Biography of Joel G. Wood - Craighead Co, AR

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Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 363

Joel G. Wood (deceased). William H. and Elmira (Lane) Wood, both
natives of Alabama, were the parents of nine children, all of whom moved
to Arkansas. Two still live in Craighead [p.363] County: Greene, on
Maumelle prairie, and Francis, two and a half miles north of Jonesboro.
Joel G. was born in Cherokee County, Ala., October 7, 1829, and was
reared on the farm, receiving a fair “district school” education. January
29, 1854, he was married to Maria Evans, daughter of Jesse and Caroline
(Anderson) Evans, parents of eight living children. Both Mr. and Mrs.
Evans met an untimely death in a destructive cyclone which passed over
Northern Alabama about 1884. The father was sixty and the mother about
fifty years of age. Mr. Wood farmed in Alabama for two years after his
marriage, then moved to Greene County, Ark., and two years later came to
Craighead County and purchased sixty acres of land one and one-fourth
mile south of Jonesboro, where he resided until the time of his death. He
was a successful farmer, a grocery merchant of Jonesboro, also a butcher
and did some freighting from Wittsburg, Walnut Ridge, and Memphis to
Jonesboro. He served with credit one term as sheriff of Craighead County,
and filled the offices of justice of the peace and constable in Cherokee
County, Ala. He was a prominent citizen and a Democrat, meriting the
honors bestowed upon him. He died from an accident November 16, 1882. To
Mr. and Mrs. Wood were born twelve children, eight of whom are living:
Alice V., wife of Napoleon Keller, a farmer of White County, Ark.; James
Buchanan, married to Elizabeth Cox, and residing in Craighead County;
Mary, wife of Dr. Lewis S. Thornton, a leading physician of Big Bay
Station, Ark.; Joel G., who lives with his wife in Conway County; Albert
Pike, married to Laura Rackley, and living near the old homestead;
William P., Starling W., and Dora Lee, at home. The deceased are
Josephine and three infants. Mrs. Wood resides on the old homestead, and
conducts the farm in a successful and thrifty manner. She is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a lady of social and moral worth.