William E. Woodruff, Sr., gained distinction by starting the Arkansas Gazette in 1819. The newspaper was printed at Arkansas Post then, but in 1821 when the seat of government moved to Little Rock so did the Arkansas Gazette. Woodruff came to Arkansas from Long Island, N.Y., where he was born 24 Dec. 1795 in Suffolk County. He was the first son born to Nathaniel and Hannah Woodruff, the second son was Matthew Edmund Woodruff, third was George Brown Woodruff (who died at the age of 17); the fourth son was Nathaniel Milton Woodruff, and the fifth son was Jehiel Hildreth Woodruff. His sisters were Mary L. Woodruff and Phebe Jane Woodruff. In Little Rock William E. Woodruff, Sr., met and married his Jane Eliza Mills on 14 Nov. 1827. She was born 10 Feb. 1810 and died 27 Feb. 1887. They had eight children grow to adulthood: Alden Mills Woodruff, William Edward Woodruff, Jr., Harriet Maria Woodruff Jabine, Mary Eliza Woodruff Bell, Evelina Walton Woodruff Vaughan, Frances Clarke Woodruff Martin, Jane Georgine Woodruff, and Chester Ashley Woodruff.
From the description of Woodruff family papers, 1839-1963. (Arkansas History Commission). WorldCat record id: 173982832
