Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Wood, James 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 2:55 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

James Wood, general farmer on section 19, Clyde Township, was born March 5, 
1832, in Sattelworth, Yorkshire, England, and he is the son of Joseph and Mary 
(Brodbent) Wood, who were farmers in England, their native country. They had 
four children, the two oldest being twins, and the third in order of birth 
being the son who is the subject of this sketch. He was eight years of age 
when the family abandoned their native land to find a home across the sea. 
They located in Worcester, Mass., and later went thence to Rockland Co., N. Y. 
Soon afterward they made another removal, to Dutchess Co., N. Y. In 1848 Mr. 
Wood came to Clyde Township with his father. At that date the township was 
comparatively in its original state, being mostly unimproved and the prairie 
still lying fallow as it had done through all the years in which it had spread 
its broad acres to the sunlight. Newcomers experienced the inconveniences and 
privations of the pioneer period, chief among which were the remoteness of the 
markets. For ordinary supplies it was necessary to go to Albany and Mt. 
Carroll. To sell stock, a distance of 60 miles must be traversed, to Rockford. 
Mr. Wood's first purchase of land included 69 acres, which he let to another 
party some time after. In company with three others,—Thomas Alldritt, Ephraim 
Bestle and Richard Trye,—he went to Pike's Peak. This was in 1869, when the 
gold fever was at its height, and they made the route thither with a four-
horse team across the plains, and encountered the experiences common to the 
emigrants of that year. They met with disaster, as there was no work for any 
one and they had no means to aid them in returning.   They finally sold some 
mining implements, comprising picks and shovels, which they found in a 
deserted camp. They were thereby enabled to buy a sack of flour at Denver, for 
which they paid $16, and which served as supply until they came within the 
limits of civilization. After reaching his home Mr. Wood located on his farm. 
Aug. 17, 1862, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Elizabeth J. (Marshall) 
Demmon, at Fulton, Whiteside County. Mrs. Wood is the daughter of Alexander A. 
and Elizabeth (Chalbiant) Marshall. She was born June 16, 1832, at Lexington, 
Ky. Her parents were born in the State of Kentucky and were of English 
descent. The mother died when the daughter was 12 years of age. After that she 
lived in Brooklyn, N. Y. By her first husband she is the mother of one child, 
Edway C. Tucker. By her second husband she had no children. Lulu G. is the 
name of the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Wood. They have now 160 acres of land 
in Clyde Township, all of which is under excellent cultivation. They also own 
three lots in Morrison. Mr. Wood is also joint owner of 160 acres in Dakota. 
He is rapidly gaining ground as a stock man. He is zealous and active in the 
interests of the Republican party and has held several township offices. Mrs. 
Wood belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/wood2317nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 3.8 Kb