My Genealogy Hound

Uriah G. Wood, retired teacher, Buckner, Ark. In endeavoring to prepare a true sketch of the life of Mr. Wood, the writer meets with facts which are greatly to his credit. A man of long and recognized prominence, and for years closely identified with the history of this portion of the county, he has became so intimately interwoven with its material development and progress that to mention his history almost necessitates the giving of part of the county’s history. He is a native of Alabama, his birth occurring on April 14, 1829, and is a son of Matthew and Moning (Atkinson) Wood, both natives of Georgia, and both reared in Alabama. The father followed agricultural pursuits through life, and resided, in Alabama until 1855, when he moved to Texas. There his death occurred in Smith County in the spring of 1876, and his wife followed him to the grave in 1878. Their family consisted of seven sons and four daughters—two sons and three daughters now living. The paternal grandfather, Joshua Wood, was born in North Carolina, though reared in Georgia, and was of English descent. Uriah G. Wood, the third in order of birth of the above mentioned children, was reared in Alabama, at Talladega, and supplemented a good common-school education by attending Talladega Seminary. He subsequently began teaching in Alabama in the country schools, which he continued as long as he remained in Alabama, and then went to the Lone Star State with his parents in 1855. There he followed his profession from 1856 to 1857, and in 1858 came to Columbia County, Ark., where he taught school until 1873. From there he went to Lafayette County, located at Mars Hill, and taught school in that county for about ten years. In 1889 he moved back to Columbia County, located at Buckner, and took charge of the school at that place until July, 1889, when he retired. In 1860 he was married to Miss Katie Farrington, who was born in Georgia in 1839, and grew to womanhood in that State. This union resulted in the birth of six children: Frank O. (practicing medicine in Arkansas), Matthew S. (in the law office of Montgomery & Moore, Texarkana, Ark.), Bonnie G. (practicing in Louisiana), Mary C. (engaged in teaching), Elma and Osceola G. During the last few years of his teaching at Buckner Mr. Wood’s daughter, Mary C, assisted him in the school. Mr. Wood is a Master Mason, having joined that society at Calhoun, Columbia County, in 1860, and he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He takes an active part in all educational matters and all enterprises pertaining to the welfare of his community, and is one of the best-informed and most influential citizens. He was a Whig while that party existed, and his first presidential vote was for Gen. Scott. He was justice of the peace of Lafayette County for about eight years.