Barbour County, West Virginia Biography of J. Hop. WOODS This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. 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. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 319 J. HOP. WOODS was the second son of Judge Samuel Woods. He was born at Philippi, West Virginia, on the 23rd of November, 1853, and died at Philippi on the 25th day of October, 1921. He was educated by private tutors, in the public schools, at the West Point Military Academy and at the West Virginia University. He came to the bar in 1879, and for a long time prac- ticed his profession in Barbour County with his father, the late Samuel Woods, under the firm name of Samuel Woods & Son, and until his father went on the bench as judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals. In Barbour County, where he resided and was respected and loved by everybody, he had a large and lucrative practice and he was an unusually diligent, studious and faithful lawyer in respect to every matter which was com- mitted to his care. He was remarkably studious and industrious to a de- gree, and never failed to make every effort and apply every energy to the successful performance of the many duties which were entrusted to his supervision, at a bar which during his time was composed of able, eloquent, successful and commanding lawyers, among whom he at- tained and always maintained the highest rank. At the time of his death he was the oldest and perhaps most honored member of the Barbour County bar. He was the president of the Barbour County Bar Association. He had been president of the West Virginia Bar Asso- ciation, and for the year 1921 he was a delegate to the National Bar Association from West Virginia, and at tended its meeting in Cincinnati. Mr. Woods was a deeply religious man of sincere and devout religious conviction. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of the finest Bible teachers the local church at Philippi ever had. He was happily married, had a beautiful home and enjoyed the companionship and society of his fellowmen. He lived with his head among the clouds, and he was a master of high thinking and had a deep and profound respect of all right living people. In 1898 he married Miss Jennie Canter, and they have one son, Neeson Canter Woods, who is in his twentieth year and is preparing himself for the legal profession. He has recently graduated from the Staunton Military Academy, and is now a student in college, and the hope of his father was that his son might become a lawyer and keep up the high standard of learning, capacity, and efficiency at the bar which has so long distinguished the talented family of lawyers through which he is descended. Mr. Woods was a consistent and out-spoken democrat, unusually proud and assertive of the political view which he entertained. He was an interesting, clear headed and convincing public speaker, and when at his best was a powerful and formidable adversary before the bar and before a jury. He was the kind of a man who did not ask nor expect any quarter at the bar from judge, jury or advocate, and was quick and ready to have them all understand that that was his attitude in every legal and forensic contest in which he was engaged as a lawyer or practitioner. Mr. Woods was dearly loved and his death was deeply deplored by all who knew him, and in the community where he lived he is greatly missed. His noble life and humble Christian fortitude stand as monuments among his neighbors which neither time nor tide can efface.