1622 Fayetteville- Mary J. L. and Rev. William T. H. Woodward Rental Property

This house is three bays wide and single-pile, with a side gabled roof and a full-width, gabled wing extending the rear. A single interior brick chimney is visible behind the ridge. The shed-roof front porch, supported by concrete piers and wood posts on each end, has a slab floor and modern railing. Four-over-four double hung windows appear to be replacement, but the light pattern is appropriate to the age of the structure. The house has a concrete foundation, modern vinyl siding, and modern flat front doors.

Mary J. L. Woodward was the original owner of 1622 Fayetteville. Mary purchased the lots for what would become 1616 and 1622

 Fayetteville at the same time. It is unlikely that Mary and her husband, Reverend William T. H. Woodward, ever lived at 1622 Fayetteville, as they are listed at 1616 Fayetteville during their tenure of owning the two properties. While Mary did not live at 1622 Fayetteville, she maintained the property. The 1616 Fayetteville Street property was used as a rental property under the Woodwards’ ownership.

Mary was born in Vance County, North Carolina. She attended Wiley University in Marshall, Texas. She then stayed in Texas for a time, teaching in Marshall and El Paso. She eventually moved back to North Carolina, coming to Durham with her husband, Reverend William T. H. Woodward, in 1912. While in Durham, Mary operated a grocery store out of her home at 1616 Fayetteville. 

Rev. William T. H. Woodward was one of the first pastors at White Rock Baptist Church. He preached out of the first structure built for the church, on Pettigrew and Coleman Streets. He led the church from 1881 to 1884. During this time, he also ran a school out of the church. Mary Woodward came to Durham because of Rev. Woodward’s ties with the community and White Rock Baptist Church. Mary was the daughter of a pastor, Reverend John Paschall, and she attended White Rock in support of her husband, but was also a lifetime member of Vance County Church, which her father had built.

Rev. Woodward led a multi-faceted career, working as a funeral director, pastor, and newspaper publisher in Durham. Rev. Woodward was the president of the Reformer Publishing Company, a newspaper published in Durham. He also worked as the editor-in-chief for another Durham newspaper, Gold Dust, “a paper devoted to the education and religion of the colored race.” Additionally, Rev. Woodward ran a funeral home with Frank H. Holman, aptly named Holman & Woodward. 

The couple owned both 1616 and 1622 Fayetteville properties until their respective deaths. As of 2026, the property is in good, stable condition. 

Sources: 

Carolina Times

Herald-Sun

Tobacco Plant