George Woodward

George Woodward (February 18, 1825 -- December 14, 1893) was a businessman in Langdon, Minnesota. He was the founder of the Woodward and Son General Store, which continued in operation throughout three generations of Woodwards. He also partnered with Franklin Tibbetts to form a creamery.

Family Life
George married Lydia Munger at Orwell, Vermont on February 17, 1847. They had two children while they lived in Vermont: Irving, born June 6, 1851; and Forrest, born December 27, 1852. In 1855, George briefly moved his family to the township of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, relocating to Iowa in less than a year. But in 1856, the Woodwards returned to Cottage Grove and George purchased 160 acres of land there. Over several years he began buying up more land in the area until he owned 1,000 acres within the township.undefined

Business and Professional Life
George Woodward was a prominent businessman and played an active role in local affairs. He was a Washington County commissioner for fifteen years as well as an assessor of Cottage Grove Township. He was the director of three banks: the St. Paul Marine Bank, the St. Paul German Bank and the People's Bank of St. Paulundefined.

Langdon Businesses
George Woodward owned a general store in the village of Langdon called Woodward and Son. This store was passed down in operation through three generations of Woodwards, starting with George's son, Forrest, then to his grandson, George Eugene. In addition to the store, George owned a grain elevator and a feed mill in Langdon. All of these businesses were situated along the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railwayundefined.

Langdon Butter and Cheese
In 1875 the Langdon Butter and Cheese Factory was organized as a joint stock company with George Woodward as a director and principal investorundefined. Primary ownership was shared by him and Franklin Tibbetts and in many instances the firm was referred to by their namesundefined. In it's first year of operation, the creamery produced 52,000 pounds of cheese and 300 of butterundefined.

Death
George Woodward passed peacefully in his Langdon home on December 14, 1893undefined with the assurance that his business affairs were in the capable hands of his son Forrest.