Oscar C. Woods was born at Passumpsic, three miles from the town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on the twenty-sixth of October, 1835. His education consisted of the usual common school course, to which he added a three years' course at St. Johnsbury Academy.
His first employment after leaving school was as clerk for Ephraim Jewett, a son-in-law of Ex-Governor Fairbanks, at St. Johnsbury, where he remained one year. At the age of twenty-one years he spent a year in Bureau County, Illinois -having removed there from Passumpsic- and during this time taught school.
Returning to Vermont he became a clerk for William E. Peck, remaining in this position for a year, when he became a partner in the firm. Three years later, in 1862, he came west to Lamoille, Illinois, where a number of his relatives resided. In 1872 he formed a partnership with his brother, J.R. Woods, E.W. Fassett and F.L. Angier. Between the years of 1872 and 1875 he was a member of the firm of Blanchard & Snow, of Boston, and was one of two of the partners who spent their time in the western States purchasing stock.
In 1875 he came to Davenport, making this city his home, and continuing in the purchase of horses until 1877. He had been in this city many times and had visited, also, many other places in this section, such as DeWitt, Maquoketa and Monticello, but had taken a liking to Davenport and the enterprise of its people and was pleased with the opportunities it offered for the business he was engaged in. For about a year he was in Black Hawk County, where he improved some land which he owned. In 1878 he became a bookkeeper for M.D. Huggins, who was engaged in the fruit and produce business. During part of the time of his employment here he was also a traveling salesman.
In 1884 Charles D. Martin, Oscar G. Woods and George W. Noth bought out the business of Mr. Huggins and the firm of Martin, Woods & Co. continued in the handling of fruits and produce in a wholesale way. In 1890 Mr .Woods' partners sold out their interests and the firm was incorporated under the name of the Martin-Woods Company, Mr. Woods becoming secretary and treasurer and L.R. Ely president. Mr. Woods was one of the organizers of the Davenport Cooperative Bank, and also of the Crystal Ice and the Cold Storage Company.
BIOGRAPHIES