Career
Woodward was the second child born to Henry Williams Woodward and Mary Edge Webb at Edgewood Plantation in Gambrills Station, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. While his family gathered tremendous wealth during the American Civil War by selling textiles to the Confederates, James spent the war years in school. Woodward moved to New York after the war and took a job at Ross, Campbell & Company where his business acumen was recognized.
He became a director in the Hanover National Bank in the early 1870s.
James was elected president of the bank the same year. Under his leadership the deposits of the bank grew from $6,000,000 to $100,000,000.
Woodward was a bachelor his entire life, but was active socially. He joined many elite clubs including the Union Club, the Metropolitan Club, the Knickerbocker Club of New York City and the Maryland Club of Baltimore.
An avid hunter and horseman, Woodward purchased the historic Belair Mansion and Study farm in 1898.
James maintained residences in New York, Rhode Island as well as at Belair. During this time, he developed a very close relationship with Saint John"s College in Annapolis, Maryland and was elected to its board of visitors. Woodward invested significantly in both repairing Belair and expanding Saint John"s during this time.
In June 1909, Street John"s gave the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws to Woodward in recognition of his extensive contribution to the school.
Woodward died in 1910 having never married. The inheritance tax of $3,200 was the largest ever paid in Prince George"s County at that time.
Woodward Hall houses the library at Saint John"s College, named in his honor.
