Clark County WA Archives Biographies.....Wood, Colonel Wilburn Scott February 1, 1861 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com September 18, 2009, 4:44 pm Source: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company COLONEL WILBURN SCOTT WOOD is well known throughout southwestern Washington as one of the most capable and successful auctioneers in this part of the country, and also stands high in the business circles of Vancouver, where he has for many years been engaged in the furniture and house furnishings business. He was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 1st day of February, 1861, and is a son of James R. and Rebecca J. (Shanks) Wood, the latter of whom was born near New Boston, Illinois. James R. Wood was born in Indiana and was a son of John W. Wood, a native of Tennessee, who moved to Indiana in boyhood, and later became a resident of Rock Island, Illinois. He was a cabinetmaker by trade, and was also an ordained minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. James R. Wood was a veteran of the Civil war, being a member of Company K, One Hundred and Second Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served under Generals Sherman and Harrison, the latter subsequently becoming president of the United States. Mr. Wood was orderly for General Harrison and gave nearly three years of service to his country. After the close of the war he went to Gage county, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead, on which he lived for sixteen years, and successfully farmed. In 1882 James R. Wood and his family came to Washington, locating on Salmon creek, north of Vancouver, and the father’s death occurred in Vancouver in 1905, the mother passing away in 1910. The father and mother were members of the Grange and both were members of the Baptist church. They were the parents of seven children, namly: Wilburn Scott; James M., deceased, who was a school teacher and was engaged in business at Hood River, Oregon; Nettie E., the wife of J. B. Higdon, of Riverside, California, a brother of Colonel Wood’s wife; Louis W., who is engaged in the timber and logging business at White Salmon, Washington; Walter H., deceased; Ford E., of Pioneer, Washington; and O. Earl, deceased. Wilburn S. Wood secured his education training in the public schools of Nebraska, and after coming to Washington was for fourteen years engaged in farming in Clark county. In 1897 he came to Vancouver and, after a long and fruitless search for work, started a second-hand store in a small building near the ferry, for which he paid a rental of two dollars a month. This proved a successful venture and soon afterwards he moved to Third and Main Streets. Increasing business requiring more space, he next moved to another location on Main street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, where he remained for some time, his next location being at Fifth and Broadway streets, where he remained until coming to his present place at Ninth and Washington streets, where he has a large and well arranged store room. He has prospered during the passing years and is now the owner of two stores, in which he carries complete lines of furniture and home furnishings, also still doing some second- hand business. In all of his affairs he has shown sound business judgment and the success which has come to him has been the legitimate outcome of his perseverance, industry and wise management. Colonel Wood is an auctioneer, in which capacity he has served throughout this part of the state for the past twenty-eight years, having handled sales from The Dalles, Oregon, to Long Beach, Washington, and many in Multnomah county. He has had extraordinary success in this line and is regarded as one of the best auctioneers in southwestern Washington. In 1883 Colonel Wood was united in marriage to Miss Melissa Jane Higdon, who was born in Kansas and is a daughter of Joseph B. and Ann Eliza (Miller) Higdon. Her parents brought their family to Washington in 1876, locating at Flatwoods, now called Manor, and Mr. Higdon there became a prosperous farmer. Both parents are now deceased. Colonel and Mrs. Wood have six children, Maggie E., who was married to Loren Joy, a farmer and veteran of the Spanish-American war, and after his death she became the wife of Harry Penn, of Vancouver, is the mother of four children, Edna Joy, Inez, Owen and Gordon. Maude is the wife of C. Ewing, of Vancouver. Clyde W., who is associated with his father in business, was married to Miss Opal Bridenstine, a school teacher, and they have three children, Wilburn, Jean and Irma. Lester M., who is deceased, was formerly in the employ of his father, but when the United States entered the World war he tried to enlist, but was rejected. Determined to contribute his part towards the success of the war, he went to work in the shipyards at Vancouver, where he was employed until the close of the war. He then resumed his place with his father, but in November, 1926, was elected sheriff of Clark county. He was at once appointed deputy sheriff to serve as such until he should assume the office of sheriff, and in the latter capacity he was shot and killed on May 22, 1927, while in the performance of duty. Two of his deputies and a trusty had located an illicit still and went to it for the purpose of breaking up the equipment, but were driven away. They telephoned for the sheriff, who promptly answered the call, and he was shot from ambush, dying instantly. He was married to Miss Eanid Duggan and they had four children, Roy, Paul, Hugh and William. Willis E., who is operating his father’s ranch near Lewisville, was married to Miss Alice Smith and they have two children, Virginia and Shirley. Walter is in high school and is a member of the football team. Colonel Wood is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed through the chairs; the Woodmen of the World, in which he was an officer for a number of years; the Grange, the Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a director, and is a charter member of the Rotary Club. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church, of which the Colonel is a trustee, and Mrs. Wood is a member of the Rebekahs and the Ladies of Woodcraft. The Colonel has been a resident of Clark county and Vancouver continuously since coming to Washington. He has always shown a disposition to cooperate with his fellow citizens in all movements for the betterment of the community, and has given generously to the support of all worthy causes, and is regarded as one of Vancouver’s progressive and useful men, commanding the respect and confidence of all who know him. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 173-174 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/clark/bios/wood62gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb