Mathew Stewart Wood

Mathew Stewart Wood

Mathew Stewart Wood, 1865-1955

• Father: Uriah Griffin Wood b. 14 April 1829, d. 12 August 1899
• Mother: Catherine Farrington b. 16 January 1839, d. 6 June 1900

• Mathew Stewart Wood was born on 17 April 1865 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.
• Uriah Griffin Wood and Catherine Farrington appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Warren, Columbia County, Arkansas. Other members of the household included Mathew Stewart Wood, Frank Oliver Wood, Bonnie Griffin Wood and Mary Christian Wood.
• Uriah Griffin Wood and Catherine Farrington appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Mars Hill Township, Lafayette County, Arkansas. Other members of the household included Mathew Stewart Wood, Frank Oliver Wood, Bonnie Griffin Wood, Mary Christian Wood, Elma Wood and Osceola Custer Wood.
• He was working on the farm, according to the 1880 census.
• A photographic portrait was made of the sons of Uriah Griffin Wood, about 1890.
• He married Addie A. Griffin, daughter of J. H. Griffin and Zilpha (?), circa 1895.
• Mathew Stewart Wood and Addie A. Griffin appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Itasca, Hill County, Texas, living next door to Addie's brother Albert Griffin.. Other members of the household included Griffin G. Wood, Albert Newton Wood and Pauline Wood.
• He was an attorney at law, according to the 1880 census.
• Mathew Stewart Wood became a widower at the 13 April 1910 death of his wife Addie A. Griffin.
• Mathew Stewart Wood appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Itasca, Hill County, Texas, at North Street. Other members of the household included Griffin G. Wood, Albert Newton Wood, Pauline Wood, Horace Oliver Wood and Seth Wood. Also in the household were housekeeper Anna Cook and her young son Paul. The enumeration actually was done on the 18th, less than a week after the death of Mathew's wife Addie.
• He was self-employed as a lawyer in general practice, according to the 1910 census.
• He married Lila Ann Cheek on 23 February 1915.
• Mathew Stewart Wood and Lila Ann Cheek appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Itasca, Hill County, Texas, at 222 King Street. Other members of the household included Albert Newton Wood, Pauline Wood, Horace Oliver Wood, Seth Wood and Zelda Mae Reynolds. Son Seth also was enumerated in the Waco household of his widowed aunt Annie Monk Wood.
• He was self-employed as a lawyer in general practice, according to eht 1920 census.
• Mathew Stewart Wood and Lila Ann Cheek appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Hillsboro, Hill County, Tennessee, at 407 Thompson.
• He was self-employed as a lawyer in civil practice, according to the 1930 census.
• In a letter dated 27 May 1936 to Elma Elizabeth Wood in Waco, Mathew Stewart Wood wrote from Hillsboro, Texas: My Dear Elma:
       I thank you for your letter of the 24th. I appreciate it very much. It has been so long since I heard from you directly. Some time ago your good mother wrote me a nice sweet letter and I had it in mind to write her, but I am so busy through the day and interrupted by so many people coming in, I do not have time, and so have put it off from time to time.
       I regret to hear that Katherine had to have an operation, but I sincerely hope she will recover rapidly and in every way satisfactory.
       I am glad to learn that the Government has finally recognized its obligation to Bob and is doing something for him. Surely, if anybody in the great A. E. F. did his part and did it well, and suffered almost death in the doing of it, it was Bob, and the Government should do right by him and his family. I know quite a great many who are receiving bounteous sums monthly from the Government, and I do not think they did nearly so much and made nearly such sacrifices as Bob Orma did.
       Aunt Lila and I have been getting along fine in every way except bad colds. I have suffered much through the winter and still have a cough which occurs occasionally and is very distressing. Otherwise I am in fine health.
       Zelda Mae has a new baby girl which was born May 3. Both are doing fine.
       Pauline phoned and invited us to attend the school exercises last Friday night, and we would have been happy if we could have attended, but were kept at home on account of the heavy rain. Joe Wood has been promoted to the 4th grade. I want to tell you that you can keep your eye out for that boy. If he lives and keeps his health he will be somebody.
       Pauline phoned yesterday that Joe Wood and Alex will come down this morning and pay us a visit, and I am expecting them now. We enjoy having them.
       Albert is at Hughes Springs, Texas, working for a construction company. Horace is still in Ft. Worth with the Continental Oil Co. Seth is working in the P.W.A. office in Wichita Falls.
       I went out of the office of County Judge on the last day of December, 1934, and re-opened my law office, and am happy to say that a lot of business has come in but not nearly so much as before I became County Judge. I have had quite a struggle to get a line-up of business sufficient to give me anything like a regular income. The serious difficulty is the people do not have the money and cannot pay such fees as they used to pay. But I think I was born an optimist, and keep on working and expecting better things to come my way.
       You asked me to give you some information on the family tree. I am not so able to sketch it according to the pattern contained in your letter, so I will give you the history as far as I know and let you plan the tree.
       Please write me again. Give my love to your good Mother, Katherine, and the others, and accept a liberal portion for yourself and all of you come to see us whenever you can.
                      Lovingly,
                      Uncle Mathew.
• See at the bottom of this page the "Wood Family History" that accompanied the foregoing letter.
• Mathew Stewart Wood and Lila Ann Cheek appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1940 in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas, at 407 Thompson.
• He was self-employed as a lawyer in private practice, according to the 1940 census.
• Mathew Stewart Wood died on 16 September 1955 at age 90 in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas, at 305 Craig at his residence.
• His wife Lila Ann Cheek became a widow at his death.
• He was interred at Ridge Park Cemetery, Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas.
• ============== Wood Family History, by Mathew Stewart Wood, 1936 ==============
       The oldest of the Wood family that I know of was Solomon Wood who lived in Virginia. He was our ancestor, but I do not know how far back in the line. [Transcriber's note: Mathew Stewart Wood's ancestor actually was Solomon Wood's younger brother Joshua Wood (1765-1844).] One thing I do know is that among my Father's keep-sakes there was an old silver spoon with Solomon Wood's monogram on it, and after the death of our parents in Arkansas, those in charge of affairs sent to me this old silver spoon and I prize it very highly. I keep it locked in the safe. Some day, I expect to have it polished and hammered into shape.
       Through the ages the Wood family drifted south from Virginia and I think some of them lived in Georgia. My Grandfather, Mathew Wood and his wife, Mourning Atkinson, had their home in Alabama. They moved to Smith County, Texas, before the Civil War. My father, Uriah Griffin Wood, was born at Talledega Alabama.
       Father had several brothers and sisters, and I am not able to give the names of all of them, nor the order of their ages.
       The oldest brother was called Red, and he is said to have died in Hill County, long before the Civil War. He had two children, but I cannot tell about them.
       Another brother, White Wood, lived at Canton, in Van Zandt County and I recall he had one son, Dr. J. W. Wood of Canton, with whom I had some correspondence when we were both quite young.
       Father had a sister, Letitia, who married Mr. Hardergree, and lived in or near Canton.
       He had another sister, Abi (Abigail), who married Wade Chancellor and lived at Edom in Van Zandt County. Neither of these two sisters had any children.
       He had another sister who first married G. W. Longley, who died and left two children, and then she married Allen G. Furman. They lived in Smith County, I think.
       Father had another sister, Sally, who married a Mr. Rice. They lived in Smith County, and had a son who became a dentist, as I recall, and lived for some years at Hubbard, but I never did meet him. He went back to Tyler.
       Father had another brother, Frank, who lived in some little town out east from Tyler. He had some children, but I do not know but one of them, a daughter, Lula, and I corresponded with her some when we were both young. I never did meet her.
       Father had two brothers, William and Floyd C. who lived from time to time in Arkansas, but came back to Texas, and I do not know what became of them.
       That is the best information I can give about that family.
       Father had one cousin, Eason B. Wood, who lived in Limestone County and was the father of Dr. Wm. A. Wood, now of Waco, Dr. John H. Wood, now deceased, and Cousin Dixie, Mrs. James D. Johnson of Hubbard, Eugene Wood, former registrat of Baylor University, and Josh Wood, who I think is in a bank at Waco.
       Father had another cousin, Whig Wood, who lived in Limestone County near Mart, and was the father of the late Mrs. I. E. Gates.
       He had another cousin, Joshua Wood, Who lived at Kosse.
       There was another cousin, David C. Wood, who was an old bachelor and a druggist at Hubband, and died many years ago.
       There was another cousin, Enoch Wood, who lived at Corsicana.
       Now as to Father's family. Father was born on the 14th of April, about 1829, and died at your father's home in Louisiana about 1899. Mother, Kittie Farrington, was born at or near Americus Georgia about 1839, and died about 1902.
       They had the following children: First, Elizabeth, who died while quite young; second, Frank Oliver, who was born August 4, 1863, and is now living near Hope Arkansas; third, Mathew Stewart Wood, born April 17, 1865; fourth, Bonnie Griffin Wood, born ____, died 1907; fifth, Mary Christian Wood, who married J. G. Lile, and died about 1902; sixth, Morning Floydina, who died quite young; seventh, Hattie Dutchy Elmina (Elma) died about 1908; eighth, Osceola Custer Wood, died ____.
       Frank Oliver married Emma Averett and they had only one child who died early.
       Mathew married Addie Griffin and they had the following children: First, Griffin Wood, who died November 15, 1918; second, Mathew Floyd Wood, who died in infancy; third, Albert Newton Wood; fourth Pauline Wood, who married Alex J. Coutret, Jr. and lives at Itasca; fifth, Horace Oliver Wood, who married Grace Finley; sixth, Esther, who died in infancy; seventy, Seth Wood; eighth, Thomas Stewart Wood, who died in infancy.
       Addie Griffin Wood died April 13, 1910.
       Mathew married Lila A. Reynolds, a widow, February 23, 1915.
       Mrs. Reynolds had one child, Zelda Mae, who is now Mrs. Tom L. Sessions, and has two children, Lila Ann Sessions, born about September 1, 1930, and Zelda Mae Sessions.
       Mathew and Lila had no children.
       Mary Christian married J. G. Lile and had three children, Hugh, Ruth, and Ocie.
       Elma married John D. Nash and had two children, Carnall and Wood.
       I understand Carnall is a teacher at El Dorado Arkansas, and you might get information from her.
       I have skipped your Father, but you can give that as well as I.
       In my family, Pauline has two boys, Joe Wood and Alex J. Coutret III.
       Horace has one child, Annette Griffin.
       Albert and Seth are single.
       I do not know how much of this information will be helpful to you but you are welcome to it.
       One of the characteristics of the great Wood family is we love to talk about our relations.
       I have heard of many others, but I am unable to give any facts.

• Last Edited: 23 Sep 2014

• Charts: Descendants of WOOD William & Lydia Ballentine