John Wood, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
John Wood
IN MEMORIAM. -- JOHN WOOD
"Our Fathers, Where Are They."
We are called upon to chronicle the death of John Wood, of Deep River, Lake county. He was born October 28, 1800. His history is the history of the nineteenth century. During his lifetime more has been accomplished in the arts and sciences than in all the years of the world before him. He has aided in doing more to lighten the burdens of the toiling millions now living, than had been done by all the people that lived before him. He has seen, not the first experiment of the application of steam power, but its successful application. He had attained the years of manhood before a single mile of railroad was built in the United States. His brain and muscle has contributed to the building of every rod of the railroad system of to-day with its hundred thousand miles of iron track. He was in the prime of his life before the electric telegraph was invented, and has aided in building three hundred thousand miles of telegraph line. He has seen the state of his adoption a savage wilderness from the lakes to the Ohio river, and a prosperous state inhabited by two millions of civilized people. He was a citizen of this Republic when it consisted of about six million of people scattered along the Atlantic coast, and when it extended from ocean to ocean, and contained fifty millions of people.
Father Wood was not a mere looker on while all these grand things for our country and humanity have been accomplished. On the contrary, he was a part and parcel of them. The fact that such men as he lived made all these things possible. Without just such men as he, the wild west would not have been conquered. Their courage, their energy, their wisdom and their industry have made us the nation we are.
Father Wood emigrated to Indiana in 1835, locating near the line of Lake and Porter counties. He crowded closely upon the Indian, being among the first white settlers. He came not as an adventurer, but as a settler, and brought with him his wife and five children. He remained where he first settled until his death.
Father Wood was a prompt, energetic and thrifty business man. While originally a tanner by trade, he devoted himself to milling and farming after he came to Indiana, and although a resident of Lake county, in his business relations he has been intimately associated with the people of Porter county, and his loss will be as sincerely mourned by them as by the people of his own county.
He leaves behind him five sons, all of whom have a large share of the sterling merit of the father. Nathan and George live at Deep River, the home of their father, and are the owners of the mill built and operated for many years by him. Augustus is in the merchantile business at Hobart. John W. is one of the most active and enterprising business men of our own city, and Oliver S. is a successful physician at Hebron. Mrs. Dr. Vincent, of Hobart, is the only surviving daughter. In addition to these he leaved twenty-one grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
There is no time when death is opportune. If the dreaded messenger could have been stayed but a day the family of father Wood would have once more been gathered at the old home. The invitations have been sent out by him, and the preparations made for entertaining his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, on the 2nd inst.
They came, but not for a joyful family reunion in their father's house, but sorrowing, to bid him the last farewell.
After a long and useful life he died in peace December 1st, 1883.
One by one the pioneers of Indiana gathered to their fathers, but their works live after them. So long as history is written and deeds of the sturdy men and women of America, who, in one century redeemed from savagry a continent so vast and founded and maintained a government second to none in wealth, power, and in the happiness of her people shall be read, admired and imitated.
Newspaper: Porter County Vidette
Date of Publication: December 6, 1883
Volume Number: 27
Issue Number: 49
Page: 8
Column(s): 4 and 5
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook