BIOGRAPHY: George S. Wood; Tomkins Cove, Rockland co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

***********************************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm

http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm
***********************************************************************

Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

GEORGE S. WOOD. On an elevated terrace near Tomkins Cove, commanding a
beautiful view of the river and surrounding country, stands the home of Mr.
Wood, and here he has resided since 1864. His principal business in life has
been the brick industry, though he has other interests that are important and
valuable. In everything pertaining to the advancement of Rockland County he
maintains a deep interest, and his co-operation is always to be depended upon
in matters tending toward the general welfare.

The ancestry of our subject is traced to England. His grandfather, James Wood,
emigrated from that country to America in 1801, and be-came one of the pioneer
brick manufacturers of this section of country. Prior to leaving his native
land, he learned the brick-making business, and he was the first in this
locality who utilized coal dust in its manufacture. The immense business of
this character now carried on at Haverstraw and in the vicinity is the growth
of the beginning made by him. Our subject's father, Samuel Wood, was born in
Colchester, England,and when only five years of age was brought to America.
His boyhood days were spent in this locality, and at a very early age he
became familiar with the brick business, which he followed throughout his
entire life, having extensive interests at Haverstraw and Tarry town. His
death occurred in r868, at the age of seventy-three.

The mother of our subject was in maidenhood Malvina Smith, and was born in
Rockland County. Her death occurred in Tarrytown at the age of seventy-six. Of
her twelve children we note the following: Mary is deceased; George S. is the
subject of this notice; Orlando is deceased; Mary Elizabeth is the widow of
George Gaylor, and resides in Stamford, Conn.; Caroline, Mrs. Caleb W. Horton,
is deceased; Theodore S. died at the age of thirty-eight; Martha Amanda died
in girl-hood; Henrietta is the wife of George Smith, of Tomkins Cove; Euphemia
died when three years old; Horatio Nelson was in the navy, under Admiral
Farragut, during the Civil War, and now makes his home in Haverstraw; Nellie
died at the age of forty-three; and Sophia, deceased, was the wife of Joseph
H. Vail, of Tarrytown.

In Haverstraw, January 31, 1823, the subject of this sketch was born, and
there the first eight years of his life were spent. He then accompanied his
parents to Tarrytown, where he remained until twenty-one years of age,
meantime attending the public schools of that place, and gaining a fair
education. Like his ancestors, he early gained a thorough knowledge of the
brick business, and in that industry he embarked at Tarrytown when twenty
years old. He continued to reside there until 1852, meeting with flattering
success in his ventures, but at that time he returned to Haverstraw, where the
twelve ensuing years were passed. In the fall of 1864 he came to Tomkins Cove
and took up his residence at the beautiful place he has since occupied. He has
extensive real-estate interests, not only here, but also in other places, and
is also interested financially in the Tomkins Cove Stone Company.

The political opinions of Mr. Wood are by no means undecided, for he is a firm
and loyal sup-porter of the Republican party, and uniformly votes that ticket.
In religious belief he is connected with the Methodist Protestant Church.
Personally of a genial, affable nature, he has won a host of friends in this
community, and is highly esteemed for his uprightness of character and
geniality of disposition. His marriage united him with Miss Laura P., daughter
of Calvin and Esther (Tuers) Tomkins, and they became the parents of a
daughter, Esther M., who died at the age of nineteen years.