
Since the close of the war General Woodruff has been constantly engaged in active service, and he is one of the few heroes of the army of the Potomac, still ready and capable of undergoing any hard service at his country's call. From the close of the war until the year 1872, he was on duty in California and Alaska. He declined the appointment of captain, Twelfth Infantry, received July 28, 1866, and was promoted as captain of Second Artillery, May 6, 1869, and assigned to Battery G. This he commanded till 1885, when he was transferred to Light Battery F, Second Artillery, and assigned to duty at Forts Leavenworth and Riley, Kansas, where he remained until 1894, when he received promotion as major, Second Artillery, and was again removed to the East, serving at Fort Schuyler, New York; Fort Warren, Massachusetts; Havana, Cuba; Fort Slocum, New York, until 19x13, being promoted in the meanwhile first to lieutenant-colonel of Seventh Artillery, February 13, 1899, and again May 8, 1901, as colonel of Artillery Corps.
In accordance with the policy inaugurated by President McKinley, and continued by President Roosevelt, by which those army officers who had seen forty years of continuous work in the United States Army should receive promotion to a higher rank and be retired from active duty, on August 10, 1903, Colonel Woodruff, then commanding Fort Slocum, New York, and the Artillery District of Eastern New York, received promotion as brigadier-general, and on the next day, August 11th, was retired by the Government which he had so faithfully and gallantly served for forty-two years.
On October 19, 1875, Colonel Woodruff was married to Miss Effie H. Haywood, daughter of Doctor Richard B. Haywood, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and since his retirement General Woodruff has removed to Raleigh, making his home in North Carolina. At the request of the governor of the State he was detailed for duty with the organized militia of the State by special order 114, War Department, Washington, District of Columbia, December 29, 1903.
General Woodruff is in military orders a member of the Loyal Legion, Sons of the Revolution, the Society of the Army of the Potomac and the Legion of the Medal of Honor.
[Source: Biographical History of North Carolina from Colonial Times to the Present Volume 6; By Samuel A'Court Ashe, Samuel B. Weeks, Charles L. Van Noppen; Publ.1907; Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack]