Biography of Joel B. Wood, 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: Wood, Foss.

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - November 2001
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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 268

Joel B. Wood

Born in Barre, Washington county, Vermont, on May 13, 1843. our subject grew
to manhood there, remaining at home with his parents until twenty years old,
working on the farm most of the time, but attending school at least a portion
of each year. When twenty three years of age, he put into execution a project,
previously formed, of trying his fortunes in the wild west, corssing the
plains with mule teams, and finally coming to a halt in Eagle valley, Baker
county. He remained there most of the time during the first three years of his
stay in the occident, then spent a half decade in the Sparta mines, eventually
coming to Pine valley, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of
land. Before the time arrived for making final proof, however, he sold his
improvements, and purchased a quarter section a half mile east of where Pine
postoffice now is, upon which he has ever since lived, engaged in general
farming and raising cattle and horses. 

Mr. Wood takes a quite active interest in political matters, supporting the
tenets of the Republcian party. In this connection it is of interest to record
that his father, Ezekiel, who lived and died in Vermont, cast his first vote
for William Henry Harrison, Whig candidate for president, and his last for
Benjamin Harrison. He died at the old homestead in Barre in 1889 at the age of
eighty-four. Our subject's mother, Emily (Foss) Wood, likewise a native of
Vermont died in the Green Mountain state at the age of sixty-six. Mr. Wood
handles a goodly number of fine sheep, in addition to his other enterprises.