Gilbert Motier Woodward was a lawyer, politician and Congressman born Washington, DC. He studied law, moved to Wisconsin in 1860, settling in La Crosse and was admitted to the bar in 1861.

During the Civil War he served in the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry from 1861 to 1864, rose to the rank of 1st lieutenant and served as regimental adjutant from June, 1862, to July, 1864. After leaving the service in 1864, he returned to La Crosse where he resumed his law practice.

At first a Republican, Woodward held local political offices in La Crosse, including that of district attorney. In the presidential election of 1872 he supported Horace Greeley and the Liberal Republicans, but joined the Democratic party after 1873. He served as mayor of La Crosse and city attorney, and in 1882 was elected to Congress and served one term from March 1883 to March 1885.  He returned to his law practice in La Crosse after he was defeated for re-election in 1884. He was also unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor in 1886 and a delegate to the Democratic national convention of 1888. He continued to practice law in La Crosse until his death in 1914. 

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]