Biography of Alfred Woodland
A.D. 1835–1901
by Bertha Marie (Hansen) Woodland (edited by B. D. D.)
Alfred Woodland was born on December 25, 1835, in the parish of Puckington, Sumerset, England, and christened on January 18 of the following year.
Being born on Christmas day is unique in itself, but seems all the more appropriate considering his destiny and the difficult spiritual decisions that would follow.
His descendants feel a warm sense of pride and gratitude as they attribute a great part of their heritage to this noble man.
His parents were George Woodland, born November 4, 1810, in Puckington and his wife Anna (Prince) Woodland, born January 2, 1811, in the nearby parish of Donyatt, Somerset, England.
As there is no written record of Alfred’s boyhood, we are left to conjecture that it must have been similar to that of the typical life-loving boy of nineteenth century England.
We suppose that he recited the lessons, did the chores, prayed the prayers, shivered the winters, played the games, absorbed the beauty of the green countryside, and breathed deeply of the invigorating breezes from the Bristol Channel.
As Alfred grew to manhood, his country was in the throes of momentous societal and economic changes brought about by the great Industrial Revolution.
It was in the late 1700’s that James Watt in Scotland invented a way to harness steam to provide the power before only available from brute force.
But men, women, and children in ever greater numbers were needed to do the finishing work of the hands in the huge factories that sprung up.
People, especially orphans and other children, became in effect slaves to the factories working from twelve to fifteen hours a day under very trying conditions.
The English Factory Act brought some relief, but the peaceful rural live of the farmer had been transformed forever to squalid urban streets and factories, where, as Goldsmith wrote,
“wealth accumulates and men decay.”
Sometime before Alfred had reached the age of 25, he went across the River Severn from Bristol into Monmouthshire.
He was more likely to find work there in the development of new housing and industry.
One day in the process of digging a trench, which had reached a greater depth than his full height, he heard the strange words of passers-by saying,
“In the name of Israel’s God, ’tis true!”
This bewildering testimony came from the lips of his own neighbor, who, as he soon learned, was in the company of two Mormon Elders from Utah.
Being curious he investigated the source of their faith, attended their meetings, and in due time converted to this new religion.
He was baptized in the Llanyfod Herefordshire Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on June 2, 1860, by Thomas Curtis.
On the 11th of the following November Alfred married Elizabeth Ridgeway of Caerwent in Monmouthshire.
She ran a bakery out of their home, while he did day work to the extent he was able.
They had three children:
Thomas George, born August 5, 1861,
Annie, born February 3, 1866,
and Lottie, born April 29, 1868.
The Elders preached of Zion, a place in the United States where the Saints were gathering in great numbers.
Alfred was eager to join in the throng, but Elizabeth did not share his conviction, equally adamant but opposed in saying firmly, “No!”
She did not share his views with respect to the truth of the restored Gospel as propounded by thes latter-day “saints.”
In fact as she saw it Alfred’s beliefs were harming her business.
Potential customers were prejudiced against doing business with anyone associated with the Mormon sect.
Alfred made up his mind to leave his family in England and emigrate to Utah.
They were certainly in a position to support themselves, especially if he were not there to interfere with his dear wife’s business.
Perhaps in due time the Lord would turn their hearts to the Gospel.
However, after arriving in New York City he had second thoughts.
If anyone could convince them, only he would be in a position to be an instrument of Lord in their conversion.
He remained there and worked, saving his money to make the return voyage to England.
Once back in England his hopes remained for the fate of his family, but it was evident to them that he was restless to return to America.
Elizabeth soon suggested that he journey the whole way to Utah and learn what the Mormons they were really like.
Apparently she was confident enough about their true character that it would cause him to give up any idea of living among them there.
He took her up on the suggestion and arrived the second time in New York on September 5, 1872, traveling from Bristol on board the steam ship Arragon.
In Utah he found work in Richmond, just north of Logan, in the construction of the Oregon Shortline Railroad.
This time he saved his money with the idea of financing the trip for Elizabeth and their children to join him.
But alas, her mind was made up.
She remained firm and resolute in her refusal to come to Utah.
The hopes of this devoted man had been shattered.
Surely the words of the Lord in Matthew 20:29 brought him the assurance that
“every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
There was a fellow worker on the railroad by the name of Niels Thompson, who had left some of his family in Denmark:
a daughter, Nielsine (Sena) and her young son Peter.
Although she desired to emigrate, her father had been unable to pay her passage.
Alfred used the money he had saved as a loan to Niels, so that her wish too, like his own, would be realized.
Sena must have felt deeply indebted to Alfred, because after she arrived, she made it known that she wanted to marry him.
They were in fact married and together had ten more children.
The marriage was later solemnized in the Logan Temple on July 10, 1884, at which time Peter and the four children they had previously were sealed to them:
Niels Peter (Thompson), born June 13, 1871,
Amelia, born January 26, 1877,
Emily Ann, born October 11, 1879,
Alfred George, born October 6, 1881,
and William Thomas, born October 15, 1883.
The other six children were born in the covenant:
Zina Eliza, born March 14, 1886,
Sarah Dorothea, born March 12, 1888,
Noah Lorenzo, born October 31, 1890,
Leonard, born April 8, 1893,
Ephraim James, January 2, 1896,
and Milton Prince, December 10, 1907.
Alfred did the buying for the family.
He had his own devices to determine size and fit.
For example, when they needed shoes he would cut a stick from a tree, measure the foot against the stick, and carry the stick to the store.
He was a faithful member of the Church throughout his life becoming a High Priest.
He taught his children in the ways of the Lord.
He taught them loyalty for the country of America and his land of Zion.
In 1878 he became a citizen (3rd Judicial District Court, Utah Territory).
His children cherished the memory of sitting on his lap as he held them singing, “The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.”
He enjoyed many of life’s richest blessings.
Working on the railroad for many years he became a section foreman.
In this way he was able to pay for a sixty-acre farm just south of Richmond.
He was also able to send money to England to help in the support of his family there.
His earthly blessings were shortened somewhat when at the age of 66, he came down with pneumonia and on November 5, 1901, passed on.
His remains were buried in the Richmond cemetery.
—Woodland Family Organization, The Alfred Woodland Family (J. Grant Stevenson, Provo, UT, 1978)