John H. Wood Collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS 2019.0006

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection includes a range of materials, including legal records, property records, correspondence, business and household records, photographs, and memorabilia. Of particular note are the selections of family correspondence from the Civil War and song lyrics written by Levi Wood when he was a soldier. A colored tintype portrait of Levi is included in the collection. The collection also includes an account book, business receipts, and correspondence from Hezekiah’s shoemaking business. In addition, the collection includes correspondence between John Harris and Florence Wood, as well as a set of well-preserved World War I training booklets and World War II ration coupons. Lastly are items relating broadly to greenville, notably some commencement programs from Greenville Central School District and an odd petition concerning the granting of a Tavern License.

Dates

Majority of material found in 1850-1970

Biographical / Historical

This collection comprises materials representing three generations of the Wood family of Greenville, New York. John Harris Wood (1896-1977), from whom the collection originates, was a descendant of Hezekiah Wood (1818-1900) and Eliza Clock Wood (1823-1891). Hezekiah Wood was a shoemaker in Greenville, and some materials in the collection relate to his business. Hezekiah and Eliza had five sons: John H., Levi S., Eugene L., Joseph E., and George Wood. Two sons John H. Wood and Levi S. Wood served in the Civil War. John was stationed at Fort Marshall, in Baltimore, Maryland, and later moved to Pennsylvania as a pastor of a Methodist Episcopal church. Levi served with the 156th Volunteer Infantry (“Mountain Legion”) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, and died of fever in a regimental hospital at the close of the war. Joseph’s son, John Harris Wood, served in World War I. Additional materials relate to the Sanford Family of Greenville, those materials having originally been in the care of John Harris Wood's wife Florence Sanford, also a Greenville native.