1. Timothy Woodbridge was an American missionary, deacon and schoolteacher, later a judge, representative, and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, from Springfield, Massachusetts, who spent most of his adult life in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, teaching the Mahicans and other Native Americans to read and write, English customs and the Christian religion.
Timothy Woodbridge was instrumental in the purchase of large tracts of land in western New England from the Native Americans, such as modern-day Lenox and Alford, Massachusetts, by parlaying this reputation and experience.
Timothy Woodbridge's mother was the granddaughter of John Eliot, the "Apostle to the Indians".
Timothy Woodbridge's brother Benjamin was a minister, and the town of Woodbridge, Connecticut, is named in his honor.
Timothy Woodbridge's father died young, when a tree fell on him in 1718.
When Timothy Woodbridge learned of this, he set out to observe the ceremony, arriving just in time.
Timothy Woodbridge took this opportunity to return to Springfield to visit friends and relatives, returning in early spring.
When Sergeant returned to Yale again, he wrote Dr Colman, one of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs at Boston, and requested that Timothy Woodbridge would be compensated so that he might continue there, being that there was enough work for two missionaries.
Timothy Woodbridge would be involved with many more purchases and land swaps in the coming years.
Timothy Woodbridge was the senior deacon of the church, and identified as a New Light regarding the contemporary Great Awakening.
The Mahicans had many complaints, including that Timothy Woodbridge had illegally purchased a tract of land without the consent of the entire tribe, so a committee was sent to investigate.
Timothy Woodbridge was again elected as town clerk in 1749, and effectively oversaw the mission during the search for a replacement minister.
Timothy Woodbridge had been elected to the General Court, and so was able to refute this testimony, as well as to inform Edwards of the proceedings.
Timothy Woodbridge later made a judge of both probate and of Common Pleas, in 1761.
Timothy Woodbridge led a delegation of Stockbridge natives to Boston to testify to their support of both Edwards and himself.
In fall of 1756, Timothy Woodbridge was again involved in a couple large land deals.
Timothy Woodbridge pleaded to the council that Edwards should remain in Stockbridge to no avail, and Edwards soon left for Princeton, and died shortly thereafter.
Timothy Woodbridge advised them to go the stockade route rather than pay a fine, and even went as far as accompanying them to Sheffield, to ensure they weren't treated badly, as was usually the case with the stockades.
Berkshire County was incorporated in spring of 1761, and Timothy Woodbridge was selected as an associate judge for the Court of Common Pleas.
Timothy Woodbridge later supplied the court with a detailed listing of the distribution of this money.
Timothy Woodbridge had again been elected to the legislature in 1762, but was not reelected the following year due to an election rigged by Elijah Williams.
Williams called for a town meeting while Timothy Woodbridge was in Albany, and while many of the Native American voters were away on their winter syrup harvest.
Timothy Woodbridge heard about this, but was apparently convinced his supporters would reelect him.
Timothy Woodbridge was granted a salary of 20 pounds per month for six months for this task.
Timothy Woodbridge was again elected to the General Court in 1765.
Timothy Woodbridge could supervise grant temporary leases for lands that they were not using.
Also in 1768, Timothy Woodbridge testified about the character of one of his former students, a man named Joseph Van Gelder, who was half European and half Native American.
Shortly before his death, Timothy Woodbridge was chosen a member of the Governor's Council by mandamus of King George III.