The Woolworth family plot is of a good size, but the markers are very hard to read. I believe they used a concrete mixture that has not weathered well. Click here for a photo of the Woolworth mansion.

James Woolworth's bio from the Prospect Hill book:

"Born in Onandaga Valley, New York. Son of Samuel Buel and Sophia
Mickles Woolworth. James Woolworth was educated at Hamilton
College, graduating in 1849. He was admitted to the New York bar
in 1854. He practiced law in Syracuse, New York, coming to Omaha
in 1856. He was a member of the legislature for one term; the first City
of Omaha attorney; Ex-President of the American Bar Association, and
a member of the First Constitutional Convention in 1871. In 1882, he was
the attorney for the CBLQRR. He had an elegant residence on St. Mary's
Street; in the hall of which was a mantel of brick, stone, and wood taken
from buildings which had been built before the territory was organized.
Children: Meliora (m. E. M. Fairfield of New York City); 2 others."

It is an interesting game to speculate on what happened to this family, based on the death dates. Sylvia Stanley Woolworth emailed me recently, and filled in some birthdates for James' children.

According to the Prospect Hill book, Helen, James' first wife, was buried on 10/19/1867. Mary Buel Woolworth was born in 1860 and Sophia Woolworth was born in 1858, but both were buried on 12/26/1867. For them both to have died at the same time seems odd, but it could have happened; Sylvia suggests the flu, and it could have been diptheria, or anything. I am struck by how many children this man had that died at an early age, and how he kept on having children only to lose more, and possibly his first wife to having children. In fact, James outlived everyone of his family, except for his daughter Meliora. If someone has a more detailed biography of the family, I would be glad to post it. It is precisely this kind of speculation that keeps my interest in local Omaha history alive.

I ran across a post by John Woolworth, most likely one of James' descendants, from 2002 on Rootsweb, which had a bit more hard data on the family. I've copied it below; the original post is here.

1 James Mills WOOLWORTH, (196) 1829 - 1906
.. +Helen Maria BEGGS, (196) 1829 - 1867
........ 2 Charles Peck WOOLWORTH, (217) 1855 - 1904
........ 2 Sophia WOOLWORTH, (219) 1858 - 1867
........ 2 Jean (Jennie) WOOLWORTH, (218) 1859 -
............ +Guy HOWARD, (218) 1855 - 1890
................... 3 Helen HOWARD, (218A) 1884 -
................... 3 Otis Woolworth HOWARD, (218B) 1887 -
....................... +Ruth (?) THOMAS,..........................(218B)
........ 2 Mary Buel WOOLWORTH, (220) 1860 - 1867

*2nd Wife of James Mills WOOLWORTH, (196):
.. +Elizabeth S. BUTTERFIELD, (196) 1836 - 1897
........ 2 Meliora WOOLWORTH, (222) 1874 - 1956
............ +E.M. FAIRFIELD,............................(222)
........ 2 Robert Harper Clarkson WOOLWORTH, (221) 1874 - 1879

 

James Mills Woolworth, died at the age of 77 years in 1906. Here is a link to the Trinity Church website, which talks about Woolworth's contribution to the church.

James' second wife, Elizabeth Butterfield Woolworth, died in 1897 at the age of 61 years (if I'm reading her marker right and she was born in 1836). Here is a link to the Trinity Church website, which talks about her family's contribution to the church.

 

Helen Beggs Woolworth, James Woolworth's first wife, died at the age of 38 years in 1867.

 

Charles Peck Woolworth, James and Helens' son, the only son to grow to adulthood that I know of. He died at the age of 47 years in 1904.

 

I believe this says Leonora, probably an infant daughter of James and Helen, though there is no listing in the Prospect Hill book of her. It could also be a matching stone for Meliora Woolworth Fairfield, who did manage to make it to adulthood and who is buried under her married name of Fairfield in the Woolworth plot (see next picture).

 

Meliora Woolworth Fairfield, the only child of James and his 2nd wife, Elizabeth, that grew to adulthood that I am aware of, and James' longest lived child. She died at the age of 83 years.

 

Mary Buel Woolworth, another young daughter of James and Helen, who was born in 1860 and died in 1867.

 

Robert Harper Clarkson Woolworth, the son of James and Elizabeth, his 2nd wife, who died at the age of 4 years in 1879.

 

Sophia, another young daughter of James and Helen, who was born in 1858 and died in 1867.