Woods, Jesse

Posted By: Jane Barr Torres
Date: 30 April 2002

Source: The History of Darke County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers & Co. in Chicago, 1880.

JESSE WOODS, farmer; P. O. German. The subject of this sketch is one of the prominent citizens of Darke County, and a pioneer of German Township; he was born in Virginia in 1818, and was only 2 years old when he came to this township with his parents in 1821; he is of English descent, his father, James Woods, was born in St. James' Park, London, May 25, 1767, and died at his son's, near Palestine, on the 21st day of August, 1869, aged 102 years 2 months and 26 days; his remains were laid to rest in the beautiful Palestine Cemetery, and a marble monument is reared over his grave. At the time of his birth St. James' Park was three miles out of the city, but since then the city has grown around it; he followed sea life as a sailor for about twenty years; he emigrated to America somewhere about the beginning of the present century, and settled in Virginia; in 1821, he took up his journey westward, with his family, and settled in this county, in German Township, where his son Jesse now lives; on this place he spent the remainder of his eventful life; his marriage was celebrated in Virginia; he was the father of eight children. Jesse Woods, our subject, knows what pioneer life is; he has shared in the trials and triumphs incident to such a life; he has witnessed the changes wrought in this country for over one-half century, and has applied himself persistently and vigorously to develop its present vast resources; his duties in his youth were those of a pioneer farmer boy; his early education, so far as book knowledge is concerned, was necessarily limited, as opportunities in this direction were meager, and his time and labor principally demanded on the farm; vivid to his recollection is the appearance of the first schoolhouse which he attended; it was a "fac-simile" of the pioneer schoolhouse - the progeny of necessity, not the sound of a nail was heard in its construction, nor a glass window seen in it after its completion; his first teacher was William R. Jones, the first pedagogue in the township; he kept the characteristic "land school" of the backwoods, and his plans of punishing unruly scholars would appear as odd to-day as his methods of teaching. Mr. Woods was married in 1844, to Miss Anna Stevens; she is the daughter of David Stevens; he was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 31, 1792, and died Jan. 8, 1879; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was one of a number who were detailed to carry provisions from Ft. Nesbit to the Kentucky soldiers, who were on the retreat from Muncie to Ft. Greenville; they proceeded under a forced march through the wilderness, and snow knee-deep, to the relief of the brave Kentuckians. After the marriage of our subject, he remained upon the place where he was reared, and continued agricultural pursuits; through his energy and good business habits, he has been eminently successful in life; he is no political aspirant, but a few years ago was elected to the office of County Commissioner, in which capacity he served three years, discharging its duties with fidelity and satisfaction to his constituents; he positively abhors political trickery and official corruption of all kinds, and is a strong advocate of and adherent to honesty and integrity. Mr. and Mrs. Woods are the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are still living.

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