Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-06
MAI. is. WOOD
DIED IN OMAHA
THIS morning
Former Citiz.l. Of Ottumwa
for Many Years and was
Prominent in Railroad
and Military Circles.

Word was received tnlS uA
rrom Daniel Harmon at Omaha o. .no
death of Major John Stuart Woou'
pne Of the earliest settlers IN 'ne
vicinity Of Ottumwa, and for the pas'
thirty years adjusting agent 1or 'ne
Z "a. B. & @. railroad. No partlcullae'Als le'A . >
we're given regarding the sickness
which caused Major Woods deatn'
but he has been ailing for someti"e
and his advanced years made tne
slight illness more serious. Dan han. an
non was with he when ne dleo' lne
will be buried here.
Mrs. Alice Evans of Livingston
Mont, daughter of Major Wooo ai.
rived in the city this morning 70 nee.
her father, and had only been mere q
tew hours when the news OF his oeatn =
came. Mrs. Evans is the guest on o.
her aunt, Mrs. William R1ggles. aV'
East Fourth street, and Mrs. Eliza
beth Underwood, 1876 East Main 81.
Native of Indiana.
John Stuart Wood was born IN
Indiana in 1926, and came to Ottum"a
In 1848, from that state In company
with several Indianians. They went
back after about months stay mere.
but Mr.. Wood returned in the fall OF
1881, and settled on a farm on the
east bank Of Sugar creek between
what ia now the Burlington right OF
way and the river. In 1852 he and
some others organized a party ana
went overland to California, but MT.
wood returned in 1855 and settled
down on his farm, not to move again
until the civil war called him to de-
8fend his country. When the call to
arms was made, John S. Wood was
one of the men who organized the
Seventh regiment Of Iowa volunteer
cavalry. which was comm anded by
Col. s.. w. Summers. The regiment
was reorganized and included TN the
third battalion in 1863 and Wood was
appointed major and given the COM
mand.
In Command Of Post.
He served as commander of Fort
Kearney for time and was moved TO
Fort Laramie and among the fronteirs-
men he yet holds the reputation OF De-
ing the best post commander ever at
Fort Laramie He was mustered out
In 1865, the number of men In his regl-
ment having fallen below the minim-
um. Major Wood then returned to Ot-
tumwa, and was elected city marshal.
He served for two years. and then &C.
cepted q position in the employ OF the
J, Burlington railroad as adjusting agent
which he has held continuously ever
since. with the exception of two years
when he was government agent to the
Blackfeet Indians in northeastern
Montana.
Friends Tribute.
William McNett, life long friend
OF Major Wood, had the following to
say in appreciation of his old friend:
Major Wood was in many respects a
remarkable man and one OF far
more than ordinary executive ability.
He was absolutely fearless and had
the courage of his convictions. He
was never known to desert :, friend
under any circumstances and had a
host of them, not only in OttumWa but
all over the western country. He
never turned his back to foe, and
few that knew him would care to pro-
woke a conflict with him, although he
had a heart full Of kindness = In every
walk of life he was true man and
was absolutely loyal to every duty
entrusted him. He served the Bur-
linpton road for over thirty years with
signal fidelity, and he will be greatly
missed by hundreds of employees as
well as by the officials OF the road. He
was one of the few remaining pioneers
OF this country and his death will be
sincerely mourned by all who know