author
Ashbel Woodward
1804–1885
A small-town doctor with a historian’s eye, this 19th-century New England writer spent decades caring for neighbors in Franklin, Connecticut while preserving the stories of his community and the Civil War era.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Connecticut in 1804, Ashbel Woodward trained in medicine at Bowdoin College and settled in Franklin in 1829. He became the town’s longtime physician, serving local families for more than fifty years and building a reputation as one of the central figures in Franklin life.
Woodward’s interests reached far beyond medical practice. During the Civil War he served as a surgeon and was present at Port Hudson, and he also devoted serious time to historical research. He collected documents, wrote biographical and local historical material, and worked to preserve the memory of the people and events around him.
That mix of doctor, researcher, and community historian helps explain why he is still remembered today. His home later became the Ashbel Woodward Museum, a lasting sign of how closely his life was tied to the history of his town.