He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1830 and commenced practice in Wilkes-Barre.

[1] A major motivation for the failure of his nomination was nativist views that Woodward supported.

[2] Woodward was an associate judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1863 and chief justice from 1863 to 1867.

Woodward was elected as a Democrat to the Fortieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles Denison.

His son, George A. Woodward, would become a brigadier general in the United States Army.