Rev. Henry Woods, D.D., p. 212

REV. HENRY WOODS, D. D. This well known educationist is a native of Missouri, born in Marion county, July 2, 1838. He is of Irish descent, his great-great-grandfather having emigrated from his native land, Ireland, to America, making, in 1730, a settlement in Chester county, where he carried on farming.

Andrew Woods, great-grandfather of our subject, was born, reared and married in Chester county, whence he moved to Virginia, where he died. Two of his children were named Andrew and Archibald, of whom Andrew was born in Botetourt county, Va., near Charlottesville, and received his education at the public schools of the period. When a young man, he left the paternal roof and made a settlement in Wheeling (now in West Virginia), at that time a fort and trading post, and for a number of years he carried on farming. He married Mrs. McCullough (nee Mitchell), widow of Major McCullough, an Indian fighter of considerable repute. On one occasion, the Indians having succeeded in surrounding him, he made a leap with his horse over a precipice that has since been known as "McCullough's Leap." The children born to this union were Jane (who married Rev. James Hoge, the pioneer minister of the presbytery of Columbus, where he preached for over half a century), Andrew, Samuel, Margaret (Mrs. Dr. Martin L. Todd), Robert, Alfred, and Ann (Mrs. Dr. Archibald Todd). The father of this family was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, of Wheeling, of which he was one of the founders and one of the first elders. In politics he was a Whig of the old school.

Andrew Woods, father of Henry, was born June 17, 1793, in Wheeling, Va. (now W. Va.), and, at the schools of the place, such as they were a hundred years ago, he received a liberal education. In 1821 he was married to Rebecca, daughter of James Brison, of Pittsburgh, and their children were James B., of New Orleans, La.; Oliver, deceased ; Luther, in St. Louis, Mo.; John, in San Diego, Cal.; Archie; in St. Louis, Mo.; Andrew Alfred, in New Orleans, La.; Henry, and Francis M., pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Martinsburgh, W. Va. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Woods removed to Belmont county, Ohio, where he was engaged in milling and farming for some years. In 1837, they first moved to Marion county, Mo., returned to Belmont County, Ohio, in 1839; but in 1844 removed to Missouri and there died, the mother in 1851, the father in 1873. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics, Mr. Woods was a Whig originally, but during the period of the Civil war he became identified with the Democratic party.

Rev. Henry Woods, whose name heads this sketch, attended school in his native State part of the year, and when fourteen years of age he entered the academy at Morgantown, W. Va., where he remained three years, and then entered the junior class of Washington College, from which he was graduated in 1857. After this he taught at Morgantown, W. Va., two years, at the end of which time (in 1859) he entered the Western Theological Seminary, at Allegheny, from which he graduated in 1862. He received the degree of D. D. from Westminster College, in 1879. Mr. Woods now entered the pastorate, his first charge being the First Presbyterian Church of Steubenville, Ohio, of which he remained pastor for five years, or until 1867, when he accepted the professorship of ancient languages in Washington and Jefferson College. In 1869 the departments of Instruction were rearranged and he was appointed to the chair of Latin. Professor Woods has ever since been connected with this institution, and partly to his untiring efforts is to be credited the high standard which the college has attained, in the classical department, among the prominent educational institutions of the country. On June 15, 1863, Rev. Woods was united in marriage with Mary L., daughter of Hon. John Hoge and Ellen (Blaine) Ewing, of whom considerable mention is made elsewhere. Seven children have been born to them, three of whom died in early childhood; the survivors are: Margaret, now a missionary in China, married to Rev. William B. Hamilton; Mary; John E., in Pittsburgh, and Frances H. For the past twenty two years our subject has served as pastor of the East Buffalo Church, in Buffalo township. In his political predilections he was formerly a Whig; but since the organization of the Republican party has been identified with it. CHARLES B. WOOD, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Monongahela, is a son of Samuel A. Wood, a native of Virginia, whose family were of English birth. Samuel A. Wood was married to Lucy M. Curl, of Virginia, whose mother was a relative of Chief-justice Gibson, of Pennsylvania.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wood were: Joshua G., an attorney of Topeka, Kans.; Thomas S., who died in 1892, was principal of one of the Allegheny schools; Louis M., an architect of Denver, Colo.; Charles B., whose name opens this sketch; Mary G., living in Brownsville, Penn., and Lucy, deceased. The parents are now living in Brownsville, Fayette county, retired from active business. Both are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Charles B. Wood was born at Brownsville, Fayette county, Penn., where he passed his youth. He attended Oberlin College for four years, then read medicine with Dr. W. S. Duncan, of Brownsville, and completed his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1876. He practiced at Monongahela for ten years, then attended the Polyclinic of New York, and in 1889 took a course in special studies at the Polyclinic Hospital and Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia. In 1887 he married Carrie, daughter of Hon. George V. Lawrence, of Monongahela. One son, Lawrence, blessed their union. Dr. Wood has given special study to the eye and ear, but is a general practitioner, and since 1881 has been surgeon for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He is what every true physician must be, enthusiastically devoted to his calling. His reputation is not confined to this domain, however, for Dr. Wood is equally a favorite in social and business circles, where his original ideas and store of information are ever fully appreciated. In politics he is a Republican, "born and bred," and has served as a member of the school board of Monongahela. He is a member of the American Medical Association; Pennsylvania State Medical Society; National Association of Railway Surgeons; and Washington County Medical Society.

Text taken from page 212 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]