BIO: William H. WOODS, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lana Clark 
<myclarkhistory@hotmail.com>

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm 
**********************************************************
__________________________________________________________  

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 31-32 
__________________________________________________________  

  WILLIAM H. WOODS, attorney-at-law, was born in Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., 
May 17, 1829.  He is a son of Rev. James S. and Marion (Witherspoon) Woods.  
Rev. Mr. Woods was born in Cumberland county, and descended from a Scotch-Irish 
family.  Mrs. Woods was a native of Princeton, N.J., her father having been the 
distinguished president of Princeton College, Rev. John Witherspoon, D.D., who 
was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  A clock in Mr. 
Woods' possession was brought from Scotland by Dr. John Witherspoon in 1768, and 
is still in good order.  This valued heirloom, belonged to John Knox, and is 
over three hundred years old.  The first charge of Rev. James S. Woods included 
the congregations of Lewistown and McVeytown, which he held jointly for several 
years; afterwards a call was handed to him for all his time by the Lewistown 
congregation, which he accepted, and labored there zealously for forty years.  
His death occurred June 29, 1862.  Rev. Mr. Woods was highly honored by the 
citizens of Lewistown for his many sterling qualities; on the day of his 
funeral, as a mark of respect to his memory, all places of business in the town 
were closed.  Mrs. Woods died July 10, 1846.  Their children were nine in 
number; those now living are: David W., practitioner at law, Lewistown, Mifflin 
county, Pa.; William H.; Rev. A. M. and Annie, wife of John Cochran, Chester, 
Pa., are twins; Miss Margaret J., resides in Philadelphia. 
  William H. Woods passed his early life in his native town, and was a pupil in 
its academy.  At the age of seventeen he entered Jefferson College, where he 
spent one year.  He then became a student at Princeton College, and graduated 
with the class of 1848.  For several years after, Mr. Woods was occupied in 
studying law and in teaching.  His legal preceptor was his brother, Samuel S. 
Woods, Esq., afterward president judge of the Twentieth Judicial District of 
Pennsylvania.  During the year 1849 Mr. Woods taught school in Monmouth county, 
N.J.  In 1850, he was principal of the Lewistown Academy, and from 1851 to 1855, 
he and his brother, Alexander M. Woods, were in charge of the preparatory 
department of Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.  Leaving Easton in the spring of 
1855, Mr. Woods took charge of Milnwood Academy, Shade Gap, Huntingdon county, 
where he taught until 1862.  Meanwhile, his legal preparation being completed, 
he was admitted to practice at the bar in both Mifflin and Huntingdon counties 
in 1858.  In 1862, he again took charge of Lewistown Academy, but a year later, 
in August, 1863, removed to Huntingdon, where he has ever since resided, giving 
his whole time to the practise of law.  He is one of the oldest lawyers of 
Huntingdon, and one of the most highly esteemed residents of the county.  He is 
a staunch Republican. 
  William H. Woods was married at New Athens, Ohio, to Frances T., daughter of 
Rev. McKnight and Jane C. (Woods) Williamson.  They have one son, George M. 
Woods, who was married to Lillian, only daughter of J. F. Thompson, M.D., of 
Liverpool, Pa.  They have one daughter, Jennie Frances Thompson Woods.  Mr. 
Woods and his family are consistent members of the Presbyterian church.