BIOGRAPHY: John C. Wood; Spring Valley, Rockland co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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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

John C. Wood

With the exception of a few years spent in New Jersey, Mr. Wood has spent his
entire life in Spring Valley, and here, since 1885, he has been engaged in
grocery, flour and feed business. Prior to that he has been engaged in the
florist's business, but that is now carried on by his brother. He is a man of
many fine characteristics, and is a force for good in his community. His
honesty and energy, together with his well known interest in all that pertains
to the welfare of the community, and his energetic co-operation with his
fellow-citizens in pushing forward any plans devised for the benefit of the
people, make him a man of prominence and influence in the village where he
resides.

Sixty years ago, when Spring Valley was sparsely settled, and before the
railroad had been built through this point, the father of our subject, Joseph
Wood, embarked in business here, becoming the proprietor of a country store
stocked with everything essential for an enterprise of that kind. He was the
pioneer merchant of this locality and became one of the influential citizens
of this village, the growth fo which eh witnessed with interest and to which
he was himself a liberal contributor. Though a native of England, he was loyal
to the institutions of our Government, and was intesely patriotic to his
adopted country. He died April 2, 1860, in Spring Valley, at the age of fifty-
nine. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Marsh, was born in England,
July 20, 1812, and died in Spring Valley December 13, 1893. They were the
parent sof nine children, namely: Mrs. Mary E. Smith, of Elizabeth, N.J.;
Margaret A., deceased; James, who lives in Spring Valley; William, a resident
of Hillsboro, Tex.; George W., who is engaged in the ice and coal business in
Spring Valley; John C., our subject; Mrs. Sarah Jane Baker, of Newark, N.J.;
Martha, who died in childhood; and Joseph, who is a florist in Spring Valley.

In this village, where he was born March 27, 1846, the subject of this sketch
gained the rudiments of his education, and the knowledge there acquired was
supplemented by one year's attendance at Pennington Seminary. In 1865 he left
shcoo, and for one season engaged in farming, after which he taught school fo
rtwo years in New Jersey. On his return to this place he became clerk in his
brother's furniture store, remaining in that capacity for three years.
Wishing, however, to engage in business for himself, he opened a florist's
establishment, and as he was active and industrious, he worked up a good
trade. In 1885 he sold the business to his brother and embarked in the grocery
trade, which has rapidly grown under his efficient management. He is a genial,
pleasant gentleman, and these personal attributes, combined with his honesty
of character, have won him the confidence of those who have known him from
childhood.

By his marriage, March 29,1868, to Miss Sallie A. Lane, of Ocean County, N.J.,
Mr. Wood had two sons, namely: Harry, deceased; and Elbert C., now attending
the New York Law School in New York City. Our subject is a man who gives
intelligent consideration to all questions pertaining to the welfare and
happiness of the people, and his belief that the liquor traffic is detrimental
in its effects has led to his espousal of the Prohibition cause. In religious
views he is a Congregationalist and holds membership in the church of that
denomination at Spring Valley.