James Wood, Jr.

      WESTERN NEW YORK NEWS
             LIVINGSTON
Sudden Death of General James Wood at
        Dansville Yesterday.
 The death of General James Wood occur-
red suddenly yesterday morning at the
Dansville Sanatarium, where he had gone
the day before for treatment. For years
General Wood had been at the head of
the Livingston county bar, and a time-
honored resident of the village in which
most of his life was spent. General Wood
was on the streets of Geneseo as late as
Tuesday and though feeble was apparently
as well as he had been in years. He was
born in New Hampshire about seventy-five
years ago. His father was a poor man,
who, seeking to better his condition, in
1824 emigrated with his family to New
York state and finally settled in Lima,
Livingston county, in 1820. Here James
Wood attended a district school, and sub-
sequently entered Geneseo Westleyan Sem-
inary, where he completed an ecademic
course. He afterward entered Union Col-
lege, where he graduated with honors in
1842. After leaving college he entered the
office of Hon. John Young, then a practi-
cing lawyer at Geneseo. He was admitted
to the bar in 1843 and became a partner
of Mr. Young. In 1846 Mr. Young was
elected governor of the state and since
that time General Wood had been senior
member of the firms of Wood and Cham-
berlain, Wood and Kershner, Wood and 
Colt, Wood and Young, and Wood and 
Scott. The firm of Wood and Scott
was formed in 1866 and was contin-
ued until 1883, when it was disssolved
by the election of Hon. Kidder Scott to
the assembly. Since that time General
Wood had continued the practice of law
at Geneseo, and was engaged in the trial
of two causes at the last February circuit
court. In 1854 he was elected district
attorney of Livingston county. He de-
clined a renomination, his large and grow
ing practice not permitting him to accept it.
When the war for the union commenced
in 1861, mainly through his efforts the
One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment,
New York Volunteers, was raised, and in
1862 he accepted the command of that regi-
ment. He was shortly after ordered to
join the Eleventh Corps, with which he
participated in much hard fighting. He
was in the thickest of the fight at Chan-
cellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain,
Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge and sev-
eral other battles. The first man killed
in the Atlanta campaign was from his reg-
iment, and he commanded a brigade in the
last battle of Sherman's march to the sea.
For his ditinguished services in the army,
Colonel Wood was breveted major-general
of the United States Volunteers. In 1865
he returned to his home at Geneseo and
resumed the practice of law. He was elec-
ted to the senate from from the thirtieth dis-
trict in 1869, by a majority of4,694 over
his Democratic competitor, J.H. Vincent,
and was re-elected in 1871. Socially Gen-
eral Wood was a very affable gentlemen.
In 1845 he was married to a sister of Gov-
ernor Young. Two children were born to
them, but neither are living. Mrs. Wood
died in 1871. General Wood had been for
years chairman of the local board of the
Geneseo Normal School, and took a great
interest in all affairs pertaining to that
instution. He will be greatly missed.