James M. Woods Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1636-1637 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	JAMES M. WOODS, of near Rapid City, was born on April 24, 1835, in 
Boone county, Missouri, the family having moved to that county a short 
time previous from Madison county, Kentucky. His father had a store at 
Columbia in that county and one at Independence also. The son grew to 
manhood in that state and received his early education in its district 
schools, afterward entering the State University when it was a very 
small college. After attending this institution two terms he moved to 
Colorado in ~85I. There he was engaged in mercantile business in 
partnership with his brother several years, then passed some time near 
Salt Lake City, after which he began freighting between Cheyenne and 
points in Montana and also conducted mercantile houses at Wausage and 
Bear river in Montana. He continued these enterprises until 1870, when 
he went to Nebraska City where he had a large farm, and where he 
remained until 1876. He then organized a train at Nebraska City for an 
expedition to the Black Hills by way of Kearney. For this enterprise he 
recruited one hundred and sixty men and brought the train through 
without mishap. This was the first train to enter the hills for 
settlement, and arrived where Custer City now stands on April 26th, and 
from there went on to Deadwood, which it reached early in May. There 
were no roads through this country at that time and they were obliged to 
cut their way through with great difficulty. About May 10th they started 
from Deadwood for Rapid City, then a hamlet of about one hundred 
inhabitants. Establishing himself here, he returned to Nebraska City and 
from there went to St. Louis and bought goods which the freighted from 
Pierre to Deadwood, among his purchases being the first safe brought 
into the Hills. He then opened the first monetary institution at 
Deadwood, which was known as the Miners and Mechanics' Bank. The 
properties and franchises of this were afterward sold to the First 
National Bank when that was organized, the safe being bought by the 
United States government for use in the land office at Deadwood. Here he 
made his home and until 1883 freighted and carried on other business 
between that place and Nebraska City, having contracts to furnish timber 
to the Homestake and other mines. He was besides prominent and active in 
the public life of the place and aided largely in its development. In 
the spring of 1883 he came to Rapid City and bought land in different 
localities, purchasing with other tracts about five thousand acres on 
Elk creek. He at once engaged in the cattle industry, bringing large 
herds from Texas, often as many as twenty thousand in one season. From 
that time on he has been one of the most extensive cattle growers in the 
state. Until 1890 his brother and another gentleman were associated with 
him, the firm name being Woods, White & Woods. Since the year last named 
he has been alone in his stock business. In 1891 he bought his present 
home ranch on Rapid creek, five miles from Rapid City, which is one of 
the finest properties in the valley. The land is all under irrigation 
and much of it is in an advanced state of tillage and productiveness; 
and the improvements are in keeping with its character and the 
enterprise of the proprietor. Mr. Woods was one of the founders of the 
Pennington County Bank and for a number of years was a heavy stockholder 
in the First National Bank of Rapid City. In political faith he is an 
unwavering Democrat and for long has been a leader of his party and a 
man of great influence in local public affairs. He was the first 
Democrat elected mayor of Rapid City, a position in which he served two 
terms. He was at one time the nominee of his party for the United States 
house of representatives, and although there was a large majority in the 
district against his side, he made a gallant race and succeeded in 
cutting down the majority considerably, his being the best run ever 
known here. He was a member of Governor Lee's staff, with the rank of 
colonel, for four years, and was national committeeman for the territory 
during Cleveland's first term as president. In this position he served 
eight years with great usefulness and acceptability. In 1902 he was 
nominated for the state senate, but declined the nomination, and every 
state and county convention for years has offered him some nomination, 
he being the most widely known Democrat in this part of the country. Mr. 
Woods has an elegant city home at Rapid where he has lived for a number 
of years, although during this time he has passed a large portion of his 
time at Des Moines, Iowa, where he has extensive land interests, owning 
some of the finest tracts in the vicinity of the city, with some also 
near Omaha, Nebraska. He is president of the Western Dakota Land and 
Horse Company, of which he and his family are the principal 
stockholders. 

	In 1857, in Boone county, Missouri, Mr. Woods was married to Miss 
Matilda Stone, a native of that state. They have seven children, Madison 
D., Annie E. (Mrs. Garth), Frances J., Edward C., Paul S., Matilda and 
Martha. Paul is cashier and principal stockholder of the First National 
Bank at Kingman Kansas. Charles E. is cashier and principal stockholder 
of the First National Bank at Liberal, in the same state, Frances J. is 
a graduate of the Pennsylvania Female Medical College. During the 
Spanish-American war she was attached to the Oregon Corps and spent a 
year in the Philippines. Since her return she has attained prominence as 
a lecturer and organizer in the interest of woman suffrage. Matilda is a 
graduate of Wellesley College and is now an instructor in the State 
School of Mines, at Rapid City.