WOOD, James Buchanan 1839 - 1917

WOOD, SIRRINE, DENSLAWE, DENSLOW, MYERS, MEYERS, STEVENS

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 5/21/2014 at 14:48:00

JAMES BUCHANAN WOOD

James Buchanan Wood was born in Henry County, Indiana, November 10, 1839 and passed away at his home, 501 Winnie Street, Clear Lake, Iowa, September 18, 1917 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon after an illness of about eighteen months, the effects of blood poisoning. Mr. Wood came to Clear Lake with his parents at the age of fifteen years. They settled on a claim about one mile south of the present location of Clear Lake. Except for two years spent in Kansas Mr. Wood has been a resident of Clear Lake since then.

At the age of twenty-six he was married to Permelia Sirrine. She lived but three years. Three years later he was married to Mary Ellen Denslawe, who passed away in the year 1890. In 1892 he was married to Mary S. Myers, who with two children, Dorothy M. and Charles I., and a sister, Mrs. Sarah Stevens of Los Angeles, survive him.

He has been engaged in the wagon making and black-smithing trade since young manhood. At different times he was in partnership with William Berkley, James Dawson, and John Clay. He has been a member of the Masonic order for over fifty years and was for eighteen years a member of the I.O.O.F.

Death has called another of the old pioneers of Clear Lake. Mr. Wood was one of the earliest settlers. He was one of the charter members of the Masonic lodge and his death leaves but one now living, W. C. Tompkins, who organized the local lodge. Mr. Wood was an industrious man, bore a good reputation, a good neighbor and citizen.

Funeral services were held from his late residence on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by Rev. W. M. Evans of the Congregational church. The floral offerings were beautiful.

PIONEER CLEAR LAKE MAN DIES
JAMES BUCHANAN WOOD, EARLIEST SETTLER IN THIS COUNTY, DIES AT HIS HOME THERE

Death summoned the oldest settler in Cerro Gordo county when James Buchanan Wood passed to his reward. For sixty-two years Mr. Wood has been an esteemed and honored citizen of this county, coming here when only fifteen years of age and residing continuously in or around the lake for all his life with the exception of two years spent in Texas. Mr. Wood has been failing in health for over a year, since he contracted blood poison which contaminated his whole system, the effects of it causing his death.

James Buchanan Wood came to Iowa and settled with his parents on a homestead claim one mile from the present site of Clear Lake sixty-two years ago and has been a resident of this county practically ever since. During his life he has been engaged in the blacksmith and wagon making business in this city. He was in partnership with Mr. Berkley and then later with Mr. Dawson and then Mr. Clay. Then for twenty-three years up until a little over a year ago, Mr. Wood did all of the business alone and he was one of the busiest men in the county.

He was the last charter member living of the Masonic lodge at the lake, being among one of the first to originate the spirit of Masonry in that city, and was a member for over fifty years. In his earlier life Mr. Wood was a member of the I.O.O.F. He was a believer in good work, good ideals and good things. He had never united with any church during his lifetime but always attended the Congregational church. He was a very painstaking man, and a faithful provider and homemaker.

Mr. Wood was born in Henry county, Indiana, November 10, 1839 and died at his home in Clear Lake, September 19, at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, after a several month’ illness. He was the son of Joseph and Sarah Wood. He had one brother killed in the Battle of Pleasant Hill during the Civil War and two other brothers who died earlier in life. One sister, Sarah Stevens of Los Angeles, survives him, his wife and two children, Dorothy M. and Charles I. Wood, all of whom were with him at the time of his death.

The deceased was married when twenty-six years of age to Cornelia Sirrine, who died three years later. In 1867 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ellen Denslow, who died in 1890. Two years later he married Mary F. Meyers.

Funeral services were held from the late home at South Winnie street this afternoon at 2:30. Rev Evans of the Congregational Church was in charge of the services, and the Masons were present and partook in the service. Interment was in the Clear Lake Cemetery.