Cyrus Woodman (June 2, 1814 – March 30, 1889) was a lawyer, businessman and land speculator whose business affairs were influential in the State of Wisconsin.

In 1844 he moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, where the federal land office for that territory was located, and entered into a partnership with Cadwallader Washburn.

When Washburn was elected to Congress in 1854, the partners amicably dissolved the partnership, closed the bank, and paid off all the outstanding notes.

Woodman was never politically active, but even from Europe he was swept up in the pre-Civil War maelstrom as these letters showed.

In addition, he expressed an abiding appreciation for the freedom of speech that was so much more common in the United States than it was in continental Europe, especially when it came to the ability to criticize government officials.

[1] From 1862 to 1864 he resided in Detroit, while working for the St. Mary's Ship Canal Company and the Michigan Pine Lands Association.

[9] In 1867 he filed suit to stop the Kilbourn Manufacturing company from building their dam at Wisconsin Dells.