Benjamin Woods, one of the successful farmers of Polk
township, Macoupin County, Illinois, where he owns a well cultivated farm of
123 acres, situated in section 4, was born March 30, 1850, in Bird township,
Macoupin County. He is a son of William and Janett (Hughes) Woods.
William Woods was born in 1810 in Yorkshire, England, and was a son of a sea
captain, who was drowned when the son was still young. In 1830 the widow
came to America with her children, of whom William was the eldest, and they
settled near Whitehall, Greene County, Illinois, where they purchased land.
Prior to this, Mr. Woods had prepared himself for the practice of veterinary
surgery and this he followed, in connection with farming. He died in Bird
township, on the homestead farm, in 1876, aged 66 years, leaving a widow and
seven children, as follows: Isaac, deceased; Mary, of Whitehall; Abram H.,
of Bird township; Benjamin of this sketch; Agnes, wife of William D.
Goodell, of Iowa, William E. and Paul. Seven children are deceased of whom
Peter, John and Olive, who died previous to the father, were all grown to
maturity. The others died in infancy. Isaac, Mary, John and Olive were
children by his first marriage to Matilda Wright.
Benjamin Woods was
educated in Bird township and was engaged in assisting on the home farm
until his majority. He now owns a very fine farm of 123 acres, as noted
above, which he has proved to be well adapted to general farming and stock
raising. He has one of the very comfortable country homes of the locality,
which is in touch with Carlinville by means of the Rural Free Delivery Route
No. 1.
In 1878 Mr. Woods married Laura A. Goodell, who was a
daughter of Joseph and Calista (Holmes) Goodell, the former of whom was a
prominent farmer of Polk township. Mrs. Woods died March 17, 1902, leaving
five children, as follows: Lola A., born June 15, 1880; Freddie A., born
January 31, 1882; Paul O., born October 10, 1883; Leonard B., born November
10, 1885; and George, born September 30, 1887.
Fraternally Mr. Woods
is a Mason and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is
a Republican. Mr. Woods is known as a good and useful citizen, one whose
many excellent traits of character have won him the respect and esteem of
the entire community. His whole life has been passed in the one locality, he
has been the witness of many changes and has been closely identified with
its agricultural development.
Extracted 2018 May 04 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 33-34.
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