legheny College is located, and while there he worked at the trade of plasterer with his father. He entered this college where he graduated in 1842. He studied law with Fox Alden a noted lawyer of Pittsburg. He taught some years and was one of the teachers in the old acad emy at Morgantown, Virginia. In 1844, he married at Meadville, Pennsyl vania, Miss Isabella Neeson, a sister of James Neeson a prominent lawyer of Richmond, Vir ginia. In 1849, he moved to Philippi, Barbour County, Virginia, and began the practice of law. He soon by his ability, fidelity to liis clients, by his fine mental training and hon orable life achieved success and became the leading lawyer in his vicinity and one of the best in that part of Virginia. He made the most careful preparation of his cases, he was vigilant, prepared at every point, and in an emergency he was so well grounded in the law and so eloquent and convincing a speaker that he seldom lost a deserving cause. He was free from the habits that, in many cases, dwarf the body, deaden the soul, and weaken the intellect. He never used tobacco or spirituous liquors. It is said that on the walls of his office he placed the mortar board and trowel, the tools of his early trade, a continual remainder, I have no doubt, of his early hardships and the dignity of honest labor, and an incentive to the great success he achieved in his chosen profession. He was a man of fine literary taste, a lover of poetry, an adept in mathematics, a linguist of no mean pretensions, and so while the labors of the day in his profession were closed, he entered at home into sweet communion with his family and by his general reading broad ened and strengthened his mind. When the war came he was in doubt which pathway to take, that in the direction of the union or the other, with his State and toward the sunny south — the latter he chose, hon estly, I have no doubt, and faithful to the
cause he espoused he became attached to Stonewall Jackson's command and remained in the south until the Civil War ended. When he returned to his former home he resumed the practice of his profession and thereafter achieved even greater success than before. In 1871, he became a member of the Con stitutional Convention and was chairman of the committee on bill of rights and elections and did much toward securing the adoption of the new constitution of West Virginia. In January, 1883, he was appointed by Governor J. B. Jackson on the Supreme bench of West Virginia in the place of Judge Haymond who had resigned. At the general election in 1884, he was elected to fill this unexpired term. He was an able and con scientious judge and his long practice at the bar well fitted him for the position. In 1888, on the expiration of his term of office, he re tired from his profession to manage his pri vate business. In that year his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of LL.D., an honor well deserved. He was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity. An inci dent is said to have occurred while he was a member of the Supreme Court, perhaps with out parallel. He and Judge Johnson while holding court in Wheeling attended one of the meetings of Miss Jennie Smith, the re vivalist. While there a man was in deep mental distress at the anxious seat; both the judges were called upon to pray for the poor penitent, both responded and as is said half the Supreme Court of West Virginia were there on their knees wrestling with God for mercy for that poor distressed soul. Each by this act felt he had done his duty and neither was ever afterward ashamed of this humble part he had taken in behalf of the penitent. For many years Judge Woods was a faith ful and prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Judge Woods died suddenly on Febru ary 17, 1897; he left three daughters and three sons, the latter are all lawyers, worthy sons of a worthy sire.
