WI BIO - Green Co - WOOD, John

History of Green County, Wisconsin. Springfield, IL: Union Publishing, 1884, 
p 709

John WOOD, one of the pioneers of Green County [Wisconsin], was born 13 
February 1818 in the city of Philadelphia [Philadelphia County, 
Pennsylvania]. When he was quite young his parents moved to Northampton 
County [Pennsylvania], and lived a short time, then moved to Center County 
[Centre County, Pennsylvania] and remained until fifteen years of age, then 
moved to Preble County, Ohio. There Mr. WOOD was employed on public works 
for some time. When sixteen years old he took a contract to grade on a 
turnpike from Hamilton City [Butler County, Ohio] to Eaton [Preble County, 
Ohio], a distance of twenty-four miles.

It was 1839 that he [John WOOD] first came to Wisconsin and located in Green 
County. He first engaged in the lead mines for six months, near Monroe, then 
engaged with Vansant, Deniston & Irion [Abner VAN SANT, his son-in-law John 
W. DENISTON, and Hanson IRON] to operate their saw mill [VANSANT and DENISTON 
operated a feed, later flour mill, on Honey Creek southwest of Monroe about 
1840], and continued in their employ three years, then went to Browntown 
[Green County, Wisconsin], and in company with William BROWN and Henson 
[Hanson] IRION, erected a saw mill.

In 1844 he [John WOOD] was married in 1844 to Clarissa, daughter of Joshua 
and Hannah (WHITCOMB) WOOD. In 1850 he left his family at Mr. WHITCOMB's and 
went to California across the plains, and was about five months on the trip. 
Upon his arrival, he engaged in mining. In 1852 he sent home money, and his 
people purchased a tract of land on Section 31, Albany Township. He 
continued to mine in California until 1856, then started on his return, not 
across the plains, but across the Isthmus, thence to New York. On his 
arrival here he settled on his land on Section 31, and now has the place in 
good state of cultivation, and is engaged in mixed farming.

Mrs. WOOD [the first wife of John WOOD] died in 1865, leaving seven children 
[the children of John and Clarissa (WOOD) WOOD], six of whom are now living: 
Robert Emmett, John Q., Flora A., Anson C., Joshua W., and Frank. His second 
wife, to whom he was married in 1868, was Jane MILLER, widow of John BELL. 
Formerly Mr. WOOD was a Whig, but became a Republican upon the organization 
of that party. Religiously, he has no settled belief.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly