Among the prominent business men of Drurnmondville none stands higher than Joseph Clement Woodruff, an old citizen who has grown up with the town, and by doing a legitimate trade has won the confidence of the people. He belongs to one of the families that settled at an early day in the Niagara district, and was born at St. Davids, near Queenston, December 9, 1808. His father, Richard Woodruff, from New England, and at one time a member of the Upper Canada Parliament, was one of the first merchants at St. Davids, where he married Ann Clement, and had eight children, six sons and two daughters, our subject being the first born. The five brothers all became farmers. Ann Clement was a native of the Niagara District, and a daughter of Joseph Clement, a pioneer in this part of the Province.
Joseph received a Common School education; early became a clerk in his father’s store; served a long apprenticeship at the mercantile business; and when twenty-five years of age, moved from St. Davids to Drummondville; became a partner of William Lowell in a general store, and since 1833 has been in trade here, being the oldest merchant in the village, since Mr. Lowell retired from business.
Mr. Woodruff was living here at the time of the rebellion, but was exempt from duty on account of partial deafness, He has been Treasurer of the township ever since its municipality was organized, and is an eminently trustworthy official. His political sentiments are Conservative, he being firm and unwavering in them.
In 1832, Mr. Woodruff married Miss Sarah Shaw, daughter of George Shaw, of Ireland, her birth place being the County of Lincoln, near Queenston; and they have had five children, four sons and one daughter. One son died in infancy; Sarah Devaux married William McKay, of Drummondville, and died in 1875, and the other three sons are living, the two younger having families. George Wellington, the eldest, is assisting his father in the store; William Walter is Postmaster at Clifton, and has been Mayor of that town six or seven terms, and Theodore W. is Postmaster at Drummondville.