William Allison (Bill) Woodward was born April 2, 1914, at Gage, Oklahoma, the
  third son of Darius Vernon (Rye) Woodward and May Isabel Axtell. The family moved
  to Hardtner, Kansas, in 1915 and to Sharon in 1918. Bill, Virginia, and Howard all
  had the whooping cought, and Howard died. (We can be thankful today for whooping 
  cough immunization). In 1920 Bill complained with a leg ache which Dr. Gilbert
  diagnosed as osteomylitis of the bone. Dr. Horn in Wichita operated, removing the
  small bone of the right leg. Bill was to come home on the train the last of October;
  Vernon wanted a jack-o-lantern for him, but had no monay! Talk about answers to
  prayers - Vernon went to church with the girls. The preacher - getting no response
  from the congregation - held a quarter in his hand and said, "if anyone will come
  forward, they may have this quarter". Vernon (Edith and Ethel tried to stop him)
  went up the aisle, took the quarter, turned and on out the church! He had the
  money for Bill's jack-o-lantern.
     Living in Isabel, Bill was in the third grade when the schoolhouse burned. The
  fire alarm sounded and the substitute teacher said, "Turn, stand and" the door
  opened and someone yelled, "Fire, Fire, the school house is on fire", the teacher
  in turn yelled, "RUN." Dad had the shoe shop in Isabel and also drove one of the
  school buses for Isabel Consolidated School. His route went to the Amber district.
     In 1924 we moved to Medicine Lodge. The first job Vernon and Bill had away from
  home was at Cole's dairy. Early in the morning - rain, snow, or sunshine, they
  milked cows and delivered milk all over twon using a horse and cart. They tied the
  horse and went to school - at noon they took him home. At night they milked the cows
  again. They were eleven and twelve years old. Later, Bill worked at Howard Stone's
  dairy and for Lester Stone at the farm west of twon. In the first Indian Peace Treaty
  Celebration in 1927, Bill was an Indian in the early settlers scene.
     Depression years came and Bill with some of his friends decided to go South and
  pick cotton. The next we heard from him he was in Birminham jail for riding the 
  freight train. He hitch-hiked home and went back to school. This was his first but
  not his last hitch hiking trip.
     In 1932 Bill enlisted in the United States Army; he was in the 2nd Cavalry at
  Fort Riley, Kansas. His pay was twenty-one dollars a month. The cavalry was sent to
  Fort Worth, Texas, to participate in a celebration; while there he met Mary Penny,
  whom he married. They were later divorced. He served with the 12th Cavalry at Fort
  Ringold, Texas, and with the 31st infantry, Manila, Phillipine Island. After his
  enlistment was up, he was employed at Butte, Montana. Early in 1942 he reenlisted in
  the army and was with the 2nd Constabulary in Germany.
     Bill probably traveled more than any of his family. He has retired and says he is
  like a turtle, having a pickup and camper, he has his house on his back! Periodically
  he returns to Medicine Lodge which has always been home. Bill travels with his dog, 
  Topaz.
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 498 
     Submitted by: Virginia Woodward Measday