William Thomas Woolcock

William Thomas Woolcock

• Father: Thomas Woolcock b. circa 1819, d. 27 November 1868
• Mother: Susanna Testick Rescorl b. June 1822, d. 10 May 1909

• William Thomas Woolcock was born circa 19 February 1844 in England.
• He was baptized/christened on 7 April 1844 in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, England.
• Thomas Woolcock and Susanna Testick Rescorl appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Belleville Township, Essex County, New Jersey. Other members of the household included William Thomas Woolcock, John Woolcock, Richard Woolcock, Edwin Woolcock and Philippa Woolcock.
• He married Sarah Frances Griffin, daughter of Jay Griffin and Sarah Bennett, on 27 April 1871 in Manhattan, New York.
• William Thomas Woolcock and Sarah Frances Griffin appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Putnam Valley, Putnam County, New York. Other members of the household included Jessie Woolcock, Edwin T. Woolcock, Charles Jay Woolcock, Ella F. Woolcock and Richard Woolcock. Daughter Jessie also is enumerated in the Peekskill household of Sarah's childless half-sister Ellen Odell Brown.
• He was a miner, according to the 1880 census.
• William Thomas Woolcock became a widower at the 25 September 1897 death of his wife Sarah Frances Griffin.
• The following appeared on 2 October 1897 in The Highland Democrat: (Peekskill) The funeral services of Sarah F. Woolcock, wife of William T. Woolcock, of Sterlington, Rockland county, N. Y., were held in this village on Tuesday afternoon, the remains interred at Van Courtlandtville. She died at her home in Sterlington of paralysis, after a brief illness on Saturday last. She was the daughter of the late Jay and Sarah F. Griffin, and was born in Philipstown, Putnam county, on June 13, 1852, and was 45 years, 3 months and 14 days old. About twenty years ago she joined the South street M. E. church. She was a sister of Jacob Griffin, of Oregon, John Griffin and Marcus Griffin of this place and a half sister of Mrs. Edwin Woolcock of Depew street. She leaves a husband and seven children, five sons, Edward, Charles, Richard and George [and] McGrane, and two daughters, Ella and Addie.
• William Thomas Woolcock appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Peekskill, Westchester County, New York, at 635 Highland Avenue. Other members of the household included Ella F. Woolcock, George B. Woolcock, Addie G. Woolcock, MacGrane Coxe Woolcock and Susanna Testick Rescorl.
• He was a miner, according to the 1900 census.
• The following appeared on 12 January 1902 in The New York Times: (Fishkill Landing, N.Y.) For years past the location of the long-lost Benson Mine has been searched for by many prospectors at Peekskill, but without success. Many were of the opinion that the mine was a myth, while others were positi9ve that the mine was a fact. During the past six months many prospectors have tramped the hills in the vicinity, but always without success.
       Among those who gave the matter little thought was William T. Woolcock, living on Highland Avenue, Peekskill. In his earlier life he had had much experience in silver mining, and when he went to the village, thirty years ago, he tramped the country in all directions looking for the mine, at the request of friends, but without success, and never had any faith in the story. But yesterday the whole thing was changed.
       While on a tramp he found the famous mine, and learned that the stories regarding its richness had in no way been exaggerated. The silver lies close to the surface, and is so rich that it will assay $150 to the ton. There is positively no question that the long-lost Benson Mine has been discovered.
• He married Carrie A. Sanger circa 1902.
• William Thomas Woolcock and Carrie A. Sanger appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Ramapo, Rockland County, New York. Other members of the household included MacGrane Coxe Woolcock.
• He was employed as a foreman in an iron mine, according to the 1910 census..
• William Thomas Woolcock died on 17 February 1915 in Orange County, New York, near Newburgh, New York.
• He was interred at Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill/Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, New York.
• The following appeared on 20 February 1915 in The Highland Democrat: William T. Woolcock died at his home, Ridge street, about six miles west of Newburgh, on Wednesday, after a brief illness, in his seventy-first year.
       The deceased was born in England, February 18, 1844, the son of Thomas and Susan Woolcock. He came to this country in 1857 with his mother and brothers, his father having preceded them. He was a miner by occupation and with his brother John came here and went to work at the Croft mine in 1867 for Seth Allen, father of the present supervisor of this town. He spent many years here until the blast furnace was closed. His last employment of that nature was with the Sterling Iron Manufacturing Company, Rockland County, as mining superintendent. He resided in Peekskill for some time, and just before June purchased the farm on which he died.
       Mr. Woolcock was a member of Courtlandt Lodge No. 34, F. & A. M., having been initiated July 29, 1867; passed August 28, 1869, and raised December 2, 1869, and made a life member December December 27, 1906. He was also a member of the First M. E. Church.
       The deceased married, in 1870, Miss Fannie Griffin. They have four [sic] children living. She died September 26, 1897. He married, four years later, Mrs. [sic] Carrie Sanger, of Peekskill. She survives him. He also leaves two daughters, Mrs. Charles Adams, of New York, and Mrs. Chas. Wright, of Peekskill; three sons, Edward [sic], of Poughkeepsie, Charles, of Niagara Falls, and Magrain, of Sloatsburg; two brothers, Edwin and John, of Peekskill, and two sisters, Mrs. C. M. Gardner and Mrs. Philipa Dennis, of Peekskill.
       The remains will be brought to Peekskill, and the funeral services will be held from the First M. E. Church this (Saturday) afternoon at 2.30 o'clock, and will be in charge of Courtlandt Lodge. The interment will be at Hillside.
• The following appeared on 27 February 1915 in The Highland Democrat: The remains of William T. Woolcock, who died near Newburgh, N. Y., last week and whose obituary was printed in last week's Highland Democrat, arrived in Peekskill on the 2.03 p.m. train Saturday afternoon. They were met by Courtlandt Lodge No. 34, F. & A. M., which had assembled in the lodge room at 1.30 p. m. in emergent communication and had marched to the railroad station.
       The remains were escorted to the First M. E. Church. There the funeral services were held at 2.45 and were well attended by relatives and friends as well as by the lodge. The pastor, the Rev. Clarence P. McClelland, had charge of the religious services, and William H. H. MacKellar, Past Master of the lodge, gave the Masonic ritual. At the grave in Hillside, Rev. Mr. McClelland gave the committal and the lodge the last honors.
       The pallbearers were Edward A. Peacock, Dean Ferris, Alonso Duerin, Willard Squires, J. Wiley Billeck and Albert H. Anderson.

• Last Edited: 3 Jan 2015