The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-02-18
Mrs. Na'4y H. Wood Was
Two One-Half Years
- It of a Century
p 5 BORN IN BARRE
AND HAD BUSY LIFE
Her Grandfather Fought at
Bunker Hill in Revo-
lutionary War

Barre's oldest resident and native
passed peacefully to rest at 1880 o'clock
last evening when death took Mrs. Nancy
H. Wood at her home on upper Prospect
street. She was confined to her bed for
over two years, during which time Mrs.
Elizabeth Urquhart, tenderly and pa
tiently cared for her, as well as at the
time of the late Benjamin Woods fatal
sickness. Mrs. Wood would have been
9S years old had she lived until the com
ing August. To-day marked the half
year, her age being exactly 97H.
Nancy Holt Wood, born Aug. Is, 1921,
was the daughter of Robert and Lydia
Porter Parker, whose father, Robert
Parker, sr., was connected with the ear
liest history of Barre and the granite in
dustry. The elder Parker and Thomas
Courser opened what to-day is known as
the Wheaton quarry and doubtless they
were the first quarters. The large tract
Of land which later was valued in the
thousands sold at that time for 81 500.
Mrs. Woods grandfather also took an
active part in the Revolutionary war,
notably at Bunker Hill.
Nancy was born on what is known as
the Ambrose Bradford farm on the east
hill. When yet a child she removed to
the Samuel Richardson house at l73
Washington street, where she remained
until the age of IA. AT this time she
went to Montpelier and boarded while
taking up the trade of tailoress under
the tutelage of Rufus Kicker. She be-
came very proficient with the needle and
it was not an uncommon thing for her TO
take the measurements of a man and cut
and stitch a garment completely Many
Of the older inhabitants to-day will no
doubt remember her work in this line.
Even when she became the wife of Ben
jamin Wood she continued her work and
during the trying days of the Civil war,
when commodities were at a premium,
she was known to have turned" her
husbands garments to insure full wear
before discarding Until the time Of her
confinement she was also adept with the
embroidery needle and her fancywork
has found its way into many of the
homes in this vicinity
When at the age of 10 she married
Benjamin 0rin Wood and to them one
son, Albert P. Wood, was born. In their
early life they moved from place to place
here in the city. Until 1853 they occu
pied the Louis Waterman house on South
Main street; then buying the Nathaniel
Keith place on Hooker hill, they lived
there until the place was sold to Micah
French and they again moved down to
the village living for two winters in the
long brick building on South Main street
where the tannery once stood. Mr.. Wood
then acquired money enough from the
carpenter trade to purchase the Dudley
Narney farm, which, for more than half
century, or Ga years, has been well
known as the Wood farm on upper Pros
pect street. This was the family home
stead to which they came at intervals,
Albert Wood was married to Emma ID,
Gale in 1863 and moved to Boston 80
years ago, where for Is years he was
connected with Boston's sewage pumping
station. His wife died few years ago.
To them were born five children Ben
iamin 0. Wood a farmer living at Atkin-
son, n. H., and owner of store at Ha
yerhill Mass, just over the line, is the
father of three girls and three boys; Al
bert J. Wood, resides in Berlin n. H.,
and has a son and daughter; Jennie +. n.
Wood died Is years ago; Grace 9. Clark.
whose husband, NJ. B. Clark, until his
death about two years ago, was connect
ed with the New England Tel & Tel. Co.
at Boston, lives in Dorchester and has
two children, Rosamond and Lester, who
at various times have been visitors at
the Wood farm; Archie Wood died some
IS wears ago. So it will be seen that
Mrs Wood had ten great great grand
children besides several great -graudchil
dren Her own son, Albert, for period
of three years helped the Northern cause
in the Civil war, being actively engaged
in battle at Gettysburg. He has been
with his mother since the date Of her
final illness.
Besides the direct relatives there arc
cousins in Atlantic, Mass, a niece in Tx
bridge, Mass, a niece. Mrs John Frow
of this city. and a nephew. w A. Whit
comb of this city, at present in Florida.
Benjamin Wood died at the age Of ~ IN
1910.
Mrs. Wood on tlffAe different oceasions
suffered slight sho0ksi lhe laJesJ one
coming last fall For the past week,
however, she had been convulsive con
tinually and friends saw that the end
was very near. When it did come it
might have been likened to a candle
which gradually burned out; every ounce
of energy and vitality, with which the
deceased was abundantly possessed, was
used up and the end came without the
least bit of pain or struggle,
Although not connected with any
church, Mrs. Wood in earlier days was
quite constant in attendance and refer
ence was continually made to the Bible
of her mother, which she used.
II is expected that the funeral, a short
PRAYER service at the house, win be held
at 2 Thursday afternoon and that
Rev. j. B. Reardon will oliciate Burial
will be beside her husband in Elmwood
cemetery. Relatives have been notified
and are expected to arrive before that
time