Union-Johnson County IL Archives Biographies.....Wood, James N. 1855 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 18, 2008, 7:07 pm

Author: George Washington Smith (1912)

   JAMES N. WOOD. One of the leading business industries of Anna, Illinois, is
the plant of James N. Wood, who for twenty years has been identified with the
commercial interests of this city as a manufacturer of boxes, barrels, baskets
and fruit packages, and has developed his present enterprise from a small
beginning into one of the leading factories of its kind in Southern Illinois.
Mr. Wood belongs to the class of self-made men who have done so much toward
building up this section of the state. He started in life as a poor boy, without
either educational or financial advantages, and the success which has attended
his endeavors has been the result of persistency, industry and a determination
to win in the face of all obstacles. A native of Johnson county, Illinois, Mr.
Wood was born in 1855, and is a son of Henry and Nancy (Reed) Wood, natives of
Tennessee.

   The education of Mr. Wood was limited to several months attendance in the
public schools, and he was obliged to go to work after the death of his father,
who was first a farmer in Johnson county and later a teamster in Anna, whence he
came in 1869. As a youth Mr. Wood contributed to the support of his widowed
mother and his younger brother, his first employer being R. B. Stinson, who
conducted a stave and heading factory. During the six years that he remained
with Mr. Stinson he became familiar with all the details of the business, and
after leaving his employ worked at the cooper trade until 1891, at which time he
established himself in business as a manufacturer of barrels, boxes, baskets and
fruit packages, and the business has grown steadily year by year. He now ships
his goods to various points, and his sales aggregate on an average of $10,000
per annum. Mr. Wood is possessed of excellent business tact and ability as well
as indefatigable energy, and has an extensive acquaintance and solid reputation,
not only throughout the section in which he does business, but also in the
counties adjoining. He has found time from his business activities to serve his
adopted city in public positions, was mayor of Anna in 1906 and 1907, and served
as alderman from the First Ward for two terms, displaying unquestionable
administrative abilities. His career has been a credit to himself in every
respect, and creditable to the city in which he has so long lived and is so well
known. His fraternal connection is with the Modern Woodmen of America.

   In 1878 Mr. Wood was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Faulkner, of
Illinois, and they had three children: Charles, who died at the age of four
years; Clara, born in St. Louis, who is now the wife of Cilus Bishop; and Susie,
who died in infancy. Mr. Wood's second marriage was to Miss Alice Maxfield, of
Union county, and to this union there have been born children as follows: Stella
and Birdie, who died in infancy; Harry, who is engaged in the cooper business in
Anna; Fred, who is assisting his father in business; Sybil, John and Glenn,
residing at home; Ralph, who died in infancy; Helen; Robert, who is deceased;
and Orlean. Mrs. Wood and the children are members of the Baptist church, and
Mr. Wood, while not a member of any special denomination, has been a liberal
supporter of religious and charitable movements.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People, and its Principal
Interests

BY
George Washington Smith, M. A.
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED

THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1912


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