William Wood

Posted by Tamara Carney USGenWeb

Weik, Jesse W.,
A.M. Weik’s History of Putnam County Indiana,
B. F. Bowen and Co., 1910, pp. 554-555.

One of Putnam county's hardy pioneers who has long since joined 'the
innumerable caravan that moves to the pale realms of shade,' but who
left a rich inheritance behind him, not so much in worldly goods but in
the remembrance of good deeds and a clean life, was William Wood, who
was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, in 1780, where he grew to
maturity and married Sarah, and it was in 1828 that they emigrated to
Putnam county, Indiana, locating near the present Brick Chapel, Monroe
township [sic], having made the long trip overland on horseback,
bringing their first born four children. Entering land here, they began
life in true pioneer fashion, spending the balance of their lives on
this farm. Mr. Wood dying in 1843 and Mrs. Wood in 1846. They were
Methodists and members of the first class organization of this
denomination that met at Brick Chapel, and they are buried in the
cemetery there. Their family consisted of seven children, named as
follows: Susan married Edward Rogers and lived near Bainbridge until he
died; she died in this county when past eighty years of age; William C.;
Sarah married Willis Carter and lived near Rochester, Indiana, both
dying at advanced ages; Polly, Mrs. Sam Parker, resided in Fulton county
[sic], Indiana, and is buried there; Willis Wood died unmarried; Nelson
Wood married first, Millie Vermillion and second, Catherine Leatherman;
he had four children; she later married Mr. Rundel; Nancy Ann married
William McCray and they both died in Monroe township [sic], the latter
in 1909, at the advanced age of ninety-two years; Dolph Wood lived in
this county, married Rachael Leatherman, sister of Catherine, and lived
and died in Madison township [sic] when past seventy years of age.
William Wood was born July 22, 1811, in Botetourt county [sic],
Virginia, and died August 7, 1861. He married Lucinda Stark, who was
born March 30, 1823, and who died May 11, 1885, February 14, 1839, being
celebrated as their wedding day. She was the daughter of Thomas and
Gatie Stark, and she was born in Bourbon county [sic], Kentucky, and
when a child came to Indiana, locating near the Brick Chapel in Monroe
township [sic]. Thomas Stark was born October 29, 1791, and died May 3,
1859. Under the old state militia order, Governor Combs appointed
William Wood second lieutenant of a company in Col. James Fish’s
regiment. Mrs. William Wood spent her life in Clinton township on the
farm of which the present Nelson place is a part. He owned one hundred
and sixty-nine acres and built a good house near a fine spring and there
William Wood lived and died, being fairly successful as a farmer; his
death occurred August 7, 1861, being survived by his wife until May 11,
1885. They were Methodists and are both buried in the cemetery at Brick
Chapel in the same lot as their parents on both sides.   Twelve
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. William Wood, ten of whom reached
maturity, namely: Sarah A. lives with Nelson Wood; Arthur lives in
Champaign, Illinois; Nelson, whose sketch appears in another page of
this work; Mary married Richard Fisk and lives in Wilson county [sic],
Kansas; Jane married Miller Wilson and both died in Indianapolis; Andrew
was killed when eighteen years of age by the accidental discharge of a
gun; Hayden lives in Clinton township; Nancy Ann is the wife of William
Shonkwiler, of Benton county [sic], Indiana; Susan G. married Harvey
McDonald and died when a young woman; William C. died when sixteen years
of age; Benjamin F. died in childhood; Lucinda also died in childhood.
It is a fact worth recording that in 1852 William Wood, then
township supervisor and working the road on the township line between
Monroe and Clinton townships [sic] when ex-county commissioner, Elisha
Cowgill passed and suggested that Mr. Wood name the hill or the creek
and that he would name the other, giving Mr. Wood his choice, and the
latter gave the name of Big Owl to the creek, which it still bears. Mr.
Cowgill named the place Bunker Hill [sic]. William Wood was a Whig and
later a Republican, being well posted on all public affairs, but would
not accept office. He was a worthy Methodist, also a worthy member of
the Masonic fraternity. He was charitable to the afflicted and needy, a
good neighbor and friend. He was widely known and highly respected, his
integrity and honor being above reproach. He was noted for his kindness
in sickness and went far and near to wait on the afflicted.

File Created: 2007-Mar-17