Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/474

This page needs to be proofread.

WOOD


WOOD


being afterwanl known as Bath, or the " Irish Set- tlement.") and had two sons, Pliilip and George. George Wolf was educated at the academy at Batli, studying Latin, Greek and the sciences under Rol)ert Andrews, Dublin. He taught in the academy for two years, was clerk in the pro- thonotary's office at Eastou, Pa., and studied law under the Hon. John Eoss. He was appointed postnia.ster of East on, by President Jefferson in 1801; was later clerk of the orphans' court of Northampton county until 1809, and in 181-4 was elected representative in the state legislature. He was a democratic representative in the 18th, 19th and 20th congresses, 1824-29, having been elected in 1824 in place of Thomas J. Rogers, re- signed, and taking his seat, Dec. 9, 1824. He was governor of Pennsylvania. 1829--35; U.S. comp- troller of the treasury, 1836-38, and collector of the port of Piiiladelphia, 1838-40. During his service in congress he favored protective tariffs, and while governor of Pennsylvania he labored for internal improvements. He was known as the father of the public school sj'stem. A gate- way erected in his memory at Easton, Pa., was unveiled. June 29, 1888. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., ^r.irch 11, 1840.

WOOD, James, governorof Virginia, was born in Frederick county, Va., in 1T47; son of Col. James Wood, founder of Winchester, Va., and clerk of Frederick county. He served as a pri- vate in the wars with the Indians, 17G3; was commissioned a captain of the state militia in 1764, and held a command against the Indians, 1774, He was married in 1775 to Jean (1754-1823), daughter of the Rev. John Moncure, who came from Kinoff, Scotland, to Virginia. Mrs. Wood ■was a founder (ISll) and the first president of the Temale Humane Association of Richmond, and published " Flowers and Weeds of the Old Do- minion " (1859). Captain Wood served as a com- missioner to negotiate a treaty with the western Indians in July, 1775; was a member from Fred- erick county, of the house of burgesses, 1776, and of the state constitutional convention of May 6, 1770. He was appointed on Nov. 12 of the latter year colonel of the 8th regiment, Virginia line; commanded at Cliarlottesville, Va., afterthe cap- ture of Burgoyne's army in 1778; served as su- perintendent of all the prisoners of war in Vir- ginia, 1781, and as president of the last state mili- tary board, an<l was commissioned brigadier-gen- eral of state troops in 1783. He was repeatedly a meml)er of the executive council from 1784 until his death, and liy virtue of seniority in thatl)ody, lieutenant-governor of Virginia; a presidential elector in 1789, and governor of Virginia, 1796- 99. He was a representative in the state legisla- ture twelve years; vice-president of the Society of the Cincinnati, 1789-1802, and president of the


same, 1802-13, and vice-president (1797) and presi- dent (1801) of the Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery in Virginia. Governor Wood was buried with military honors in St. John's churcli-yard in Richmond, Va. His name is perpetuated in Wood county in his native state. He <lied in Richmond, Va., July 16, 1813.

WOOD, James Frederic, R.C. archbishop, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 27, 1813. His father emigrated from England, and .settled in Philadelphia, where he establislied an importing business. James attended the school of St. Mary de Crypt. Gloucester, England, 1821-26; obtained employment as a clerk in a branch of the U.S. bank, at Cincinnati, Oliio, in 1828, and was teller in the Fi'anklin bank, 1833-36, and casliier in 1836. He joined the Roman Catholic cliurch, in April, 1836, and deciding to enter the priesthood, went to Rome, where he attended the College of the Propaganda,! 836-43. He was ordained, March 25, 1844, at Rome, by Cardinal Franzoni, and re- turned to Cincinnati, where he was assistant rec- tor in the cathedral, 1844-54, and pastor of St. Patrick's, 1854-57. He was consecrated bisliop coadjutor to Philadelphia, at Cincinnati, April


Ir



,Jfr


^^^^^


5T ftltP-" 5T


26, 1857, by Bishop Purcell, assisted by Bishops Neuman and Whelan, and on the death of Bishop Neuman, Jan. 5, 1860, succeeded him as Bisliop of Philadelphia. He completed the cathedral in 1864; and founded the seminary of St. Charles. In 1871 the diocese was divided into episcopal districts, and on June 17, 1875, he was created arclibishop. He attended the 1800tli anniversary of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Rome, in 1800. took an active part in the Vatican council of 1869, and in 1882 the twentj'-fifth anniversary of his elevation to the bisho])ric was celebrated at Piiiladelphia. He died in Pliihulelphia, Pa., June 20. 1883.

WOOD, Joseph, delegate, was born probably in Pennsylvania. lie was residing in Sunbury, jjarish of St. Jolin (now Liberty county), Ga.. in 1774, having purchased a plantation on North New Port river; entered the Revolutionary ser- vice; was promoted major, Jan. 4, 1776; lieuten- ant-colonel, July 29, and colonel of the 2d Penn-