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Prof. Daniel E. WOODS is a son of John Blackburn and Martha (PACE) WOODS, and was born in Lawrence County, Mo., March 9, 1846. He was educated in the common schools of his native county, and graduated from the Waynesburg College of Pennsylvania, and the National School of Oratory at Philadelphia, Penn., completing his college course in 1877. He was married July 4, 1876, to Miss Emily LAVERELL, of Philadelphia, and in the spring of 1878 returned to Lawrence County and settled on his farm of 200 acres. In the years of 1879-80 he was assistant in the college at Marionville, Mo., and then became principal of the public school of Greenfield, when, in compliance with his father's wishes, he returned to his home in Lawrence County. In 1886 he erected suitable buildings on his farm and opened a select school, making a specialty of music, painting and elocution. He is ably assisted by his wife and her sister, Miss May LAVERELL, and offers excellent inducements to worthy young men who are unable to attend more expensive institutions of learning. He employs them on his farm to enable them to pay their way through school. In 1888 he enlarged his school buildings to enable him to accommodate the needs of his school, and is thus ready to offer inducements unsurpassed by many of the older and more pretentious institutions of like character. His wife was born in Bucks County, Penn., in 1851, and was educated in the schools of her native State. She received her musical education some of the best professors of music in the city of Philadelphia, and since coming to Mount Vernon has taught music in the town and surrounding country when not engaged in the school. Prof. Woods is an intelligent man and able instructor, and his school, although in its infancy, promises to be one of the best in Southwest Missouri. To him and wife were born the following children: Roland D., Joseph S., Bessie L., Lawrence H. and William W. The family worship in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and the Professor is a Republican in his political views.
pages 278-280
John H. WOODS, one of Lawrence County's leading teachers was born in
Haywood County, Tenn., July 4, 1834, at the same hour of the day when John
Hancock is said to have signed the Declaration of Independence. He is a
son of Judge John Blackburn and Martha H. (PACE) WOODS. The Woods family
came to America about the middle of the eighteenth century and located in
North Carolina. John Woods, the great-grandfather of our subject, left
North Carolina, a few years after landing in America and located at Fort
Nashville, Tenn., where he reared his family, and took an active interest
in the early settlement of Tennessee, and in the Indian wars. His sons,
Oliver (the grandfather of John H.) and William, took active parts in the
War of 1812, William especially distinguishing himself at the battle of New
Orleans. After the war they returned to Tennessee and engaged in the
occupation of farming. Oliver was born in the fort near Nashville, and was
married in 1804, settling in Bedford County on a farm. He was well
educated, and taught school in both Tennessee and Missouri. He was a fine
musician, and also taught vocal music. In 1838 he came to Lawrence County,
Mo., and located on the farm now owned by his son Daniel. He began life
with little or no capital, but by energy and good management became one of
the wealthy land-holders of the county, owning 1,700 acres of land on and
near Ozark Prairie. He was a strong Union man during the war, and was
taken prisoner by the Confederates and robbed of all his personal property.
After the battle of Wilson's Creek he was elected judge of the county
court on the Republican ticket, and was re-elected in 1868. In 1870 he
retired from office, but always took an active part in politics in the
interest of the Republic party, and was identified with all temperance
reforms, and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. As his children married
and went to homes of their own, he gave them 160 acres of land. He also
gave them good educational advantages, and built the first school-house in
his district, at his own expense. He died August 11, 1884, after living a
good and useful life. His wife, Martha (Pace) Woods, was born in Lebanon,
Tenn., April 13, 182, and was of Irish birth, her ancestors locating in
Greenbriar, Va., previous to the Revolutionary War. Grandfather Pace
served during that struggle. His father, William, was one of the signers
of the Declaration of Independence. Henning PACE, the father of Mrs.
Woods, was one of twelve brothers who took an active interest in the early
Indian wars, and the War of 1812, and was at the battle of Horseshoe Bend.
Mrs. Woods became the mother of eight children, six of whom lived to have
families of their own, and all were school-teachers. She resides with her
son Daniel on the old home farm. She is a descendant of the BRADSHAW
family on her mother's side, who were among the prominent families of
Tennessee. Her brother Gideon, while sheriff of Haywood County, Tenn.,
arrested the noted Tennessee bandit, John MERRILL. John H. Woods received
a good education, and in 1855 began teaching school in Lawrence County, and
between his terms of school taught vocal music and penmanship. In 1857 he
entered the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., attending the literary
and theological departments for two years. In 1860 he entered the law
department of the same college, and graduated May 11, 1861. January 1,
1860, he was married in Alabama, where he was teaching school at the time,
to Mary E. CALDWELL. He also practiced medicine, which he had studied at
school, on the plantations of Alabama. At the breaking out of the war he
sided with the Union cause, and went to White Plains, Ala., where he
engaged in teaching school and organizing Union leagues. He was
conscripted by the rebel authorities in October, 1862, and was kept under
guard in the conscription camps until his connection with the Union leagues
was discovered, when he was manacled, and kept in close confinement at
Mobile, Ala., but was afterward taken to Atlanta, Ga.; then to Wartrace,
Tenn., to be tried on the charge of organizing secret societies for the
purpose of breaking up the Confederacy, but, owing to the advance of Gen.
ROSECRANS, he was removed, tried, and condemned to be shot in August, 1863,
but escaped death by the second advance of Gen. Rosecrans. After the
battle of Chickamauga he was taken to Atlanta and again thrown into prison,
with 900 other prisoners, Gen. Neal DOW, Capt. Hiram GLAZIER and Pleasant
M. SMALLWOOD being among the number. He was taken to Missionary Ridge to
be shot, but through the influence of Gen. STEWART, one of the professors
of the college where he graduated, the execution was delayed, and he was
again taken to Atlanta and kept in irons until July 11, 1864, when he was
put to work on the fortifications, but in company with sixty other
prisoners succeeded in making his escape, and reached the Union lines
August 11, 1864. He made a sketch of the rebel fortifications, which he
handed over to Gen. SHERMAN, together with other valuable information. He
remained at headquarters for some time, and then went to Chattanooga and
enlisted in a New York regiment, and was put on detail duty at Elmyra, N.
Y., as drill master and clerk of the post guard-house. He was discharged
May 11, 1865, and returned to his home in Lawrence County. He began
teaching school at Mount Vernon in 1866, and was elected county school
commissioner, on the Republican ticket, and in 1868 was appointed deputy
postmaster of Mount Vernon. During the war he lost the use of one of his
eyes, and in 1874 the other failed, and he was compelled to retire to his
farm. He receives a well-deserved pension. He has a fine farm of 780
acres, and has given each of his two sons 160 acres. His wife was born
near White Plains, Ala., June 17, 1842, and was a daughter of Samuel
CALDWELL, of Benton County, Ala. He was an extensive planter and trader,
and was a strong Union man during the war, and served as a pilot to the
Union troops when they passed through Alabama. In 1865 Mrs. Woods rejoined
her husband in Missouri, and brought her sisters with her. She died
December 6, 1885, having borne five children, two of whom are living:
Samuel B., born August 11, 1862, and David C., born August 21, 1870. Mr.
Woods has offered the site on which to build a church, and has made a
liberal donation in money, the same to be put under the control of the W.
C. T. U. The Woods family have always been prominent people of Lawrence
County, and have taken a deep interest in public enterprises. Mr. Woods
has offered ten acres of land on which to build a church, and has given
another ten acres for a celebration and picnic ground.
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Richard C. WOODS, nurseryman and fruit grower, was born in Centre County,
Penn., January 27, 1821. His grandfather, George WOODS, left England and
crossed the ocean to America before the Revolutionary War. He located in
Centre County, Penn., and was one of the first settlers of the county. He
owned the greater part of Woods Township, which was afterward changed to
Gregg Township, and was one of the leading men of the county. He left each
of his children a good farm at his death. John WOODS, father of Richard
C., was reared in Centre County, Penn., and in 1804 he married Miss Mary
WOODS and settled on a farm in Cente County. She was born in Cumberland
County, Penn., and was of English descent. Seven children were born to
their marriage, six sons and one daughter, Richard C being the only one now
living. John Woods was one of the leading farmers and millers of the
county, owning and operating a large saw-mill, woolen mill and carding
machines. He died in 1821. His widow remained on the old home place, and
reared her family. She died in 1841. Richard C. Woods attended the common
schools of Pennsylvania, and took a full literary course at Jefferson
College, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1848. In 1841 he began
teaching school, and after finishing at college he made teaching his
profession. He taught one year in the graded schools of Birmingham, Penn.,
and then moved to Indiana, where he taught one year in the Brownstown
Seminary. He taught in the graded schools of that State for four years,
and then moved to Illinois, and located in Clay County, where he served as
deputy circuit clerk for four years. In 1861 he married Miss Abigail CARR,
a native of Washington County, Ind., and the daughter of Elijah CARR. This
union was blessed by the birth of two children, George E. and Ida V. Mr.
Woods followed farming in Illinois for a number of years, and then moved to
Missouri and located on the farm where he now lives, in Lawrence County.
He here engaged in fruit growing and nursery business. During the last few
years he has devoted most of his time to the growing of the various kinds
of small fruits. He has forty acres of land two miles southeast of Mount
Vernon, most of which he has in fruit, thirty acres set to apple trees, and
has the largest orchard in the county; he makes a specialty of raising the
finest varieties of fruit.
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