Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-10-05
CHARLES K. WOOD.
The Unique and Picturesque
Career
which Came TO an End In his Death
Inst Evening.

which Came 10 an End In his Death
Last Evening.
Charles X. Wood, the brother of the
late Mrs. J acob Estey, and uncle OF Mrs.
L. X. Fuller and Gen. J. j. Estey, died at
o'clock last evening at his home with
with ex-Gog. and Mrs. Fuller. His per
sonal characteristics were marked and un-
usual, and his career had been unique. If
its full story could be written it would
make a volume of rare interest, and would
cover personal "reminiscences of some OF
the most interesting periods in our coun-
try's history.
Mr.. Wood was born in Centreville June
%. 1920. The house stood near the brook
or mill pond, opposite the present sewing
machine factory When asked where he
was born Mr. Wood always answered, "On
the mill dam in Centreville." His father
was David Wood, Familiarity known as
Farmer" Wood. There were four chill
dren. Beside Mr.. Wood, who was the
Youngest, and Mrs. Estey, there were two
daughters, who married and lived away
from Brattleboro, and died some 20 or 30
years ago.
Mr.. Woods popularity as a lad appears
to have been that he liked animals, and
especially horses. When a boy no more
than 10 or II years old he entered the serv-
ice of Spencer d Kingsley, the old firm of
stage drivers. Their route was from Brat
tleboro to Greenfield, and early in his teens
Mr.. Wood began driving on the line. From
Greenfield he worked south to Springfield
and Hartford, and eventually to New ork.
When Congress undertook the construc-
ton of a national system of highways be-
tween Washington and the Mississippi,
Mr.. Wood drove on that route. 1t was
here that he made the acquaintance of
many of the prominent men of that day,
notably of Henry Clay. He voted for Mr..
Clay for president on the strength of this
acquaintance, but became pessimistc over
the defeat of his candidate and never voted
again until he cast his ballot for his neph-
ew, l.. X. Fuller, for governor.
1t was in the natural course that a man
thus constituted and trained should drop
into the life of caravan and circus man,
in the days when the horses and the long
journeys by carriage and highway were the
main features of that business. He was
with Van Amburg when the famous show
bearing that name was organized and re-
maiued with it until it disbanded, save on
ly for a year or two now and then when
some other manager would hire Mr.. Wood
away, and then Van Amburg would get
him back. He was the trainer and gener-
al manager of the show, and had charge of
the transportation and laid out the routes.
Being a pioneer in the business in this
country, and possessing such strong and
peculiar aptitude for the business, he be-
came the trainer of all the modern success
full circus men, and was, in fact, the father
r IL. - = i
for some time with p. 7. Barnum, and was
the early instructor of both Hutchinson
and Bailey. Frank Hyatt the manager of
the present Barnum circus, and the most
successful man in his line now in this
country, roomed and slept with Mr., Wood
for 10 years. When the Barnum IL
Bailey and London shows were combined
Barnum made it primary condition that
Hyatt, Mr.. Woods pupil, should be the
manager.
When the war of the rebellion broke out
Mr.. Wood was with Van Amburg in the
south, and piloted the show across the
line into the north. He afterward saw
service in the Union army, being for time
in the quartermaster's department at For
tress Monroe. He was one of the survi-
vors of a government transport which was
During his long period of circus and
caravan life, before the degenerate days
when those shows began TO travel by rail.
Mr.. Wood became rarely familiar with the
whole country, east, west, north and south.
He had been in every county east of the
Rocky Mountains. In some of the great
states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Hi
nois he could describe accurately the course
OF every highway He had rare faculty
of minute observation, and could, for illus
tration, in his later years, describe the en-
tire route which circus would take in
travelling by highway from Vermont to
Texas. He could recall the junction of
every road and tell the location, color. or
appearance of farm buildings, trees or
other objects.
For a considerable time in middle life
his family lost trace of him, because of his
habit OF living his own peculiar life in his
own way. Gen Estey recalls that in his
own boyhood he knew nothing OF his uncle
until, on day when the Van Amburg show
was billed for BrattleborO, a stranger an
peared at the old homestead on Canal street
with the abrupt salutation Hello, is your
mother at home"' 1t was "Uncle Charlie. 9"
Although often urged to give up his wan
dering life he could never be persuaded to
do so until some II or Is years ago, when
he promised his niece, Mrs. l.. X. Fuller.
that, when their new house was built. he
would come to live with her and her hus-
band. He kept his promise, rooms inst
suited to his mind were fitted up for him
on the second floor, and here his last wears
have been spent in comfort and happiness.
During all these years these rooms have
been the Mecca of all leading circus men.
Every circus which has come to this local
ity has sent its representatives to see him.
the managers have made special JOURNEYS
to visit him, and during the winters he has
always made visits to New York and other
cities to visit them. The old circus fol-
lowers and employees always looked with
envy on the life which "Uncle Charlie'i
was leading in his closing years. "Only
to think, " they always said, 'of following
circus all ones life, and then having
paradise to go to-"
companion of the old DAYS used to re-
late that he never knew Mr. Wood TO swear
except on one occasion. The show had
started before light for its DAVIS appoint.
ment and Mr.. Wood had gone ahead TO a
sharp bend on high bank above the river
to caution the drivers to pass this point
carefully. All went we'll till man came
along with a pair of especially fine horses
drawing a cage of lions. In spite of tba
WaFninU he ppptrit-al -