William N. Wood

As printed in 1908

WILLIAM N. WOOD, general farmer in Boston Township, residing on a valuable estate of 332 acres, 150 of which are under cultivation, was born in Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio, July 11,' 1862, and is the only son of Thomas and Julia (Wetmore) Wood.

Thomas Wood, than whom there was no more highly considered citizen of Boston Township, at the time of his death, in 1900, aged seventy-two years, was born in Ireland, and was seven years of age when his parents brought him to America. The family lived at Sheboygan, Michigan, until he was about twelve years of age, when they came to Boston Township, where the grandfather of William N. Wood worked in a mill. Thomas Wood learned to build canal boats and engaged in the business on his own account for some years, from which he embarked in a lumber business, which he continued for forty years. He possessed great business enterprise, operated two or three sawmills, bought standing timber and cut it, and acquired timber land both in Boston and Northampton Townships, at one time owning for one mile along the Cuyahoga River. He was held in the highest esteem by his fellow citizens. He was a member of Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 266, F. & A. M., of Richfield. He married Julia Wetmore, who resides at Peninsula since her widowhood. She was born at Silver Lake, in Stow Township, Simimit County, Ohio, where her father, Hon. William Wetmore, was one of the early settlers.

William N. Wood attended school at Peninsula until he was eleven years of age. He was a boy of unusual brightness of mind, and, inspired with a desire to travel, he left home without asking his parents' consent, rightly judging that it would be withheld, and made his way to Chicago. His smiling face and engaging personality enabled him, with no previous experience of city life, to secure a position as bellboy in the Palmer House. He was so obliging and attentive to guests of that somewhat famous hostelry, that his tips from the capitalists who frequently make it their home, were so generous during his stay of four months, that he had enough money with which to buy a horse, on which he started back home, which he reached in safety, having paused at several points on the way to trade horses with other travelers. After this little excursion into the world, the youth quietly attended school until he was fifteen years of age and then worked several years for his father, driving a team, having always been fond of horses. He purchased a team of his own and continued to use it in his father's lumber business, until 1897, when he turned his attention more especially to speeding horses. For.some years he owned and took an interest in racing many fast horses in different classes, traveling over considerable territory and becoming well known in the sporting world. In the meanwhile, the home farm was under rental, with the exception of several years when Mr. Wood conducted operations on it, but for the past five years it has been under his careful and successful supervision. He keeps about forty head of cattle, selling-his milk to the Peninsula Creamery, and raises hay, corn, oats and wheat. He feeds all but his wheat.

Mr. Wood married Olive Lee, who is a daughter of Edward Lee, of Richfield Township. They have one son, Thomas H. Mrs. Wood is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Peninsula.

Mr. Wood votes with the Republican party in National affairs, but independently in local matters. Mr. AVood's genial personality, open hospitality and his many sterling qualities of mind and heart, have won him a wide circle of warm friends wherever he has been.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.