Читать книгу History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 2 - Группа авторов - Страница 17

The gentleman here named is justly regarded as one of the most cultured, public-spirited and useful citizens of Westchester county. He has contributed largely to the literary development of the county by his writings, his lectures and his earnest efforts to promote intellectual activity and especially historical research. He is the author of two chapters of the History of Westchester county, by J. Thomas Scharf, that on the Indians of Westchester county and another on the Early Explorations and Settlers of the county. Mr. Wood has done much other notable work, which has consisted mainly in lectures upon historical subjects and travel, delivered before colleges and many literary and other bodies and in a wide range of articles contributed to the magazines and other periodicals, religious and secular.

James Wood was born November 12, 1839, at the place where he now resides, and where his father and grandfather lived before him, one mile north of the village of Mount Kisco, in the township of Bedford, Westchester county, New York. His grandfather's name was James and his father's Stephen. The latter died in 1876.

The family came from Long Island early in the last century. They are descended from Jonas Wood, who came from Halifax, England, in 1635, and was named in the patent of Hempstead, Long Island, in 1644. The family was connected with that of the present Lord Halifax.

Mr. Wood's mother was Phoebe Underhill, daughter of Caleb Underbill, of Yorktown, a descendant of that John Underhill who came from Ettington in Warwickshire, England, and settled at Oyster Bay, Long Island, in 1667. The Underhill mansion and buildings are still standing at Ettington, where numerous brasses and monuments to the family remain in the old parish church. The. estates are now in the possession of the Shirleys, with whom the Underbills intermarried. Lord Freres is the present head of that family. Another John Underhill of this family was chaplain to Queen Elizabeth and was made Bishop of Oxford in 1589.

Mr. Wood married June 7, 1866, Emily Hollingsworth Morris, daughter of Henry Morris, of Philadelphia. They have three children — Ellen M., Carolena M. and L. Hollingsworth.

Mr. Wood was educated at Havorford College, Philadelphia, from which institution he has the degree of A. M. He is now (1899) the president of the college chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He has been a member of the board of managers of the college for twenty years and also of its executive committee; he has been a trustee of Bryn Mawr College for ten years, and he is also connected with Cornell College.

Mr. Wood holds a remarkable number of official positions in institutions and organizations in the state and county. He is the president of the board of managers of the New York State Reformatory for Women, and also president of the Westchester Temporary Home for Destitute Children. He is the president of the Westchester County Historical Society and has held this office for twenty years. He was one of the society's charter members. He is the president of the Mount Kisco Village Improvement Association and of the Oakwood Cemetery Association. He has been president of the New York State Agricultural Society and was the first person who ever held that position for more than one year.

In church association Mr. Wood is a member of the Society of Friends and his family have long been Quakers. He has held many positions in church affairs and is now the clerk (presiding officer) of the New York Yearly Meeting, which embraces the states of New York and Vermont. He has been one of the managers of the American Bible Society for several years.

Mr. Wood has taken a great interest in agricultural matters. He has been the president of the Eastern New York State Horticultural Society two years, being the first man that ever held that office more than one year. His home, " Braewold," with its residences and outbuildings of stone, its greenhouses, vineyards, orchards, breeding stock of hackney horses, herd of Devon cattle and flocks of Hampshire Down sheep, is an interesting place to every visitor.

Mr. Wood has traveled extensively in foreign lands and over our own continent and has resided for many years abroad.