My Genealogy Hound

Rev. John S. Wood is a well-known divine of Ashley County, Ark., and has preached the gospel in Arkansas since 1844. His birth occurred in Twiggs County, Ga., February 2, 1822, his parents, John and Susan (Evans) Wood, being also Georgians, the former of Irish and the latter of Welsh ancestry. Prior to the War of Independence the Woods came to America, and the father, John Wood, was a major in the War of 1812, operating in Alabama. He reared twelve sons to manhood, seven of whom are now living: William W. besides Rev. John S., in Arkansas, one in Alabama, and four in Texas, all of whom are farmers with the exception of one who is a school-teacher. Rev. John S. Wood removed to Alabama from Georgia, with his father when twelve years of age, and there the latter followed the life of a farmer, but also sold goods for a while, and from 1820 until 1872 preached the gospel, dying in the last-named year at the age of eighty-four years. Rev. John S. Wood obtained but a limited education in the backwoods of Alabama, but being naturally intelligent he became a well-posted young man, and at the age of twenty-two years came to Arkansas, and settled in what is now Drew (then Bradley) County, where he entered 320 acres of land. In 1849 he began to preach, having united with the Baptist Church in Alabama, in 1840, and at Lacy, in Drew County, was ordained a minister of that denomination in 1850, since which time he has had charge of four different churches every year. At present he has charge of the churches at Judson, Harmony, Unity and Egypt, all in Ashley County, and has assisted in the dedication of about fourteen different churches, has ordained seven ministers, has received into membership in the church several hundred, and has performed several hundred marriage ceremonies. When he first came to this State the country was almost a wilderness, the roads were mere trails, and bridges were things unknown. Services were very frequently held in the woods, and it was a year before a church of any kind was built. Sunday-schools were first organized about 1855, the first one in which he assisted being in Hamburg, to which the people came ten or twelve miles. The morals of the settlers were excellent, and Mr. Wood had been a resident of the place for three years before he saw a drunken man. He has been married twice, first in Bradley County, to Miss Martha Bussey, to whom twelve children were born, six of whom are living: Zephanih J. (resides in Monticello, Drew County, Ark.), Zachary T. also a resident of Monticello), James B. (is judge of the Seventh Judicial District), William A. and Carroll D. (both of Monticello, the latter being judge of the Tenth Judicial District), and Mattie (wife of Walter Norris, of Lavaca, Ark.), three of these sons are lawyers and two are merchants. The mother of these children passed from life in 1867, and the same year he was married to Miss M. C. Kelsey. Notwithstanding the fact that he has been a minister of the gospel nearly all his life, he has looked after the material, as well as spiritual welfare of himself and family also, and for thirty years was the proprietor of a mercantile establishment in Extra Township, and in the city of Hamburg, but since 1888 has been retired from this business. He has given his children good educations, and has the satisfaction of knowing that they have become honorable, upright citizens. Mr. Woods is a Mason, and in his political views is a Democrat.