Butte County
Biographies
FRANK A. WOOD
FRANK A.
WOOD--One of that grand old galaxy of men, the soldiers of the Civil War,
Frank A. Wood served his country well in its hour of need, and now has retired
from active duties, both civil and agricultural, and is enjoying a well earned
rest. Born July 28, 1841, near Detroit,
in Wayne County, Mich., he is the son of Reuben and Phoebe (Dunn) Wood. Reuben Wood was a native of Vermont
and settled in Wayne County,
then removed to Rock Island, Ill.,
where he engaged in farming. The mother
was born in New York. Both parents died in Illinois.
They raised a family of eight children, of whom two are now living.
Frank A. Wood was
reared in Illinois and, from the
age of nine, helped with the work on the home farm. His educational advantages were limited,
attending the subscription schools when possible. August 22, 1861, he volunteered in the Union
Army and joined the Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being mustered
in at Jacksonville, Ill. Under Colonel Buford he saw the following
engagements and took active part in them:
Belmont, Mo.; Union City, Tenn.; Island No. 10, Farmington, Tenn.;
Corinth, Miss.; Murfreesboro, Tenn.;
Chickamauga; Missionary Ridge; Dalton;
Resaca; Dallas; Tunnel Hill; Snake Creek Gap; Buzzard’s Roost; Kenesaw Mountain,
where a brother, Amasa G. Wood, in the same company,
was killed; and Peach Tree Creek. At
Chickamauga Mr. Wood was detailed to man a gun, the other gunners having been
killed. Serving gallantly during all
this terrible siege of battles, when his time was up he was mustered out at Springfield,
Ill., September 22, 1864.
After the war,
Mr. Wood farmed in Illinois, and
his marriage occurred in that state to Miss Amelia Boyd, who was born
there. In 1879 they moved to Buffalo
County, Neb., near Kearney,
where Mr. Wood took up a homestead of one hundred sixty acres. He plowed the unbroken land and proved up on
the claim after two years, obtained a deed and subsequently sold it for sixteen
hundred dollars. He then purchased one
hundred sixty acres of railroad land, paying four hundred eighty for it. Here he built a residence and raised corn,
cattle, hogs and horses. He also
invested in property in Kearney,
which he still owns.
After ten years
spent in farming in Nebraska, Mr. And Mrs. Wood
concluded to come to California, and in 1899 rented the
farm and came to Oakland. After resting and sightseeing for a time, in
the spring of 1900, they located at Corning, Tehama
County, but did not like that locality, and in
June of the same year they came to Chico,
and decided that it was the spot for their future residence. In August, 1900, Mr. Wood purchased their
residence at 235 Fifth Street,
and it has been their home since that date.
Having a keen perspective into the future prosperity of Butte County, he
invested considerably in Chico real estate and owns several pieces of valuable
property, among them a residence of eleven rooms on the corner of Fifth and
Wall Streets, which he built; a residence on Eighth Street between Main and
Wall; one in the Ninth Street Addition; and one on Nord Avenue, which he
built. Chico and
the Sacramento Valley
impressed Mr. and Mrs. Wood favorably from their first visit and they have
never regretted making their home in this garden spot of the state. In the eighteen years of their residence here
they have taken a keen interest in its growth and have done their part in
furthering the best interests of the community and have made many loyal
friends. Mr. Wood is a member of Hallack Post, No. 19, G.A.R. To Mr. and Mrs. Wood have
been born two children: Omar B., formerly a school teacher in Nebraska, and now a
horticulturist in the Boucher District, Butte County; and Iva, Mrs.
Zimmerman, residing in Alameda, and the mother of one son, Oscar.
Transcribed
by Roseann Kerby.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1035-1036, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Roseann Kerby.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library