WI BIO - Lafayette Co - WOODS, James

History of LaFayette County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 
734

James WOODS, retired, Darlington, Lafayette County, Wisconsin, was born 14 
September 1804 in New York State. In 1810, when only six years of age, he 
moved with his parents to Shawneetown [then in Randolph County; in 
Gallatin County since its formation in 1812], Illinois [Illinois Territory 
until the State of Illinois created in 1818]. After reaching manhood he 
started for the lead mining regions of Galena [Jo Daviess County, Illinois]; 
there were nineteen of them that came on foot. Before reaching their 
destination, at times they waded through water waist deep and had to break 
the ice to do so.

They [the nineteen miners] arrived in Galena on 07 March 1827. Mr. [James] 
WOODS had only twenty-five cents in his pocket, and with that he bought a 
small loaf of bread, which he divided with his brother who did not have a 
cent. They spent that night at HARDY's furnace, and the next day came to 
Gratiot's furnace.* The following day he hired out to a man for $12 a month, 
and his brother agreed to work for the same man for his board. Mr. WOODS 
helped to build the first ash furnace [used to recover lead from the slag 
that resulted from smelting] ever built in his section. [This would have 
probably been before 1835, since DRUMMOND invented an improved version that 
year.], He [James WOODS] was all through the Mineral Point mining region in 
1829. [Mineral Point became part of Iowa County, Michigan Territory, when 
that county was created in 1829. The Territory of Wisconsin was formed 20 
April 1836, and the State of Wisconsin created 29 May 1948.]

Mr. [James] WOODS returned to Sangamon County [Illinois; note author does not 
state when he was previously there], and, on 10th of March 1831 [in Sangamon 
County, Illinois?], he was united in marriage to Miss Nancy GRAHAM, a native 
of Kentucky. Only a few years later Mr. and Mrs. WOODS came to Lafayette 
County [Wisconsin], and located in the Town of Wiota, where he made a farm 
and engaged in farming. He was one of the earliest settlers there. There 
were plenty of Indians here then [text omitted here]. Mr. WOODS used to 
grate their own corn meal when they could not go to a mill; they used to card 
their own wool, and Mrs. WOODS would spin and weave it, and make their own 
clothes. He made the first loom ever made in this part of the State. They 
continued farming until a few years ago, when he sold his place and came to 
Darlington. When they began life they had nothing, and their success is 
owing to their own efforts. They [James and Nancy (GRAHAM) WOODS] have had 
ten children, none of whom are living. Mr. WOODS is one of the oldest 
settlers now living in this State, and there are very few who remember more 
clearly the incidents of the early days than he does.

[* Hardy's furnace was one of five smelters under the jurisdiction of the 
Superintendent of U. S. Lead Mines in operation in August 1825 . (p 413) In 
a list of persons who mined prior to 1830 (p 423), Joseph HARDY is recorded 
as having raised 107,492 [pounds] of lead prior to 01 January 1830, but he 
was already in the Fever River region [Galena] in 1823, when Dr. MEEKER came 
there. (p 404) Thus the date given when James WOOD and his brother spent the 
night at Hardy's furnace (07 March 1827) and their coming to Gratiot's 
furnace the next day is appropriate. The placement of James WOODS and his 
brother is also appropriate, since John P. B. and Henry Gratiot operated six 
or more smelters about two miles east of New Diggings. Mining on unleased U. 
S. lands was regulated by the Superintendent of United States Lead Mines, and 
licenses to purchase lead ore for smelting were issued as early as 1825, 
valid for a period of one year.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly