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Hazard (1) Woodhurst was born to parents John (6) Woodhurst and his wife Ann Susan Russell. He was born on October 22nd 1834 at Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Kent and was christened at the Paradise Independent Chapel there on November 23rd 1834 [Chapel Register of Baptisms 1817-36, CCA; IGI: Batch C068491]. The register gives his mother's name simply as "Susan". She evidently named after him after her younger brother Hazard Russell.
In 1837 he emigrated with his parents on the ship Wellington to America, arriving at New York on May 15th 1837.
The US 1840 Census finds him living with his parents in Windsor Township, Hartford County in Connecticut.
The US 1850 Census finds him living with his parents in Oxford township, Butler County in Ohio. The record gives his age as 14 (though he was actually 15) and his birthplace as England. An important feature of this record is that it shows him in the company of his older siblings Elizabeth (5) and William (12) together with his mother named as Ann, thereby proving that the entering of 'Susan' in the Milton christening record was either an error or a variant spelling used informally by either or both of his parents.
He appears to have been in Hendricks County, Indiana by 1858, for it was there that he married Margaret Jane Hayden in January 1858. The marriage is recorded in [The WPA Index to Hendricks County, IN Marriages: Book 5, Page 215] naming the parties as 'Woodhurst Anson H' and 'Margaret Haydon J'. It gives the date of the marriage as January 24th, although Hazard (1)'s obituary [published in The Enterprise newspaper on December 16th 1915] gives it as January 22nd. The original marriage licence bears the issue date of January 22nd, and states that the marriage itself took place on January 24th, officiated by a Justice of the Peace named A.N. Coffin. The obituary also mistakenly asserts that Hazard (1) was born in "London, England".
A descendant's report claims that Margaret Jane was born of parents James Hayden and Matilda (nee) Salvatier in Cartersburg, Indiana on December 15th 1839; however, the US 1900 Census gives the date as December 1840.
The US 1860 Census finds him working as a painter and living with Margaret in Clay township, Hendricks County in Indiana. The record incorrectly cites his birthplace as Maryland, and values his personal estate at just $23.
The Civil War Enlistments database records his enlistment on behalf of Ohio, giving the date as October 30th 1861 and his age as 26 (though he was actually 4 days past his 27th birthday). His rank was private. The place where he enlisted is not recorded in this database.
He is mentioned in the Civil War Muster Rolls as serving - like his brother Daniel Farris - in the 35th Ohio Cavalry, as being in 'C' Company and as still being ranked as a private upon discharge. In this source he is ascribed, apparently in error, a middle initial 'L'.
An excellent web article History of Butler County: The Rebellion states that 'C' Company entered Kentucky on September 26th 1861 and entered the field 102 strong, receiving four recruits during the term of service. Of the total 106, 16 were discharged for disabilities, 2 were discharged to accept promotions, 13 died from disease, 2 died from wounds received in action and 6 were killed in action. The remaining 67 commissioned and non-commissioned officers and privates were mustered out at Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1864. The Company served at the battles of Mill Spring, Shiloh, the Siege of Corinth, Perryville, Chapel Hill, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Tunnel Hill, Resaca, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek and the Siege of Atlanta. The same article records that Hazard (1) - his name misspelled there as 'Hayward' - was one of those discharged for disabilities. He was discharged on February 18th 1863 at Camp Dennison.
The Civil War Muster Rolls contain a second record for him as having also served as a private in 'D' Company of the 124th Indiana Infantry. This record ascribes to him a middle initial 'A'. He seems to have followed a common custom in that period of adopting an informal middle name, which in his case is now known to have been Anson. Some IGI records permute his name as Anson H. Woodhurst.
A descendant reports that Hazard (1) enlisted at Hamilton in Ohio on October 13th 1861; was in hospital in Corinth, Tennessee on June 30th 1862; was discharged at Nashville on October 16th and was in Trimble, Tennessee on April 8th 1863; in 1864 he re-enlisted at Coatsville in Indiana on January 21st and was wounded at Chattanooga on May 15th; he was in hospital again in Calhoun, Georgia in October, and likewise in Franklin, Tennessee on November 13th; he was still in hospital, but in Jeffersonville, Indiana on May 29th 1865, and was discharged at Indianapolis on June 13th.
The US 1870 Census finds him at age 35 living with his wife and the first five children listed below in Liberty township, Hendricks County in Indiana. The record incorrectly cites his birthplace as Connecticut. He was occupied as a painter. His parents were indicated to have been of foreign birth and his real estate was valued at $600. His wife's age was correctly stated as 30.
Hazard (1) appears in A Business, Political and Religious Directory of Hendricks County of 1874 which describes him as a house painter living in Cartersburg, aged 35 and born (mistakenly) in Connecticut.
The US 1880 Census finds him at age 45 living with his wife and children in Salt River township, Ralls County in Missouri. The record cites his birthplace as England. He was still occupied as a painter. The record's details of his children indicate that he had moved from Indiana to Missouri around 1875-78. The household included his oldest child Isabelle, now aged 19 and married.
He appears on the 1883 Pensioners Roll for Perry township in Ralls County with Certificate No. 110143, and was then receiving $4 per month on account of heart disease.
The family appears to have been briefly in Arkansas in the late 1880s, as the US 1900 Census states that the daughter Eddie May was born there in 1889.
The US 1900 Census finds him at age 65 living with his wife and several children in Mason township, Marion County in Missouri. The record incorrectly cites Connecticut as the birthplace of both him and his parents. It describes him as a painter and states that he and Margaret had been married for 42 years and had produced 10 children of whom 7 were still living.
The US 1910 Census finds him at age 75 living with his wife and several children and grandchildren back in Salt River township. He was now working as a farmer. The record correctly cites England as the birthplace of both him and his parents, and states that 7 of his 10 children were still living.
Descendants report that Hazard (1)'s obituary states that his family had emigrated when he was "3 years and 3 days old" (which is clearly incorrect - he was only about two and a half), and that it includes a photograph of him and Margaret Jane and says they produced ten children.
Margaret Jane died in Ralls County on September 25th 1914 and was buried at Lick Creek Cemetery.
Hazard (1) made his Will on October 19th 1915, appointing W. R. Netherland as his executor. To his seven surviving children, including the youngest Walter Willie, he left one dollar each, and all the rest of his estate to Walter Willie.
He died in Ralls Co. on December 3rd 1915 and was buried at Lick Creek Cemetery on December 4th.