WI BIO - Lafayette Co - WOOD, Henry

History of LaFayette County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, pp 
733-734 

Rev. Henry WOOD, retired, Darlington [Lafayette County, Wisconsin], was born 
11 November 1808 in Franklin County, Vermont. He grew up and attended school 
there, and studied medicine with Dr. HALL, the noted New England surgeon. 
When eighteen years of age Henry WOOD went to Michigan, and was clerk in a 
store. After a few years he returned to Vermont.

In 1834 Mr. WOOD came West to Wisconsin. When he arrived in Chicago, 
General. Zachary Taylor was then Colonel in command of old Fort Dearborn.* 
Mr. WOOD walked to Dixon [Lee County, Illinois], where he was robbed of all 
he had. He found a friend who aided him to complete his journey, and he 
arrived in Potosi, Grant County [Wisconsin], 02 June 1834. He engaged in 
mining, and in the fall of the same year 1834] went back to Vermont after his 
wife, and they returned to Potosi, reaching there 26 June 1834.

Mr. [p 734] WOOD having studied medicine and there being no physician there 
[Potosi], he was frequently called upon to attend the sick, and this demand 
increased so that it occupied most of the time. Three years after coming 
there, they removed to Lancaster [Grant County, Wisconsin], where he engaged 
in farming near the town. He was the first County Commissioner elected in 
Grant County, and was three times elected to the same position, holding the 
office for nine years. Gov. DODGE sent him a commission as Magistrate, but 
he declined to serve. He [Henry WOOD] was appointed Judge of Probate, and 
was afterward elected to the same office. He also held the office of County 
Treasurer.

Henry WOOD lived in Lancaster [Grant County, Wisconsin] for fifteen years and 
then joined the Conference and engaged in preaching. He continued preaching 
for eight years, and on account of overwork his health failed. He was 
obliged to give up preaching, and removed to Kendalville [Kendalltown, in 
Kendall Township], this county [Lafayette], where he owned half a section of 
land.

In August 1832 he [Henry WOOD] was united in marriage to Miss Maria TORRY, 
who was born in Franklin County, Vermont. His wife [Maria (TORRY) WOOD], 
with whom he had lived happily for forty-four years, died 29 October 1876, 
leaving one daughter, Helen, now Mrs. Joseph B. CHANDLER of Chicago. They 
lost one son, Hubbel, while he was attending college at Appleton [Outagamie 
County], Wisconsin. Mr. WOOD spends his summers at his home in Darlington 
[Lafayette County, Wisconsin], and his winters in Chicago [Cook County, 
Illinois].

[* Old Fort Dearborn, near the mouth of the main branch of the Chicago River, 
built from over five years from 1803 to 1808, was burned, following the Fort 
Dearborn Massacre on 15 August 1812. Fort Dearborn was rebuilt in 1816. 
Colonel Zachary TAYLOR, who had been commissioned a Colonel by President 
Andrew JACKSON in 1832 and put in command of Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, 
Crawford County, Wisconsin, remained in command of that fort until 1836, when 
he was sent to Florida. Thus when Mr. WOOD came to Wisconsin in 1834, old 
Fort Dearborn had not existed for twelve years, and Zachary Taylor was still 
commanding at Fort Crawford. What remained of new Fort Dearborn, long before 
abandoned and partly torn down, was also consumed by flames, burning during 
the great Chicago fire in 1871.] 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly