Biographies W
Benjamin W. Woodburn
Dr. Benjamin W. Woodburn, Muhlenberg County, was born May 7, 1834, in Christian County, Ky., and is the fourth of six boys and six girls, born to James and Amelia (Higgins) Woodburn, natives respectively, of Christian County, Ky., and South Carolina, of Irish and English descent. The father, who was a son of James and Mary (Wilkey) Woodburn, natives of Ireland and South Carolina, emigrated from South Carolina to Christian County about 1800, where he entered and improved 200 acres of land, on which he lived until his death, which occurred when our subject was nineteen years old; he was sheriff of Christian County under the old constitution.
The mother of our subject was the daughter of William Higgins, who married Charity Compton. Mr. Higgins was a soldier of the Revolution, a farrier and moved to Tennessee; thence to Christian County in an early day; later to Trigg County.
Dr. Woodburn remained with his mother on the farm until he was twenty-five years old; in 1858, he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. J.W. Morehead of Bremen, his mother having moved to the latter place in 1856; in 1860, commenced practicing in Trigg County, Ky.; in 1861, returned to Bremen, where he has been engaged in his practice ever since with good success; is the possessor of a good farm and a fine residence in Bremen.
He was married January 5, 1862, to Cecilia S. Cosby, of Muhlenberg County; born in Amelia County, Va., and the daughter of John D. and Mary L. (Bellmy) Cosby, of Virginia, and of English descent. To Dr. Woodburn and wife were born three children: Clarence, Anna Lee, and James C. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Doctor is a Mason.
Source: Battle, J.H., W.H. Perrin, and G.C. Kniffen. Kentucky: A History of the State. Louisville, KY: F.A. Battey, 1885. Page 927.
Updated July 4, 2018