Biography - REUBEN O. WOOD

Capt. Reuben O. Wood, one of the leading and most substantial farmers of Macoupin County, residing on what was his deceased father's home farm, consisting of 330 acres, situated in sections 16, 17, 20 and 21, Bunker Hill township, was born on this farm, November 30, 1845. He is a son of Jonathan L. and Aurora B. (Foster) Wood.

Many of the old families of Macoupin County have interesting histories in the records of the lives of their ancestors, who have taken prominent parts in the affairs of their times. Such is the case with the Wood family. Our subject's great-grandfather, Samuel Wood, was born in England and came to America in 1754, during the progress of the French and Indian War and was with General Washington at Fort Duquesne and fought under the same commander in the Revolutionary War; tradition says that at one time he was Washington's private secretary. After the close of the war, he lived for a number of years in Loudoun County, Virginia, later removed to North Carolina and thence to Washington County, Tennessee, which he probably helped to organize, as he was one of its earliest justices of the peace, holding his first court at Jonesboro, the county seat. His children were: William, James, Samuel, Thomas, Abram, George and John.

Thomas Wood, grandfather of our subject, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, in 1779, moved to Kentucky in 1805, and later made a prospecting trip to Illinois, where he entered land. Before he could settle here, however, he died, in 1835, aged 55 years. Thus Macoupin County lost a pioneer of more than usual worth, a man of substance and of temperance and industry. He loyally assisted General Jackson in the preparations for the battle of New Orleans in 181 5, helping to dig the saltpetre used for the manufacture of the powder which made the old rifles of the Kentucky and Tennessee troops do such effective work. He married Mary Bayless, who was born in North Carolina, and they had three sons and four daughters born to them, namely: Jonathan L., Reuben B., William, Mrs. Annie Cross, Mrs. Margaret Campbell, Mrs. Mary Reneau and Mrs. Meriba Ewing.

All of the sons and daughters of Thomas Wood or their descendants remained in the South except Jonathan L. Wood, father of our subject, who was born in Washington County, Tennessee, January 18, 1803, and removed with his parents to Cumberland County, Kentucky, when two years of age, remaining there until 26 years old. In 1829 he came to Illinois, and followed his trade of millwright and wagonmaker at Edwardsville, Madison County, for one year and in the spring of 1830 entered 80 acres of land in Bunker Hill township, Macoupin County. He later increased his holdings by another tract of 120 acres and subsequently added other tracts. Prior to settling down to work, he spent one year at his books, in Shurtleff College, at Upper Alton, and then entered into an eight-year contract, from 1832 to 1840, with Elijah Lincoln, a noted "boss" millwright and contractor, and with him assisted in the building of some of the largest mills in Central and Southern Illinois. In 1840 he moved to the present Wood homestead and built a wagonmaking shop, which still stands, with the old tools. Mr. Wood married shortly after and spent the remainder of his life principally in farming, and died here in 1887. Until 1856 he was a Democrat, but as the party departed from its old ideals, he saw more hope for the country in the Republican party then coming to the front, and used his influence in assisting in its organization and until the close of his life voted its ticket. He belonged to the old State militia, and held a number of the township offices, being a man of more liberal education than many of his associates. He was a member of the Woodburn Baptist Church. He was married December 5, 1840, to Aurora B. Foster, who was born in Oxford County, Maine, September 5, 1811, and now resides with our subject at the advanced age of 92 years, the object of much tender care. She recalls the journey made when she was seven years of age, in 1819, when her father settled at Alton, Illinois, and of taking dinner at Edwardsville, on Washington's birthday, in 1819. Her father drove by carriage the distance from Maine to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where the family embarked with entire outfit on a fiat-boat, which took them to Shawneetown, Illinois, where they arrived in January, 18 19. Her parents were Oliver and Hannah (Eldred) Foster, the former of whom was born in New Hampshire, and the latter at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Both died at Fosterburg, Madison County, a town named in honor of Oliver Foster. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Foster were: Emira, Mary, Aurora B., Lenora, Rosaviva, Oliver P., Alonzo, Eldred J., Monroe and Micah. The last named makes his home with our subject; he has had an adventurous life, having been lost to the family for some 45 years. He crossed the plains in 1859 to Pike's Peak, Colorado, and engaged in freighting and mining and afterward in ranching in California and Arizona, in the last mentioned occupation being much annoyed by the depredations of prowling Indians. Finally he began to long for his kindred and communicated with them in May, 1903, resulting in his coming home and finding a welcome from his two aged sisters, and other relatives that still survive.

Our subject was reared on the home farm and attended the local schools. During the progress of the Civil War, when he was 19 years of age, on May 12, 1864, he enlisted in Company F, 133rd Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., under Capt. G. W. Dugger, and his first term of service was spent in doing garrison duty, guarding prisoners of war, at Rock Island, Illinois. In 1865 he reenlisted in Company G, 150th Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., under Capt. John W. Swift, was sent to the Army of the Cumberland, then in Tennessee and Georgia, and was mustered out at Atlanta, Georgia, in January, 1866. His regiment was continued in service in the South during the reign of martial law, when the services of the soldiers were necessary for a time to establish order.

After his return. Captain Wood attended the local schools again for a season and then entered the State University at Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, where he was graduated with honors in 1872, having taken the agricultural and military courses of instruction, by reason of which he was commissioned a captain in the Illinois State militia. Since then he has continued on the farm. He manages a body of land which is well tilled, and all of it is scientifically managed.

In 1880 Captain Wood married Eliza J. Howell, who was born in Madison County, Illinois, and is a daughter of Benjamin S. and Rose Ann (Silvers) Howell, both of whom were born in New Jersey and came to Madison County in 1835, and died at Woodburn. Captain Wood's only brother, T. Granville Wood, died in November, 1901, leaving four children — Mrs. Hannah Elliot, of Moberly, Missouri; and Fred R., Edna and Inez, who live with our subject — who will inherit an undivided one-half interest in their grandfather's estate.

Captain Wood is a Republican in his political belief and has frequently been called upon to fill township offices. He has been township assessor and justice of the peace and has also served on the School Board. He takes great interest in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belongs to J. M. Hubbard Post, No. 721, Department of Illinois, at Bunker Hill, and at the present time is serving as quartermaster of the post.

Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 290-293.